After physicians confirmed that no revision septoplasty could be performed--including those at the Mayo clinic in Rochester, MN, usually the "last word" in medical determinations--Frederick explored the possibility of a malpractice suit. Sadly, he was told by more than one lawyer that the statute of limitation had expired. When he contacted the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation about Dr. Raviv's outcomes, they said they could do nothing without Dr. Raviv's cooperation, Frederick told me.
Furious at the loss of his health, lifestyle and career ambitions, Frederick created leaflets detailing his experiences with Dr. Raviv that he put on some windshields of cars in NorthShore University Health System facilities' parking lots. This led to the hospital chain threatening him with a civil suit for "trespassing" on their property.
When he posted information about his surgical experience on medical review sites, he received a Cease and Desist letter from a lawyer threatening him with a lawsuit if he continued his postings. He has, nonetheless, continued.
Problematical Medicine or Profit Seeking?
At the time of the surgery Frederick was a member of a Blue Cross/Blue Shield PPO and he estimates the surgery was billed at $35,000. Others who have posted about their experiences with Dr. Raviv linked a profit motive to their unfavorable outcomes. For example Maggie G. wrote in a review in 2020 that Dr. Raviv "billed my insurance for procedure that was never performed and now I'm stuck with a bill that he said he will do nothing about."
"Dr. Raviv appears to be one of the many surgeons that takes a profit-over-patient approach to medicine," wrote Jay I on a review. "This approach is very profitable for the surgeons that adopt it, although it is morally reprehensible it is financially lucrative."
Finally, Emily C. posted a review that directly spoke to the doctor. "My close friend of 11 years was treated by you nearly 4 years ago, and you did nothing to alleviate his pain, nor did you repair his nasal passages. I hope you comprehend that he may never recover from this damage you caused. You need to answer for your faults, and/or come up with a procedure to reverse/repair his nose," she said--a sentiment Frederick also surely shares.
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