PHOENIX - You trust your doctor with your health and your life, but what if you found out your doctor was struggling with a drug or alcohol addiction or facing sex abuse charges in court?
The ABC15 Investigators searched through recent Arizona Medical Board disciplinary records and found doctors reprimanded for sex abuse allegations, child pornography possession, and substance abuse, including problems with alcohol, Cocaine, and Oxycodone.
“It’s not okay to be impaired, really anywhere,” said Lisa Wynn, Executive Director of the Arizona Medical Board.
“The important thing besides protecting the public is to do what we can to make sure they get the treatment they need," said Wynn.
SOME SUBSTANCE ABUSE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL
Wynn said it is possible a patient may never find out if their doctor is participating in a recovery program while seeing patients. She said if a doctor comes forward and seeks assistance from the AZ Medical Board, the doctor’s struggles and details of his or her recovery program would be kept private if the standard of care has not been violated.
Wynn said doctors who’ve received treatment for substance abuse may be allowed to see patients while they are still participating in a special aftercare recovery program, monitored by the Board.
“The important thing is that they’re able to safely practice medicine, and if they’re not impaired and they’re in recovery, they absolutely can,” she said.
PRACTICING UNDER THE INFLUENCE
The ABC15 Investigators found a few doctors who were disciplined for practicing medicine while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. According to AZ Medical Board records, one Phoenix doctor performed a procedure with a blood alcohol level of 0.07. The paperwork shows the doctor admitted to drinking the night before the procedure.
Wynn said the board required him to temporarily stop seeing patients while he was evaluated and treated in a residential treatment center. In many cases, treatment can last up to 90 days. The board issued him a Letter of Reprimand, the lowest form of discipline, and placed him on probation. That doctor is now allowed to see patients.
“If I knew that he was in recovery, I would have no problem going to a doctor that was in recovery in our program,” said Wynn. “You could argue that doctors being monitored are safer.”
The ABC15 Investigators found other cases in which doctors struggled with Oxycodone, Cocaine, or Valium. Some were accused of inappropriately writing prescriptions for friends and family members or diverting a patient’s drugs to themselves.
Click 'next page' to read about sexual misconduct allegations.
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