DR. Shane Marshall has been removed from his part-time role as director of cardiology at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH) ? apparently because he set up a business that competed directly with the hospital.

In response to our questions yesterday, Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) chairman Anthony Richardson did not say why the Board had decided to oust Dr. Marshall.

But he stressed that the Bermudian heart expert would continue to perform medical duties at the hospital and said KEMH's standard of cardiac care would not be adversely affected by the move.

"The Bermuda Hospitals Board confirms that Dr. Shane Marshall is no longer performing part-time administrative duties as the Director of Cardiology at KEMH," Mr. Richardson said yesterday. "This only relates to Dr. Marshall's administrative duties and in no way affects his hospital privileges or infringes on his ability to perform medical tasks.

"BHB continues to offer diagnostic services to patients in our Cardiac Care Unit and confirms there has been no reduction in the level of service provided to clients."

It is understood that the Bermudian was sacked on the grounds that he had set up an ultrasound business that competed with the hospital.

Dr. Marshall reportedly imported an EchoCardio machine, which converts analog output from an ultrasound machine into digital video format.

His business will reportedly allow patients to have echocardiograms ? or heart ultrasounds ? done privately. The hospital also provides the service.

Echocardiograms enable doctors to see pictures of the heart beating and allow them to assess whether pumping power is normal is otherwise.

Efforts to contact Dr. Marshall were unsuccessful.