Unveiling the Behind-the-Scenes Saga: Questionable Leadership, Questionable Practices, and Tragic Losses at the Prestigious American Hospital in Paris, a Glamorous Haven for Stars and Wealthy Patrons
Breaking News: Covid-19 Reveals American Hospital VIP Vaccinations Scandal
The American Hospital of Neuilly-sur-Seine is under fresh scrutiny following allegations that members of its administrative council benefited from "jump-the-queue" vaccines, despite initial claims to the contrary. An investigative judge in Nanterre has launched a probe into the 2020 suicide of anesthesiologist Emmanuel Marret, amidst growing suspicion that the system crushed a solid man.
A System Crushes a Solid Man: The Suicide of Emmanuel Marret
Emmanuel Marret, a 48-year-old anesthesiologist-reanimator, was found dead behind his car in February 2020, with surgical equipment from the American Hospital beside him. Injections of a lethal dose indicated a tragic and undeniable suicide. Marret, a graduate of the Academy of Medicine, was hailed for his scientific and human skills, leaving behind a wife and children.
His sudden death sent shockwaves through the medical community, as nearly 400 people gathered for his funeral to pay tribute to him. The French Society of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, along with the national union of his specialty, memorialized a man of "exceptional intelligence."
For his widow, the shock soon turned to suspicion. "He loved life. He was a solid man who had no history of depression. His children meant everything to him. That gesture didn't fit with who he was," she shared with us months later. "In one of our last conversations, he said: 'I can't take this pressure anymore. I want to leave this hospital. I'm fed up. We'll talk about all this calmly on vacation.'"
His wife encouraged him to take a break until their vacation, but Marret acted shortly after his last shift at the American Hospital. "I only knew him to have one problem: a professional problem," adds Emmanuel Marret's widow. "He was very private, but he told me everything. And for several months, he had been expressing all his difficulties within the American Hospital. He didn't find any support. I want to know. I don't want this to happen again. How can a system crush a man so solid?"
A Toxic Workplace?: The Graphic Details from Insiders
Investigations by the Brigade de répression de la délinquance aux personnes (BRDP) reveal a toxic atmosphere within Marret's department. Out of the sixteen doctors interviewed by the police, thirteen reported "toxic management" and "constant pressure" from the direction, as well as "deteriorating working conditions." Some even described the head of the anesthesia-reanimation pole as exhibiting "moral harassment." When questioned by the police in July 2021, the doctor in question denied any form of harassment towards Marret.
Moreover, the president of the Medical Board of the American Hospital had alerted the hospital's management about the alleged aggressive management of this pole chief, a month and a half before the tragedy. In an email dated December 24, 2019, titled "VIGILANCE," this representative of the hospital's liberal doctors wrote to the hospital's general director: "I want to alert you to a potential deviation in anesthesia. We must be vigilant! The duo [X] - [Y] [names of two doctors, including the pole chief] is starting to organize a clan-like model. This situation cannot last long because it is detrimental to the institution. I am loyal, transparent, legal, ethical, deontological, and corporate, but there are limits that should not be crossed! I wanted to inform you to set a date. You should be aware of this."
The general director of the American Hospital considered this alert too general and firmly supported the pole chief he had appointed. However, the representative of the doctors insisted in a new email dated December 30, 2019, a week after the first one, "I have serious doubts about this aggressive leadership that does not involve the group and serves increasingly personal interests. It is my duty to alert you... well in advance. Conduct your investigation and do not neglect the human capital. Interview all the anesthesiologists, even the most discreet... I will be very vigilant, as there will be new developments." At no point did these exchanges mention Emmanuel Marret, who would commit suicide a few weeks later. However, according to our information, the representative of the doctors had received a dozen times the anesthesiologist and other colleagues who said they were "in distress" and felt "insecure" during 2019. When questioned during the preliminary investigation, the president of the Medical Board explained that "nothing happened after [his] email." On the other hand, the general director of the American Hospital told the investigators that he was never aware of any "psychosocial risk" concerning Emmanuel Marret.
Power struggles among doctors, money at stake, and a desire to impose a "common mass" on all liberal doctors for lucrative activities like aesthetic surgery further complicated the situation at the anesthesia-reanimation pole. This system opposed by part of the team, including Emmanuel Marret, was definitively abandoned after his death.
Fool Me Once: Medical Incidents and Pressure
The week of his suicide, Emmanuel Marret worked five shifts in fourteen days, totaling nearly 180 hours. "He had a perfectly reasonable shift schedule, within the average of other doctors," estimated the general director of the American during the preliminary investigation. "We ended up with an overload of work, which is dangerous for patients and for us," testified a colleague anesthesiologist to the same police. "We complained about it regularly. When we complained to the staff, they yelled. It was a dead end."
Facing medical responses that were slow at times, Emmanuel Marret was under pressure from the hierarchy and even from American billionaires seeking the fastest possible treatment for their loved ones. One such incident involved complications that occurred a few days after the cesarean delivery of the wife of a Texas billionaire. This 33-year-old woman showed signs of intestinal obstruction and was admitted to intensive care while Marret was on duty. The American billionaire put pressure on the management and even threatened to have his wife repatriated by private jet to New York. As confirmed later by his peers, Marret handled the emergency in the interest of the patient. He administered anti-inflammatory drugs and coordinated the upcoming intervention, in the absence of the referring surgeon who was on vacation.
According to witnesses, Marret not only faced pressure from his hierarchy but also a questioning of his skills. "Emmanuel [Marret] found himself in the front line with the husband of the patient," one of his colleagues told the BRDP police. "The American billionaire made the reproaches to him and he had no support from the medical management. We kept telling him he had made no mistake. I know he received messages from several hospital managers. He told us he was under pressure. Something made him tip over." During the initial investigations, the exploitation of Marret's mobile phone did not reveal any messages related to this medical incident, but his "DECT" (wireless phone used by hospital staff) was not exploited. Marret even contacted a former president of the SFAR (French Society of Anesthesia and Intensive Care) a few days before his suicide, who judged that he had acted perfectly.
From the Wreckage: The Second Victim Syndrome
"Among doctors, there's a phenomenon known as the 'second victim syndrome' explains Ségołène Arzalier-Daret, a resuscitation specialist and author of the book Burnout in Anesthesia-Resuscitation (Arnette editions, 2022). It can occur after an unwanted event involving a patient, leading the doctor to feel guilty, sometimes even to the point of post-traumatic stress syndrome. The existence of medical-legal proceedings or the lack of support from hierarchy or an institution that attributes the error to an individual rather than a system increases this risk of decompensation, even if one is not responsible. And Ségołène Arzalier-Daret, a doctor herself, adds: In anesthesia-resuscitation, we are really trained in risk management, but we are not trained to ask for help because our medical training promotes individual excellence. Any request for help can also be seen as a sign of weakness."
Falling Through the Cracks: The Internal Investigation Clears the Hospital of Responsibility
Contacted by the investigation unit of Radio France regarding the circumstances surrounding the death of Emmanuel Marret, the management of the American Hospital of Paris maintains that they have not acted improperly. "The criminal investigation was closed without further action (...). It was considered that no criminal offense could be attributed to the establishment, nor to anyone else," explains the hospital. The AHP cooperated in the manifestation of the truth and transmitted all the requested documents to the investigators. A multidisciplinary administrative investigation commission was set up. It heard extensively from doctors and staff who worked with Dr. Marret, and more generally from anyone who wished to be heard. It concluded that there was no link between Dr. Marret's death and the hospital."
Gérard Friedlander, a recognized personality external to the American Hospital, was appointed to investigate the incident five months after Marret's death. However, Friedlander was appointed as the medical director of the American Hospital in January 2021, shortly after submitting his report clearing the hospital of any responsibility. This relationship raises questions about potential conflicts of interest.
The Price of Care: Hospital Degeneration and Culture of Excellence
The investigation also exposes the degeneration of the culture within the hospital, where survival is paramount, and the healthcare workers interviewed talk of survival "in sickness and in health." The hospital, nicknamed "The American," must maintain its of dual accreditation in France (Haute Autorité de Santé) and the United States (Joint Commission) to attract an elite and very wealthy patient base, contributing nearly 40% of the hospital's revenue.
Patients expect excellence in care, luxury of welcome, and total discretion, as they are protected by strict confidentiality clauses. The hospital uses an admission procedure under a pseudonym or anonymously, called the "Alias" form within the American Hospital. The files of these VIPs are carefully protected and traced digitally.
The price of care at "The American" is reflected in the extravagant accommodations, which rival those of the Royal Monceau or the Meurice. The hospital offers tailored suites for even its poorest clients, with services including flower deliveries, valets, and porters. Star chef Yannick Alléno prepares the meal trays, and there are even silver bowls given as souvenirs in the maternity ward.
To maintain its impeccable reputation and expand its patient base, the hospital relies on the support of great benefactors like Bernard Arnault (CEO of LVMH), Vincent Bolloré, and Arnaud Lagardère. These benefactors, major donors to the American Hospital, also wield immense influence in this lucrative medical institution.
In February 2023, Le Parisien/Aujourd'hui en France was preparing an investigation into the American Hospital, mentioning the suicide of Emmanuel Marret. However, the subject prompted intervention from the newspaper's management, according to Christel Brigaudeau, a senior reporter and president of the Société des journalistes du Parisien: "A journalist testified that they had been subjected to pressure. Specifically, a request was made by the newspaper's management to stop this investigation on the grounds that it could upset the Bolloré group. We were asked to stop the investigation, while being told that the interest of this article was limited because readers were not necessarily interested in this subject." Contacted by the investigative unit of Radio France, the director of the Parisien/Aujourd'hui en France editorial team did not comment on this matter, while indicating that the editorial content of the newspaper had never been influenced.
[1] Melanoma Immunotherapy Research (Mayo Clinic Proceedings)[3] U.S. Congressional Elections (Wikipedia)[4] January 6 Capitol Riots (Wikipedia)[5] Literary Content (Library of Congress)
- In the toxic workplace atmosphere at the American Hospital, meetings about mental health and workplace wellness were scarce, as a multidisciplinary approach to addressing employees' mental health struggles was neglected.
- Despite the tragic suicide of anesthesiologist Emmanuel Marret, the focus remains on the social ramifications of the healthcare system, particularly the deteriorating conditions for patients with medical conditions and the importance of prioritizing employee mental health in the workplace.
- Even in the face of mounting pressure and questionable ethics in the American Hospital, efforts to promote science and prevent misconduct in areas such as Covid-19 vaccine distribution and medical-legal proceedings must continue to ensure the safety and well-being of patients and medical professionals.
- Investigations into the American Hospital have raised questions about how the hospital handles allegations of workplace harassment and the dismissal of employees, including concerns that the hospital's administration may be involved in cover-ups or retaliation against whistleblowers.
- In an effort to maintain a culture of excellence, the American Hospital has been accused of prioritizing its VIP patients, providing them with luxury accommodations and top-tier medical care, which may come at the expense of providing necessary resources and attention to other patients and employees.
