Florida Doctor Faces Administrative Hearing Over Allegations of Torturing Patient

2 Indest-2009-1By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

A Lake Worth, Florida, doctor accused of “punishment therapy” that included the use of whips, blindfolds, handcuffs and other instruments of torture could have his license revoked by the Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine. At the meeting on November 15, 2013, the Board rejected a settlement that the Florida Department of Health (DOH) had negotiated with the doctor’s attorney. The settlement option included a $10,000 fine and two (2) years of probation. The doctor was not arrested or charged with a crime, but admitted to having an unusual and sexual relationship with his patient.

By rejecting the proposed settlement, the Board indicated that it was not satisfied with the agreed upon discipline. Instead , the Board stated that it wanted a revocation of the physician’s license.

The Florida DOH filed an administrative complaint against the doctor in July 2013, alleging inappropriate sexual conduct with a patient.

Click here to read the complete administrative complaint made against the physician.

According to the doctor’s attorney, it appears the case will head to an administrative hearing.

Punishment Therapy Allegedly Used to Help Patient’s Depression.

According to the Sun Sentinel, the doctor’s relationship with his patient was first reported in 2011. The patient told investigators that the doctor allegedly used “punishment therapy” on her to help her remedy depression. She reportedly told detectives she did not like the “therapy” which would usually take place in the doctor’s office after normal business hours. The patient claims she was repeatedly choked, whipped and tied up in a closet, according to the Sun Sentinel. The patient also alleges she never paid money for these sessions, but the doctor would give her free samples of medication.

The doctor alleges that he and his patient had a consensual sexual relationship that began after she was no longer a patient. However, according to the Sun Sentinel, investigators found evidence that the doctor prescribed medicine to the patient while they were in engaging in the “torture therapy” sessions.

Click here to read the Sun Sentinel article.

What Florida Law Says About Sexual Relationships Between Health Care Providers and Patients.

Sexual misconduct in the practice of health care is considered to be a violation of the doctor-patient relationship. This violation is grounds for discipline. The Board takes it seriously and can impose discipline up to and including revocation.

Florida law bans doctors and other health care providers from turning their patients into sexual partners because it is considered an abuse of power. Also, patients are presumed to be incapable of giving consent to a relationship with a health care provider.

To watch a short video on why a patient cannot consent to a sexual relationship with a health care provider, click here.

Don’t Wait Too Late; Consult with an Experienced Health Law Attorney.

Do not wait until action has been taken against you to consult with an experienced attorney in these matters. Few cases are won on appeal. It is much easier to win your case when there is proper time to prepare and you have requested a formal hearing so that you may actually dispute the facts being alleged against you.

The lawyers of The Health Law Firm are experienced in both formal and informal administrative hearings and in representing physicians in investigations and at Board of Medicine and Board of Osteopathic Medicine hearings. We represent physicians accused of wrongdoing, in patient complaints and in Department of Health investigations. Call now or visit our website www.TheHealthLawFirm.com.

Comments?

Do you think this physician should have his license revoked? Do you think the settlement agreement would have been a sufficient punishment? Please leave any thoughtful comments below.

Sources:

Gentry, Carol. “Doctor Accused of Torturing Patient.” Health News Florida. (November 15, 2013). From: http://health.wusf.usf.edu/post/doctor-accused-torturing-patient

Department of Health v. David Simon, D.O. Case Number 2012-00680. Administrative Complaint. July 11, 2013. From: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/DocServiceMngr/displayDocument.aspx

Clarkson, Brett. “Doctor Used Whips, Choked Female Patient in ‘Punishment Therapy,’ Deputies Say.” Sun Sentinel. (November 20, 2013). From: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/palm-beach/fl-lake-worth-kinky-doctor-20131120,0,3297599.story

About the Author: George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law. He is the President and Managing Partner of The Health Law Firm, which has a national practice. Its main office is in the Orlando, Florida, area. www.TheHealthLawFirm.com The Health Law Firm, 1101 Douglas Ave., Altamonte Springs, FL 32714, Phone: (407) 331-6620.

“The Health Law Firm” is a registered fictitious business name of George F. Indest III, P.A. – The Health Law Firm, a Florida professional service corporation, since 1999.
Copyright © 1996-2012 The Health Law Firm. All rights reserved.

Scribes Offer Physicians Some Relief from EHR Frustrations

10 Indest-2008-7By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

In November 2013, a physician satisfaction study, sponsored by the American Medical Society (AMA), was published. In the study, physicians stated one of the most hated items in the medical industry is the electronic health record (EHR). According to physicians, EHRs are time-consuming, they hinder the physician-patient relationship by dividing the physician’s attention, they require health care professionals to perform tasks below their level of training, and EHRs can decrease efficiency in the practice.

Now there is a trend in the medical industry that allows physicians and health care practitioners to complete all their EHR documentation without ever having to touch a computer. According to an article in The New York Times, many medical practices and emergency rooms are hiring medical scribes to ease physicians’ note-taking responsibilities.

What is a Scribe?

A medical scribe is an unlicensed, trained medical information manager specializing in charting physician-patient encounters during the medical exams. A scribe enters information into the EHR at the direction of the physician or health care practitioner. Scribes can also support workflow and documentation for medical record coding.

Duties of a scribe vary by the practice. Some common duties include:

– Documenting procedures performed by the physician;
– Reviewing patient evaluation data for comparison and transcribing the results;
– Recording physician-dictated diagnoses, prescriptions and instructions for discharge; and
– Recording a provider’s consultations with other health care professionals.


Benefits of a Scribe.

According to an article in The New York Times, there are an estimated 10,000 scribes currently working in hospitals and medical practices around the country. In the same article physicians using scribes stated that they are more satisfied with their choice of career because the scribe allows the physician to concentrate on treating patients. Physicians also stated that by using scribes they can see up to four extra patients a day. Other benefits include, a reduced amount of clerical work for doctors, and better record keeping.

To read the entire article from The New York Times, click here.

Requirements of a Medical Scribe.

The growing medical scribe industry has yet to come together on a unified training and certification process. While the practitioner is ultimately responsible for the record, scribes should be trained to have a basic understanding of the EHR documentation guidelines, according to a Medical Economics article. Furthermore, there are specific signature requirements to be used when scribes are utilized, according to Medical Economics.

Some signature requirements for scribes include:

– Signing and dating all entries into the medical record. The role and signature of the scribe must be clearly distinguishable from that of the physician or licensed practitioner.
– The physician or licensed practitioner must authenticate the entry by signing, dating, and recording the time. A physician signature stamp is not permitted for use in the authentication of scribed entries.
– The authentication must take place before the physician and scribe leave the patient care area.
– If the organization determines that the scribe will be allowed to enter orders into the medical record, those orders entered into the medical record cannot be acted on until authenticated by the physician.
– The medical practice should implement a performance improvement process to ensure that the scribe is not acting outside of his or her job description, authentication is occurring as required, and that no orders are being acted on before they are authenticated.

When adding scribes to your practice, it is important to consult the guidelines laid out by state boards and other regulatory authorities in order to develop compliant scribe policies. Knowing your state’s requirements is key to reducing legal dangers and defending potential claims.

To learn more on medical scribes, click here to read the Medical Economics article.

Medical Assistants vs. Scribes.

In most states, medical assistants are allowed to perform more patient care activities than a scribe is. For example, see the list contained in Florida Law, Section 458.3485, Florida Statutes. On the other hand scribes are, in effect, merely medical transcriptionists. However, each job may prove to be a gateway to the other job. A well-trained medical assistant may make an excellent scribe and be of great assistance to the physician. An experienced medical scribe may make an excellent medical assistant, being familiar with medical terminology and patient care.

Contact Experienced Health Law Attorneys.

The Health Law Firm routinely represents physicians and medical groups on EHR issues. It also represents pharmacists, pharmacies, physicians, nurses and other health providers in investigations, regulatory matters, licensing issues, litigation, inspections and audits involving the DEA, Department of Health (DOH) and other law enforcement agencies. Its attorneys include those who are board certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law as well as licensed health professionals who are also attorneys.

To contact The Health Law Firm, please call (407) 331-6620 or (850) 439-1001 and visit our website at www.TheHealthLawFirm.com.

Comments?

What do you think about the use of scribes in the medical practice? Do you or have you ever used a scribe? What are the benefits or pitfalls of using a scribe? Please leave any thoughtful comments below.

Sources:

Hafner, Katie. “A Busy Doctor’s Right Hand, Ever Ready to Type.” The New York Times. (January 12, 2014). From: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/14/health/a-busy-doctors-right-hand-ever-ready-to-type.html?_r=0

Lewis, Maxine. “Scribes Can Help Document Care, Boost Efficiency at Medical Practices.” Medical Economics. (October 20, 2013). From: http://medicaleconomics.modernmedicine.com/medical-economics/news/scribes-can-help-document-care-boost-efficiency-medical-practices

Conn, Joseph. “More Docs Get EHR Help.” Modern Healthcare. (August 24, 2013). From: http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20130824/MAGAZINE/308249958

About the Author: George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law. He is the President and Managing Partner of The Health Law Firm, which has a national practice. Its main office is in the Orlando, Florida, area. www.TheHealthLawFirm.com The Health Law Firm, 1101 Douglas Ave., Altamonte Springs, FL 32714, Phone: (407) 331-6620.

“The Health Law Firm” is a registered fictitious business name of George F. Indest III, P.A. – The Health Law Firm, a Florida professional service corporation, since 1999.
Copyright © 1996-2012 The Health Law Firm. All rights reserved.

Go to Top