Thousands Told to Repeat Colonoscopies After Doctor’s Methods Flagged
More than 1,900 people were told to undergo repeat colonoscopies after concerns emerged about a doctor’s methods, with hundreds later found to have polyps and
More than 1,900 people were told to undergo repeat colonoscopies after concerns emerged about a doctor’s methods, with hundreds later found to have polyps and seven diagnosed with cancer.
The cases involve Liu-Ming Schmidt, a doctor found guilty of professional misconduct and suspended from practising in July. Health services reviewed colonoscopies she performed or supervised between 2018 and 2022, then advised 1,934 patients to have the procedure done again.
Hundreds of abnormal results
Of the 1,084 patients who went back for a second colonoscopy, 548 had polyps. Seven were found to have cancer.
The findings have intensified concern among patients and families who say the original procedures may have missed serious disease. Colonoscopy is a routine but crucial test used to detect bowel cancer and remove precancerous growths before they turn malignant. When it falls short, the consequences can be severe.
Lynette Taylor was among those who placed their trust in Schmidt when she had a colonoscopy at Albury Wodonga Private Hospital in 2021. Her family has a history of bowel cancer, and her daughter said Taylor had always booked regular screenings.
Families want more than suspension
“She trusted Dr Schmidt. She trusted that she'd highlighted the need for it [the colonoscopy] to be careful, because of the family history of bowel cancer,” Belinda Taylor said.
A woman whose mother died years after her test said the suspension was not enough. For families now looking back at what happened, the issue is not only the misconduct finding itself, but how many patients went through flawed procedures before action was taken.
The case is likely to keep drawing attention because of the scale alone: thousands affected, hundreds with polyps, and cancers uncovered only after repeat testing. For patients, the next step is personal and urgent. For health services, it is scrutiny that is unlikely to fade soon.
