Do you remember the woman on the 20/20 segment who said that the formula
companies called her 10 times and that she met with them but those meetings
had no influence...?
Her name was Christina Beato and may not be as "official" as she claimed.
The Washington Post, June 10, 2004
Health Official Awaits Hearing on Nomination
By Ceci Connolly
The physician nominated nearly a year ago to the
nation's top-ranking health policy post has yet to
receive a Senate hearing -- and may not be considered
for confirmation -- amid questions about whether she
fabricated or inflated portions of her resume.
Cristina V. Beato was named last July as assistant
secretary of health, one of the top policy officials
at the Department of Health and Human Services, but
has yet to explain several discrepancies regarding her
credentials. These include claims that she served as
medical attache at the U.S. Embassy in Turkey,
received a master's degree in public health from the
University of Wisconsin, "established" an occupational
health clinic at the University of New Mexico and
published a scientific paper on inert gases.
At several institutions listed on Beato's resume
officials said they could find no evidence of her
service, while former colleagues at the University of
New Mexico and an affiliated hospital in Albuquerque
disputed assertions she made, saying at a minimum she
had puffed up her role in several projects.
In January, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (Mass.), the
ranking Democrat on the Health, Education, Labor and
Pensions Committee, sent Beato a nine-page letter
inquiring about the discrepancies.
HHS spokesman Kevin Keane said yesterday that Beato
and staff lawyers were "in the process of going back
and answering the questions being raised. We're making
sure we provide thorough answers." Until then, Keane
said, no one from the Bush administration would
discuss her nomination.
She has been serving as the acting assistant
secretary, described on the HHS Web site as "the
principal advisor on health policy and medical and
scientific matters to the secretary." Her
responsibilities include overseeing the U.S. Public
Health Service, construction of a women's hospital in
Afghanistan and promotion of "research integrity and
ethics." Her predecessor, Eve Slater, left in February
2003.
"The administration has the right to put forward
nominees of its choosing," committee Chairman Judd
Gregg (R-N.H.) said in a statement. "There is much in
her background to recommend her for this post, and the
administration is working to respond to the concerns
that have been raised." But sources at HHS and in
Congress, requesting anonymity because of the
sensitivity of the matter, said there is a growing
likelihood the Senate will not vote on her nomination.
Former colleagues in Albuquerque were most surprised
by Beato's assertions that she was "one of the
principal leaders who revolutionized medical education
in American universities by implementing the Problem
Based Learning curriculum." The curriculum was
developed while Beato was in medical school.
"That's an exaggeration," said Gary Rosenberg,
chairman of the neurology department at the University
of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, the university's
hospital system.
R. Philip Eaton, vice president of the medical
center, said others initiated the program but Beato
deserves credit for expanding it.
In several instances, Beato's resume is vague. Under
professional experience, she lists "medical
consultant" at the Technical-Vocational Institute and
Presbyterian Senior Health Spectrum in Albuquerque and
a 12-year relationship with the Sheet Metal Workers in
Washington. None of the organizations has any record
on Beato, nor do officials at the State Department,
who said they have never heard term "medical attache."
Under educational experience, Beato lists:
"successful candidate, occupational medicine, MPH
(master's of public health), University of Wisconsin,
1995." A university spokeswoman said the school does
not offer such a degree.
Other sensitive charges center on Beato's role as a
hospital administrator in New Mexico, trying to keep
costs down at a time when immigrants and uninsured
patients were flooding the emergency room. A number of
lawyers, patient advocates and physicians said Beato
often appeared to put the university's budgetary
concerns ahead of poor patients' health needs.
As chief medical officer at the university, Beato was
sued for refusing to treat Maribel Loya, a comatose
teen, and her premature infant. That case, in which
Beato was named a defendant, was settled out of court.
Lawyer Nancy L. Simmons said she could not divulge the
details but was "very happy with the settlement."
In another episode, lawyer Lauro D. Silva said he
took a neighbor having kidney failure to the
hospital. When they arrived, Silva said, Beato came to
the emergency room and told them in Spanish that
Rafael Paz did not qualify for care and had to leave
"or she would call the police." After Silva threatened
legal action, Beato relented, agreeing to give Paz one
dialysis treatment if he signed a form promising never
to return. Silva said Paz died in Mexico a few months
later.
Eaton, who telephoned The Washington Post at Beato's
behest, said the Loya case and others like it are far
more complicated from a medical and legal perspective.
"She is a remarkable woman" whose experience as a
Cuban American woman made her particularly sensitive
to multicultural issues, Eaton said.
Yet even Beato's friends said it appears that she
gave herself extra credit on her resume.
At the All Faiths Receiving Home in Albuquerque,
Executive Director Steve Johnson praised Beato as a
dedicated volunteer physician who provided basic care
to the abused and neglected. But she was not the
medical director, as her resume states, he added.
William Wiese, director of the Institute for Public
Health at the University of New Mexico, said it was
inaccurate for Beato to say she had "established" the
school's occupational health clinic. "The clinic
existed before she was hired. There was another
medical director before her," he said.
Similarly, he said, Beato's description of the clinic
as a "one-stop comprehensive care for 13,000
employees" is an exaggeration. But Wiese said Beato
was a good administrator and teacher.
"She definitely played a significant role in
improving, enhancing and building that facility," he
said. Among her accomplishments was signing contracts
to provide occupational health care to several state
agencies, which generated revenue for the university.
Beato's nomination was advocated by Sen. Pete V.
Domenici (R-N.M.). She has given more than $1,200 to
him and Republican campaign committees.
Researcher Julie Tate contributed to this report.
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