Getting high before the shift starts

Would you get high before going to work to take care of a muscular dystrophy patient who is ventilator-dependent and had a tracheostomy?

Lisha Grier did just that while she was employed at Maxim Healthcare Services in VA Beach in Dec. ’06. Her license was revoked by the board in June.

A year earlier she was a no show at work for a few days and told no one of her whereabouts.

This is not the first time Grier has been in trouble with the board.

Her license was suspended in 2002 after she was found sleeping on a sofa with a blanket when she was supposed to be taking care of a four month old child with arthrogryposis, which causes limited joint movement in children.

In 1999, Grier was reprimanded for falling asleep yet again while caring for a 23-month-old child during a night shift. The child was found gasping for air by the mother. Grier was taken off the night shift.

Grier also failed to show up for some of her board hearings because she said she was in an abusive relationship at the time.

Check out this article on an employee getting high while at work from First Coast News in Florida.

Knox tied to drug ring

The Virginia podiatrist who illegally distributed drugs to a narcotics informant just weeks before the informant was gunned down, is tied in another way to a drug ring in West Virginia.

Knox allowed Maurice Gibson, known to be part of a drug ring, to purchase gun silencers in his name. Knox didn’t think Gibson would use them to harm anyone and canceled the order after White was killed.

I enlisted the help of a reporter who has followed the case, here is what she had to say:

“White actually died on May 19, 2005, before any of the convictions. The Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force had been investigating Gibson and his associates for years, hoping to collect enough evidence to send him to prison and track the drug supply. Along the way, White stepped forward and asked to act as an informant, allegedly out of anger that local drug dealers had hooked his son. Investigators ultimately secured a conviction for Gibson, but they claim
they never found concrete proof of where his drugs came from. This timeline may help if you’re working on anything:

April 29, 2005: Knox authorizes a hydrocodone prescription for Mike White, without seeing him as a patient.

May 19, 2005: Mike White is shot to death outside his business, The Dragon’s Den, in Green Valley. Gibson was at the scene, when an as-yet-unidentified shooter and accomplice drive onto the lot, ask to test-drive a car White was selling and shot him in the parking lot.

May 19, 2005: Gibson is arrested that night on an obstruction charge that was later dropped after a federal grand jury indictment was unsealed, holding him on federal drug charges. Four other drug co-defendants were later arrested.

Oct. 6, 2005: A federal information is unsealed, officially implicating Knox in the hydrocodone distribution.

Jan. 3, 2006: Knox pleads guilty to illegally distributing hydrocodone.

Feb. 21, 2006: Knox gets an “attitude adjustment” from Judge David Faber, after allegedly failing to cooperate with his probation officer and bringing contraband into the federal courthouse. He reportedly brought a small tape recorder and something resembling a box cutter into the courthouse. His attorneys testified they were tools of his trade and a simple oversight on the doctor’s part. Faber tightened Knox’s travel controls and advised him to behave better in the future.

May 16, 2006: Knox is sentenced to pay $5,000 and serve three years on probation for the plea. Although the judge acknowledged the serious nature of the drug offense, he cited a long list of community leaders, former patients and loved ones who had submitted letters asking for leniency.

March 2007: Testimony during an evidenciary pre-sentence hearing in Gibson’s case reveals the alleged silencer deal.

Gibson, who was convicted on 15 drug, money laundering and conspiracy charges in March 2006, is currently set for sentencing in mid-October. Although he was never tried for the murders of White or a Bluefield man who died in 2003, investigators allege he hired the hits and orchestrated the crimes. They’ve introduced a wide array of evidence in effort to encourage the harshest sentence possible on the drug charges.”

Guns and drugs – unrelated?

Robert Knox, a podiatrist in West Virginia with offices in Southwest Virginia, was convicted last year of the unauthorized distribution of hydrocodone, a felony.

According to an article in the Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Knox illegally distributed the hydrocodone in April ’05 to Mike White, a tattoo artist working undercover. Knox first lied, saying that he had seen the undercover informant and had reason for the prescription, when he had not. Knox had treated White a few years prior for a lacerated ear, but had not seen him since. Knox was sentenced to probation for three years and had to pay a $5,000 fine, according to the consent order.

Mike White owned a tattoo parlor and acted as an informant for Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force.

But get this. White was gunned downed a little over two weeks after the incident that led to Knox’s charge.

The article reads: “Well-known and well-connected in both the legal and drug communities, White had been secretly collecting evidence for drug investigators for more than a year when he died. As a result of the surveillance he secured, Maurice and Tonya Gibson, Christina “Tina” Arnoto, Robert “Boo Boo” Gravely and Hector “Chico” Reinat were all charged with a variety of drug distribution, conspiracy and money laundering offenses.”

On July 11 ’06, about two months after his conviction, the West Virginia Board of Medicine revoked Knox’s license to practice podiatry in West Virginia.

There was also a $100,000 malpractice settlement against Knox filed in Aug. ’01. In seventeen years,there have been 108 malpractice suits against podiatrists in Virginia, according to the National Practitioner Data bank.

Knox promised the Virginia board that if his license was reinstated he would not telephone in prescriptions for patients and he would provide patient care only in his office, except for house calls for invalid patients.

Knox’s Virginia license was reinstated in late June. He has to enroll in some continuing education classes and is on probation.

I’m not making any allegations here. It’s just unclear to me how a doctor’s license can be suspended in one state and reinstated in another. What does this say about the uniformity of health professional expectations?

Oops – You do need a license

Roy Vigilance forgot something important.

For more than two years.

Vigilance, an optometrist in Springfield, practiced for 25 months without a license. His license expired in  Dec. ’04 and he didn’t apply for renewal until February of this year.

The board slapped him with a $750 fine and 16 hours of continuing education classes in the regulations required for the renewal of his ’07, ’08 and ’09 licenses.

Forcing it down

A nurse in Pearisburg had her license revoked in June.

Valerie Sylvester worked at Riverview Nursing Home in Rich Creek. In Oct. ’05, Sylvester provided care to a resident with “profound mental retardation and cerebral palsy,” the order reads. Sylvester physically restrained the patient several times during her shift, forcing the the patient to drink and take her medicine.  Sylvester advised that other nurse aides use a similar technique in getting the resident to take her meds.

The patient started vomiting and had to be taken to the E.R. at Carillion Giles Memorial Hospital.  Sylvester resigned before she was fired.  Her license was revoked two years later?

This is not excusable. But I do question the differences in punishment for varying violations. How does this chalk up to others?

More sexual abuse in the office

Samuel Suk Syn, an acupuncturist, had his license revoked in June after instances of touching patients in a sexual way for his own arousal.

In April of ’02, Syn engaged in sexual conduct with a patient who considered it lewd and offensive, the order says.

On Aug. 5 and 8 ’04 during an office visit Syn “engaged in conduct sexual in nature” with another patient, the consent order reads. In Nov. ’04 Syn was also found guilty of sexual battery in Fredericksburg, a class I misdemeanor.

This is not Syn’s first appearance before the board. In 1999 Syn falsely advertised his name by not clarifying what O.M.D. stands for (doctor of oriental medicine.) He also listed himself as “Dr.”

Even better, Syn admitted to the board that his patient records were kept in Korean and therefore difficult to translate for members of the board.

The board dismissed the case and told Syn to fix the advertisement.

In Feb ’04, Arizona approved Syn’s application to practice in that state, two years after sexual misconduct here in Virginia and just months before more abuse. The Arizona board asked if Syn had complied with the Virginia consent order by fixing his advertising. He said yes and was thanked for his time.

Syn’s Virginia license was to expire in June as it was, the same month the license was revoked. Was Syn trying to get out of the state before he was caught? Luckily, a search on the Arizona database does not reveal Syn practicing in that state.

Roanoke pharmacist gives it up

Lori Rings just couldn’t get it right.

Rings, a pharmacist near Roanoke, was placed on probation in 2004 for drug diversion, substance abuse and mental health issues.

The most recent order contains Ring’s violations as a pharmacist at a CVS in Troutville. Rings took Stadol for her own personal use between Dec. ’06 and Jan. ’07. A Stadol injection is sometimes used as preoperative or preanesthetic medication for pain relief during labor. The nasal spray can be used for the relief of pain as well.

Rings also failed to inform the board of a change in her employment, worked at different CVS stores, worked more hours than she was allowed and filled prescriptions for herself, all violations of terms imposed from her earlier order.

In May, Rings voluntarily gave her license up to the board. Good for you, Rings. The board put her license on indefinite suspension, which means she might be able to seek reinstatement down the road.

Is it just me, or should a pharmacist who diverts drug for personal use even have the option of working as a pharmacist again? Talk about temptation.

Sex in the office

Joseph McNamara, a doctor from Harrisonburg, admitted to the board that he engaged in sexual contact with a patient during that patient’s visit to his office. A news article in the local paper says that court documents list the patient alleging McNamara made her perform oral sex. The article also says that McNamara will be in court Sept. 4 for a case regarding sexual abuse.

The order, from June, says the McNamara has sought treatment related to his conduct. The notice filed prior to the order says that McNamara’s conduct was “lewd and offensive.”

McNamara voluntarily gave his license to the board, which was indefinitely suspended. McNamara cannot petition the board for reinstatement for one year.

Looks like a chiropractor from Onancock likes the same things McNamara does.

Robert Simpson was placed on indefinite probation in July for engaging in sexual contact with a patient during office visits. The sexual contact continued from June ’06 to roughly Oct. ’06, the consent order says. Simpson also talked about one patient to another.

But get this, Simpson told that board that after he terminated his relationship with his patient, he instituted measures of professionalism in his office, including chaperone’s for all female patients and keeping patients clothed at all times. That must be some complete exam on the part of Simpson.

Simpson was also ordered to take 15 hours of continuing education classes in ethics/boundaries. Simpson must have a chaperon present whenever he sees a female patient.

Come on. If I was a female patient at his office and both myself and the doctor had to be escorted, I think I’d be just a little nervous.

Dental insurance fraud (with a touch of heart)

Atleast Faryl Hart tried to be clever about it.

In 2004 Hart, a dentist from Richmond, billed a patient’s insurance company for a “resin composite and delivery of a crown to tooth #20.” The order states the claim as a fraudulent attempt to get money for something was not performed. The cost of a crown varies, but looks to be anywhere between $500 to $900.

Was it worth it?

The same patients records failed to document the name of the dentist performing the procedure – or ‘non procedure’ if you will.

In ’02 Hart prescribed Zithromax to a patient “without therapeutic purpose.” She gave the same person Darvocet and Flexeril without a bona fide patient/doctor relationship, the order said.

Hart also had some smaller housekeeping violations, which were probably found during the department’s inspection.

In June, the dentist was slapped with a $7,000 fine and told to complete seven hours of continuing education classes in ethics and risk management.

This is the second consent order that Hart has on file with the department. An order filed in 2005 came after Hart allowed an unlicensed dental hygienist to work in her office. Hart told the board she did not know the individual did not have a license. The worker was fired. There is also an order from 1992, but a letter attached to the complaint said that the case was dismissed.

Hart and her team of all female doctors works out of an office on Parham Road in Richmond. Her Web site has a pink background and is dotted with hearts and pictures of bright teeth. Odd, although it does conjure a pleasant feeling, that heartfelt background of Hart’s.

Hart also totes the use of Capital One Healthcare Finance on her Web site. It reads:

“Capital One® Healthcare Finance makes elective dental procedures affordable for any budget. Use Capital One Healthcare Finance to pay for elective procedures, from $300 to $25,000.

We offer installment loans with low, fixed rates from 1.9% APR to 23.9% APR*, or interest-free loans** for 3, 6, 12, or 18 months to qualified applicants. Either way, you’ll be able to find an option designed to fit within your budget.”

I wonder if this is the same company she billed for a procedure that did not occur?

Baby Delivery

Sidath Jayanetti, a doctor from Chesapeake, volunteered his license to the board after a series of troubles with baby delivery.

In March ’04, one of Jayanetti’s patients underwent a obstetric observation after she had a decrease in fetal movement. Jayanetti didn’t respond to a strip reading that was taken during this period. A month later the patient’s baby died. The mother was more than 34 weeks pregnant.

In June ’05, Jayanetti didn’t respond to his 17-year-old patient’s symptoms of preeclampsia. Jayanetti also lacerated the newborn’s toe during delivery and failed to report the incident. The order does not tell us how either of the two instances impacted the mother and baby.

One month later, after delivering another baby, Jayanetti left his patient without delivering the placenta. The patient required care after an increase in vaginal bleeding and a drop in blood pressure.

Jayanetti’s hospital privlages were suspended after a review of the two incidents in 2005. He stopped seeing new patients this January and he gave his license up in mid August.

I’m perplexed how it took three years to take action against Jayanetti. I know that the review process is a long one, but is it possible that a mother would withhold a complaint for a few years? Is there a statue of limitations on the period of time a patient can complain about their provider?