Another orthopedic surgeon has lost his life after a violent confrontation.
On Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2020, David W. Duffner, M.D., was gunned down at his clinic in Rancho Mirage, California. His assailant then turned the gun on himself and was pronounced dead at the scene.
David Duffner, M.D.
Dr. Duffner had been in practice for over 30 years, according to the Desert Sun. Most recently he was running Orthopedics & Physical Medicine Associates, Inc. in Rancho Mirage. He was also chief of surgery at Desert Regional Medical Center as well as chairman of bioethics at the Center.
Dr. Duffner was a member of the Riverside County Medical Association, and a founding member of the North American Spine Society.
According to his bio, Dr. Duffner earned his medical degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine in Oklahoma City, and went on to complete his residency in orthopedics at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. He also completed a fellowship in adult reconstructive orthopedics at the University of Basel in Switzerland. He held a Master of Business Administration from the University of Houston.
The assailant, according to local newspaper reports, was a former card dealer who had complained to neighbors about failed spine surgeries that caused him to become reliant on pain killers. There is no evidence that the assailant was Dr. Duffner’s patient.
This is the third time since 2017 we’ve reported on an orthopedic surgeon being the victim of a violent death.
The first was in July 2017, when Todd Graham, M.D., of South Bend Orthopedics, was gunned down by the husband of one of his female patients, after Dr. Graham refused to prescribe opioids.
The second was last Thanksgiving when OrthoIndy orthopedic surgeon, Dean Maar, M.D., was killed during a home invasion the day before Thanksgiving.
A motive for Dr. Duffner’s killing has not been offered by the local sheriff.
The Assailant
According to the Desert Sun, the assailant suffered from back pain following surgery two or three years ago and would detail his health issues to his neighbors.
“He might have had some painkillers, but after that surgery, it got worse,” said a neighbor. “My daughter and I would take him (to his doctor’s appointments) and they would give us pages and pages of agencies to contact for rehab for the drugs and all that and he would have nothing to do with it.”
The neighbor said the assailant recently went to see a doctor in Redlands where he got a month’s supply of painkillers. He was ultimately banned from the office because of inappropriate behavior, she said.
In June 2019, someone using the assailant’s initials wrote a very critical Yelp review of Duffner’s performance as an orthopedic surgeon. The Desert Sun was not able to confirm whether that post was written by the assailant.
Professional Tribute
Riverside County Medical Association President Bruce Holmblad, M.D., and California Medical Association President Peter Bretan, M.D., released the following statement following news of Duffner’s death:
“We are heartbroken by the death of our friend and colleague, David Duffner. Dr. Duffner gave his life in service to his patients, the work he had dedicated his life to for more than 30 years. He was a community leader, an accomplished surgeon and an even better person who moved from Texas to serve the Coachella Valley with distinction for decades.”
“As we grieve for his family, his patients and our community, and come to terms with this senseless act of violence and unbearable loss, we must also ensure we do everything we can to ensure the physician’s office is a safe place for doctors and patients alike, and to prevent horrible incidents like the one that has rocked our community.”
Louis Stabile, M.D., a colleague, praised Duffner’s skills as a surgeon at the funeral. “He was always cool as a cucumber in the OR,” he said. “Nothing could ever rock David’s boat.”
“His heart was as big as his hands and handshake,” Stabile added.
