Jens Kratholm in Narvik was charged with 33,000 cases of defrauding eye patients amounting to NOK 13 million. In autumn 2019, Kratholm was arrested by the police outside his clinic and charged with gross fraud. Subsequently, the charge was extended to cover all patients he has treated. A total of 10,300 patients. After several postponements, the trial was concluded in the period between 8 May and 15 June. The prosecution submitted a request for four years’ imprisonment. Today, the verdict was handed down in Midtre Hålogaland district court. The controversial ophthalmologist has been sentenced to two years in prison, but will not have to pay compensation to his former patients. 170,000 consultations It is more than 20 years since the Danish ophthalmologist came to Narvik, where he got an agreement with Helse Nord as a so-called contract specialist. According to his own figures, since 1997 he has had 170,000 consultations. He has performed 15,000 cataract operations. In October 2017, Helse Nord reported the ophthalmologist for suspected fraud on a number of patients over a five-year period. The verdict was handed down in Midtre Hålogaland District Court. Lina Therese Remlo is a support lawyer for eye patients. The picture is from the first day of the trial. Photo: Frida Brembo / news When news met Jens Kratholm in July 2020, he admitted that it was not safe to work as much as he had been doing. – You have to work more than eight hours a day. And that’s clear. Just like driving at 130 in a 60 zone, it’s not safe. And Helse Nord knows that, Kratholm said. The trial was postponed because three of the judges were disqualified because they were related to the patients. Not only the court case, but also the decision from the district court was postponed at the last minute. It was actually supposed to arrive at 10.00 on Monday this week. 185 patients demand money back Only a small part of all the patients who were covered by the police’s indictment chose to demand the money back during the trial in Ofoten district court. 185 patients wanted their money back. But the indictment therefore includes fraud on 10,300 patients. The charge was subsequently extended to cover all patients Kratholm has treated According to the Brennpunkt program “The Money Specialists”, the Eye Clinic in Narvik around the year 2000 operated on more cataracts than all the ophthalmologists at Rikshospitalet. Together. Kratholm, for his part, defended the large number of operations and said that the capacity of ophthalmologists is completely exhausted in Northern Norway. He has referred to the doctors’ ethical regulations, which state that as a doctor you cannot refuse a patient treatment, unless you are reasonably certain that he can receive treatment from another doctor. Kratholm has also believed that the prosecution decision that has been taken is wrong. – He has acted correctly according to the tariff, and followed the tariff as it must be understood, his defender Tor Strand has previously stated.
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Ophthalmologist Jens Kratholm in Narvik sentenced to two years in prison for gross fraud – news Nordland
