Doctor in medication error case will not accept board offer

On Behalf of | Dec 13, 2013 | Medical Malpractice

Florida residents depend on medical professionals to provide the best standard of care, but doctors and medical staff are only human. People make mistakes, including medication errors. When a person is injured or dies due to such errors, victims or loved ones may have the right to seek compensation for damages under a medical malpractice claim. One of the things that’s usually considered in such cases is the professional history of any staff member associated with the error.

In a recent Florida case, a physician’s questionable professional history is playing a role in the consequences associated with a 2010 dosing error. According to records, the psychiatrist received a license from the state in 1999. Since then, he has appeared before the Florida Board of Medicine three times.

The doctor was accused of prescribing controlled substances to family members without keeping proper records in 2002. He paid $5,000 in fines, agreed to attend classes on prescribing controlled drugs and stop prescribing to his family. In 2007, the doctor’s license was suspended when he admitted to using opioids and crack cocaine. His license was reinstated in June 2007 and he was put on probation.

The man’s medical credentials aren’t only questionable in Florida. According to records, four other states have revoked his license because of alcohol and drug abuse issues. Now he is appearing before the Florida Board of Medicine because of his role in the treatment of a woman who died in 2010. The woman was admitted to a Florida hospital with complaints of depression and pain. The doctor continued to prescribe both Oxycontin and Klonopin, even though the woman presented with symptoms of sedation.

A complaint against the doctor contended that he should have stopped prescribing the medications. The complaint also notes the psychiatrist should have consulted with a specialist regarding the woman’s pain management, as she demonstrated drug-seeking behavior in addition to complaining about severe internal pain. The medical board has provided a series of requirements to the doctor, including an evaluation to determine if he can keep his credentials. According to the physician’s attorney, the man will not accept the board’s offer and will fight the claims in court.

Source: Gainsville.com, “Medical board votes to reprimand UF professor with checkered past” Jeff Schweers, Dec. 09, 2013

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