Going to battle for women in mammogram nightmare

(New York - WABC, Februay 26, 2007) (WABC) -- Imagine having a mammogram and then not being able to get the results. That happened to thousands of women from our area after a radiologist from Brooklyn shut down.

It's a story Seven On Your Side broke last year and now we have more women are coming forward with same problem.

Tappy: "Has this been bothering you?"
Marsha Roy, patient: "It's been bothering me a great deal."

Marsha Roy found a lump in her breast months ago, but she can't continue her treatments because she cannot get her previous mammograms.

Tappy: "They can't make a diagnosis?"
Marsha: "Yes."
Tappy: "So you're just kinda stuck now waiting?"
Marsha: "Absolutely I am."

Bay Imaging of Brooklyn has Marsha's records. They were shut down by the state last year for not having a licensed radiologist on staff. That was when we first confronted owner, Dr. Rubin Fluerantin.

Dr. Fleurantin: "What is your mission?"
Tappy: "To get her films and the films of this woman who I just met and every other woman who has been waiting for images to find out if she has terminal breast cancer. Does that concern you at all?"

That day we were able to get these women their records. Since then, more desperate women contacted us complaining that the three Brooklyn offices were shut.

We found the Fleurantin's operating out of a clinic in East Orange, New Jersey. The doctor's brother says he is trying to fulfill requests for records.

Tappy: "Why are these women waiting nine months for their mammograms?"
Dr. Adam Fleurantin, Bay Imaging: "Because it's a lot. We are doing what we can because we don't have the money to pay people."
Tappy: "Are you completely incompetant? Why can't you get this to them?"

That answer was surprising since we found Dr. Fleurantin living in a sprawling New Jersey home.

Councilman Vincent Gentile (D): "The problem here was he closed down overnight with no plan and just left."

New York's Department of Professional Medical Conduct says when a practice closes, medical records must be transferred to a third party within thirty days. If they don't, the owner's subject to felony charges and up to four years in jail. Yet, Dr. Fleurantin still has a license to practice medicine in the state of New York.

"This behavior and conduct by Dr. Fleurantin is so outrageous," Gentile said.

Seven On Your Side was successful in getting some mammograms released. Marsha Roy got hers last weekend.

Right now, Councilman Gentile and the state and city health departments are trying to force Dr. Fleurantin to release the estimated 15,000 additional mammograms.

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