The Idaho State Board of Medicine has 10 members and meets quarterly. The Board’s stated responsibility and obligation is to protect the general public through the regulation of physicians and surgeons. The Board also regulates other health care professionals through advisory boards. Source
There were 4,946 physicians licensed by the Board in 2010 (up from 4,822 in 2009), of which 3,049 were practicing in-state. The Board took 18 total actions in 2010 (down from 19 in 2009), including 11 prejudicial actions. Five of those actions involved loss of license or licensed privilege and 2 involved restrictions of license or licensed privileges. The number of physicians with prejudicial actions in 2010 was 11. Source
A recent Board action involved a physician who had been licensed to practice medicine and surgery in Idaho since September 30, 1989. The physician had a “long history of alcohol and chemical abuse, addiction, and major depression” with “repeated relapses.” The physician’s problems could be traced back to his childhood and, professionally, to the mid-1980s, and included felony convictions. When the physician was granted an Idaho medical license, it was subject to conditions including the physician’s abstinence from all mind-altering chemicals and drugs, except as prescribed by another physician. In early 1994, the physician requested that the conditions on his medical license be terminated by the Board, which the Board agreed to do. Later that same year, the physician was charged with three felonies and pleaded guilty as to one drug-related felony. Shortly after the conviction, the physician entered inpatient treatment that noted the physician’s relapse in 1993 at which time drugs and alcohol use began again. The physician’s medical license was subjected to conditions by the Board in 1996. The physician relapsed again in 1999.
In 2007, the physician applied to the Board to terminate the conditions imposed in 1996, which the Board granted. The Board later discovered that the physician and a nurse practitioner had ordered “significant quantities of controlled substances” between February, 2007 and April, 2009, and that more than 1,000 of the pills were unaccounted for and either missing or diverted.
The physician admitted to altering 3 patient medical records to support prior Medicaid billings and “to deceive the Medicaid.” The physician was also found to have fraudulently billed Medicaid for services the physician did not perform for 11 patients.
Finally, on May 12, 2011, the Board revoked this physician’s license to practice medicine in Idaho.
You be the judge: Did the Idaho State Board of Medicine fulfill its “responsibility and obligation” ”to protect the general public through the regulation of physicians and surgeons” in its actions (or lack of action) over many years involving this wayward physician?
When the negligent mistakes or careless errors of an Idaho physician or another health care provider in the United States has caused serious injuries or substantial losses to you or a loved one, visit our website to be connected with local medical malpractice lawyers who may be able to assist you with bringing a medical malpractice claim for the medical negligence causing the harm. You may also reach us toll free at 800-295-3959.
Turn to us when you don’t know where to turn.
You can follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn as well!