Summary
This case involves a physician who voluntarily surrendered their medical license following charges stemming from disciplinary actions taken by medical boards in Maine and Washington. The Maine Board found the physician had engaged in unprofessional conduct by inappropriately prescribing controlled substances, including prescribing Marinol to a patient’s significant other, “out to yourself because your insurance would cover the cost.” After Maine’s actions, Washington suspended the physician’s license based on the same conduct. Rather than contest eight specifications of professional misconduct in New York, the physician chose to surrender their license.
Case Analysis
Effective Date: May 13, 2011
Type of Doctor: Not specified in the documents
Disposition Type: Surrender of License
How many total charges? Eight specifications
What specifications of charges were alleged?
-
- First through Fifth Specifications: Having license suspended and/or having other disciplinary action taken by a duly authorized professional disciplinary agency of another state (N.Y. Education Law §6530(9)(d))
- Sixth through Eighth Specifications: Having been found guilty of improper professional practice or professional misconduct by a duly authorized professional disciplinary agency of another state (N.Y. Education Law §6530(9)(b))
How many patients were involved in each charge? At least one patient (“DM”) mentioned specifically, though the total number is not clear from the documents
Which charges was the licensee guilty of (either via hearing or negotiated consent)? The physician did not contest any of the eight specifications as part of the surrender agreement
Which charges was the licensee not guilty of? Not applicable – the physician did not contest any charges
Outcome/Penalties (specific to this case):
-
- Surrender of medical license
- Name stricken from the roster of physicians in New York State
- The underlying disciplinary actions included:
- Maine Board: License surrender in lieu of further proceedings, followed by consent agreement requiring indefinite restrictions including no DEA registration, no controlled substance prescribing, and ethics/prescribing courses
- Washington: Summary suspension followed by indefinite suspension
- Specific conduct involved issuing 37 Hydrocodone and 12 Xanax prescriptions to patient DM between December 2005 and December 2006
- Required to comply with all requirements for closing a medical practice (Exhibit “B”)