Report: Most disciplined state doctors practicing

Benjamin Grove

Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2002 | 11:24 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Most of the 124 Nevada doctors disciplined by the state's medical board in the last 10 years have continued practicing, a consumer watchdog group said today.

The cases include a doctor who continues work after being put on probation and fined $4,000 for gross malpractice in an abortion case, according to Public Citizen. The Washington-based group today released Nevada statistics as part of its annual "Questionable Doctors" report.

The report said the Nevada physicians had been disciplined for incompetence, misprescribed medications, sexual misconduct, criminal convictions and ethical lapses, among other infractions.

Other offenses range from tax evasion to improperly distributing appetite suppressants.

In one case the board revoked a doctor's license after he "altered and falsified" medical records for six patients. But the revocation was stayed and he continued to practice while on probation, the report said.

"The Nevada medical board should do a better job of protecting patients," Sidney Wolfe, director of Public Citizen's Health Research Group, said in a press release. "The board lets serious and sometimes repeat offenders off the hook. What's more is that many of their patients likely are not aware of their offenses."

Officers of the Nevada Board of Medical Examiners were not immediately available today. Other leading doctors and representatives of the medical community were also not immediately available for comment this morning.

Public Citizen compiled the report using data provided by state medical boards and other federal sources including the Health and Human Services Department and the Food and Drug Administration.

Website users who search for the list of Nevada doctors will find 177 physicians. That includes the 124 doctors disciplined by the Nevada board, plus physicians who had been disciplined by other states but listed Nevada as a residence.

To date, 26 states and the District of Columbia are included in the online report.

Public Citizen also ranked state medical boards based on the number of "serious disciplinary actions" per 1,000 doctors. Nevada in 2001 ranked No. 18 with 4.11 sanctions per 1,000 doctors, compared to 3.36 nationally. Since 1997, Nevada has issued more actions each year, steadily moving up in the board ranking.

The Public Citizen report seemed to outline another woe in Nevada's beleaguered health care system. Nevada officials this year have grappled with other issues, including an obstetrician shortage. In July, Las Vegas' primary trauma center at University Medical Center closed for 10 days amid a medical malpractice insurance crisis.

The report used to be released as a book, but for the first time is available on a website: www.questionabledoctors.org. Disciplinary reports are available for $10.