Florida Doctor Oversight Rapped

By John Dorschner, The Miami Herald

Apr. 23–In a new survey by a consumer group, the Florida Board of Medicine disciplined doctors slightly more often than in a previous study, but still ranks in the bottom half of states.

The ratings released Tuesday by Public Citizen, a Washington-based watchdog group, reported that Florida ranked No. 31 among the states, with 2.89 serious actions per 1,000 physicians from 2005 through 2007. Last year, it ranked 35th, with 2.93 per 1,000.

Public Citizen is concerned that many states are lenient in not disciplining problem doctors. Alaska ranked No.1 again in this year’s survey, with 8.33 actions per 1,000 doctors. South Carolina was at the bottom with 1.18.

“These numbers show that many states are thereby continuing to allow doctors to endanger the lives and health of some of their residents because of inadequate discipline,” Sidney Wolfe, a physician who heads health research at Public Citizen, said in a statement.

The Florida board has repeatedly insisted it’s only doing its job in treating physicians fairly. Eulinda Jackson, spokeswoman for the state Department of Health, told The Miami Herald last month the board “must follow due process against a practitioner.” The system is designed to protect doctors’ reputations until disciplinary action is taken.

Public Citizen has been criticizing medical boards for years. Its research shows that each year the boards tend to discipline less. Since 2004, considering the growing number of doctors, the rate of serious actions has fallen 22 percent, the report stated.

Wolfe has been particularly critical of the Florida Board of Medicine for its handling of South Miami heart surgeon Alex Zakharia. He has faced public accusations about his performance and mental competence for the past two years.

In court cases, Zakharia’s own lawyers have filed documents from doctors who said Zakharia suffered memory lapses that were getting worse. In a Miami-Dade court case, Cedars Medical Center said it wanted to remove him from the staff because his work had been connected with “numerous patient deaths.”

The surgeon pleaded guilty to federal charges involving accusations that he had exaggerated his credentials as a heart surgeon while giving a deposition in a Michigan malpractice case. The prosecutor demanded he turn in his medical license “to protect future patients from defendant’s incompetence as a surgeon.”

Still, Zakharia maintains a clear/active license in Florida. Only in March did the Department of Health file a complaint against Zakharia, suggesting his guilty plea might cause for the Board of Medicine to discipline the doctor by considering a range of options, including “permanent revocation or suspension” of his license, “restriction of his practice, imposition of an administrative fine, issuance of a reprimand” or placing the doctor on probation.

That case has yet to be heard by the Board of Medicine. In March, Wolfe told The Miami Herald: “It is mind-boggling this guy has not been disciplined and can continue to practice.”

The full report can be found at citizen.org.

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