Venkat Banda, MD - pradaxa

[ArchivalUser]

Anyone here rotated with Dr. Banda? It seems like he is named as a defendant in the lawsuit against Baton Rouge General Medical Center.

Defendant Venkatramana Banda, M.D. (“Dr. Banda”) is a resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana and is employed by the General Health System and/or Baton Rouge General Medical Center as a physician and the Associate Director of the Internal Medicine Residency program. The BRG website states that "Dr. Banda graduated from Nagarjuna University Siddartha Medical College in India before completing his residency at St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, Illinois". Dr. Banda is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Geriatrics. He holds the appointments of Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine for Tulane University School of Medicine, Medical Director of Hospital Medicine Group, and Chief of Medicine at Baton Rouge General Medical Center."

Found it on http://www.brglawsuit.com/thedefendants.htm

[ArchivalUser]

Dr. Banda is well known throughout the community as an accomplished physician that is very helpful with obtaining observerships for students and helping interns get into residency programs. I can only assume that is some sort of discruntal unsubstantiated allegation.

[ArchivalUser]

I worked with Dr. Banda in the residency program and can honestly say this about him:

1. Although quiet, he seemed to have an uncaring attitude. He does not want to order tests that can aid in better diagnostic decision making (such as CT scans because they “cost the hospital money.” This is different from not wanting to order tests that would not be helpful. If a surgeon did not want to order a test that can clarify the diagnosis, for example, would you feel confident that this person would take the time to put the sutures in properly, or would they possibly, leave a scalpel inside of you? I would not want to take the chance.

2. He becomes defensive and angry when asked polite but challenging questions. No health care provider is always correct with diagnostic decision making or managing treatment. Patients should feel like they can have an open and honest discussion with the provider which includes asking questions about possible alternative diagnoses, treatments, or inquiring about information gathered from popular news sources. Provided that the questions are asked politely and without the intention of being antagonistic, there is no need for the provider to become upset. There is no need for a patient to feel scared to ask questions of their physician, nurse, psychologist, etc.

The above is totally based on my own interaction with Dr. Banda so
of course, this is necessarily subjective - take it as just another data point.