A Stellenbosch radiologist, once a familiar face after a string of television appearances, has rebranded his company amid a reputational battering linked to an HPCSA impairment probe into opioid abuse and causing a patient’s death as well as separate civil charges of discharging a gun and malicious damage to property.
News24 reports that the drawn-out probe by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) into Dr Pieter Henning has yet to be finalised.
Keystone Radiology, founded by Henning, had a commercial agreement with Mediclinic and boasted several branches. Its rebranding is part of a “reputational rebuilding” campaign, he told staff.
Amid negotiations regarding its exit from this agreement, complaints had been lodged with the industry council against him, and in addition, he was arrested after firing shots in Techno Park, Stellenbosch, one night last year.
Henning told staff that the company’s full and final exit from Mediclinic had been finalised and Keystone Radiology has regained complete control over all administrative, managerial and equipment-related functions as they continue with a “transition plan”.
“As part of our reputational rebuilding, after recent media matters relating to myself, we will be rebranding, including a new name and a marketing campaign. All operations will continue and we will communicate the changes with greater transparency than ever before.”
The company has been renamed RadDx Radiology, and closed its branches in George and Polokwane.
According to a social media post, the rebranding is because patients “deserve a brand that reflects our evolving standards”.
Henning, once a familiar face with a string of TV appearances, took a reputational knock amid the slew of serious allegations.
Most recently, an ICU nurse at Mooimed Private Hospital, Potchefstroom, accused him of negligently performing a pleural drain procedure in July 2023, leading to catastrophic internal bleeding and the patient’s death.
The nurse alleged he cut off a safety tip of the drain, causing severe haemorrhaging. Despite emergency interventions, the patient died.
According to the complaint, it took two years to report what she claimed happened that day as hospital management had promised it would be investigated and reported to the council, which allegedly never happened.
Henning was already under HPCSA investigation for alleged opioid abuse, with claims he injected himself with pethidine before treating patients, posing safety risks.
The HPCSA had scheduled a two-day inquiry into the impairment allegations in January. Two months later, the matter has still not been concluded.
HPCSA spokesperson Priscilla Sekhonyana said the matter is still under investigation but that a decision would be communicated probably in the first week of April.
Henning denied the opioid addiction allegations, calling it an attack on his reputation amid a separate civil case.
He admitted to firing shots in November last year, but said his actions resulted from him being distressed after he got lost – the former SANDF medical officer claiming to have shot at the door of a vacant business at Techno Park after he became “really anxious” as it reminded him of “close-quarter battle”.
He was arrested for discharging his firearm in a public place and malicious damage to property, and released on R1 000 bail.
Henning did not respond to requests for comment on the death of the Mooimed patient.
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
Embattled Stellenbosch doctor now faces charges over patient’s death
Stellenbosch doctor in opioid abuse inquiry now charged with gun violations