Avery Hurt

One nurse is headed to federal prison and another faces a similar fate for participating in a pair of prison contraband schemes.

Former contract nurse Joseph Nwancha, RN, 41, of Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for his role in a scheme to smuggle narcotics, tobacco, cell phones, and other contraband into a state prison.

In his plea deal, Mr. Nwancha said that he was regularly the on-duty nurse during evenings and nights at Maryland Correctional Institute Jessup, which housed approximately 1,100 male inmates. This made it possible for him to have private contact with inmates without prison employees or other inmates observing the interactions.

According to court documents, beginning in September 2017, Corey Alston, an inmate at the medium-security prison, began bribing Mr. Nwancha to bring contraband into the prison. The inmate’s sister, Ashley Alston, discussed the bribe payments with Mr. Nwancha via text messages and later met with Mr. Nwancha to give him money. In his plea deal, Mr. Nwancha also admitted to having similar arrangements with other inmates.

On Nov. 28, 2017, Mr. Nwancha was stopped at MCIJ and was found to be in possession of approximately 230 g of K2, a synthetic cannabinoid, intended for Mr. Alston and other inmates, according to the court documents. A cell phone recovered from Mr. Nwancha contained text-message conversations discussing bribe payments and other details related to the smuggling operation. The next day, Mr. Nwancha fled to Dublin where he remained until his arrest and extradition, the document says.

According to the Maryland Board of Nursing, Mr. Nwancha earned his license to practice in 2013, and it expired in 2019.

The Washington Post reported that Mr. Nwancha was part of a smuggling ring involving at least 25 people, including corrections officers, in which conspirators would receive “bribes, kickbacks, and sexual favors” in exchange for smuggling contraband into the facility.

Jeane Arnette, RN, of Leavenworth, Kan., pleaded guilty to a scheme in which she used her role as a nurse to smuggle contraband, including cell phones, into the Leavenworth Detention Center.

Ms. Arnette, 61, pleaded guilty on Mach 10 to conspiracy to provide contraband to federal prison inmates. The Kansas City Star says Ms. Arnette worked at the prison from August 2020 through September 2021 and allegedly attempted to smuggle contraband on at least 15 occasions to one inmate. Investigators alleged she was paid through Cash App for the transactions.

She is scheduled to be sentenced June 9 and faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison.
 

New York nurse indicted in COVID-19 vaccine card scam

A New York licensed practical nurse faces charges of conspiring to defraud the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and conspiring to commit forgery in a scheme to distribute and sell false COVID-19 vaccination cards.

According to the indictment, Steven Rodriguez, of Long Beach, N.Y., 27, a nurse at a Hempstead, N.Y.–based clinic, conspired with Jia Liu, 26, of New York, who is a member of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, to provide the fake vaccination cards. The cards were sold to unvaccinated Marine Corps reservists who did not want to comply with U.S. Department of Defense vaccination regulations.

In the scheme, Mr. Liu purchased stolen, blank COVID-19 vaccination cards from Mr. Rodriguez, then forged and distributed them for profit. Mr. Liu also directed buyers to meet Mr. Rodriguez in person at the health care clinic where, rather than administer the vaccination, Mr. Rodriguez would destroy the vial of vaccine intended for that patient, then provide a forged vaccination card. Mr. Rodriguez then made false entries in immunization databases indicating that the buyer had been vaccinated. Mr. Liu was also charged with one count of conspiring to defraud the Department of Defense, according to prosecutors.

Using code words such as “gift cards,” “Pokemon cards,” and “Cardi Bs,” the men sent messages on encrypted messaging apps and on social media to inform potential buyers of the opportunity to buy the fake cards, prosecutors said.

Overall, according to the indictment, Mr. Rodriguez and Mr. Liu distributed at least 300 stolen or false COVID-19 vaccination cards, created more than 70 false entries in immunization databases, and destroyed multiple doses of COVID-19 vaccine. “The defendants put military and other communities at risk of contracting a virus that has already claimed nearly one million lives in this country,” Breon Peace, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said when announcing the charges.

Mr. Rodriguez’s lawyer said in an email to The New York Times that the charges are “disturbing” but added, “This young man has no prior record and has a good family, which is why he was released on an unsecured signature bond with the consent of the government.”

Mr. Rodriguez acquired his LPN license in 2018, and it was valid as of press time, according to the New York Office of the Professions database.

Mr. Liu, who also faces charges in connection with the January 6 riot on Capitol Hill, was released on a $250,000 bond to home detention with GPS monitoring, according to the same report.

If convicted, the men could each face up to 10 years in prison.
 

Pennsylvania nurse practitioner faces 22 felony charges

A Bradford County, Pennsylvania, nurse practitioner is facing nearly two dozen felony violations of state law.

Stephanie King, CRNP, 45, of Ulster, Pennsylvania, is accused of prescribing medicines without a collaborating physician, as well as with multiple counts of false billing.

The felony charges include three violations of the state’s Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act; two counts of insurance fraud; six counts of Medicaid fraud; six counts of forgery; two counts of tampering with public records; and three counts of theft by deception.

According to local press reports, Ms. King was the owner and operator of the Center for Holistic and Integrative Mental Health in Athens, Pa. The charging documents allege that, beginning in November 2016, Ms. King entered into a sexual relationship with a patient and billed a private insurer for their trysts. Ms. King subsequently entered a relationship with another patient. Although she discontinued medical care for this patient after the affair began, she continued to prescribe controlled substances for him, according to the indictment.

In addition, prosecutors allege that Ms. King renewed previous collaboration agreements without the knowledge of her physician collaborators. Under Pennsylvania law, nurse practitioners are required to enter into collaborative agreements with Pennsylvania-licensed physicians in order to perform medical diagnoses and prescribe controlled substances.

The investigation found that Ms. King falsely billed more than $300,000 to private insurers and $100,000 to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for services that did not meet acceptable medical treatment standards. In addition, she is alleged to have written more than 3,750 prescriptions to patients during the time she did not meet the State of Pennsylvania’s requirements to prescribe.

Her license, originally obtained in 2011, was suspended on March 25, 2020.
 

Massachusetts nurse pleads guilty of tampering with patients’ fentanyl

A Massachusetts nurse was charged with and has agreed to plead guilty to one count of tampering with a controlled substance while working in the postsurgery recovery unit at a Massachusetts hospital as well as at an outpatient vascular surgery center.

According to the charging documents, Hugo Vieira, 41, of Berkley, Massachusetts, removed fentanyl from vials meant for patients undergoing or recovering from surgery. He then replaced the fentanyl with saline. Investigators identified 60 vials that had been tampered with at the vascular surgery center and two at the hospital.

Mr. Viera faces up to 10 years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 for the tampering charge.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

One nurse is headed to federal prison and another faces a similar fate for participating in a pair of prison contraband schemes.

Former contract nurse Joseph Nwancha, RN, 41, of Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for his role in a scheme to smuggle narcotics, tobacco, cell phones, and other contraband into a state prison.

In his plea deal, Mr. Nwancha said that he was regularly the on-duty nurse during evenings and nights at Maryland Correctional Institute Jessup, which housed approximately 1,100 male inmates. This made it possible for him to have private contact with inmates without prison employees or other inmates observing the interactions.

According to court documents, beginning in September 2017, Corey Alston, an inmate at the medium-security prison, began bribing Mr. Nwancha to bring contraband into the prison. The inmate’s sister, Ashley Alston, discussed the bribe payments with Mr. Nwancha via text messages and later met with Mr. Nwancha to give him money. In his plea deal, Mr. Nwancha also admitted to having similar arrangements with other inmates.

On Nov. 28, 2017, Mr. Nwancha was stopped at MCIJ and was found to be in possession of approximately 230 g of K2, a synthetic cannabinoid, intended for Mr. Alston and other inmates, according to the court documents. A cell phone recovered from Mr. Nwancha contained text-message conversations discussing bribe payments and other details related to the smuggling operation. The next day, Mr. Nwancha fled to Dublin where he remained until his arrest and extradition, the document says.

According to the Maryland Board of Nursing, Mr. Nwancha earned his license to practice in 2013, and it expired in 2019.

The Washington Post reported that Mr. Nwancha was part of a smuggling ring involving at least 25 people, including corrections officers, in which conspirators would receive “bribes, kickbacks, and sexual favors” in exchange for smuggling contraband into the facility.

Jeane Arnette, RN, of Leavenworth, Kan., pleaded guilty to a scheme in which she used her role as a nurse to smuggle contraband, including cell phones, into the Leavenworth Detention Center.

Ms. Arnette, 61, pleaded guilty on Mach 10 to conspiracy to provide contraband to federal prison inmates. The Kansas City Star says Ms. Arnette worked at the prison from August 2020 through September 2021 and allegedly attempted to smuggle contraband on at least 15 occasions to one inmate. Investigators alleged she was paid through Cash App for the transactions.

She is scheduled to be sentenced June 9 and faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison.
 

New York nurse indicted in COVID-19 vaccine card scam

A New York licensed practical nurse faces charges of conspiring to defraud the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and conspiring to commit forgery in a scheme to distribute and sell false COVID-19 vaccination cards.

According to the indictment, Steven Rodriguez, of Long Beach, N.Y., 27, a nurse at a Hempstead, N.Y.–based clinic, conspired with Jia Liu, 26, of New York, who is a member of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, to provide the fake vaccination cards. The cards were sold to unvaccinated Marine Corps reservists who did not want to comply with U.S. Department of Defense vaccination regulations.

In the scheme, Mr. Liu purchased stolen, blank COVID-19 vaccination cards from Mr. Rodriguez, then forged and distributed them for profit. Mr. Liu also directed buyers to meet Mr. Rodriguez in person at the health care clinic where, rather than administer the vaccination, Mr. Rodriguez would destroy the vial of vaccine intended for that patient, then provide a forged vaccination card. Mr. Rodriguez then made false entries in immunization databases indicating that the buyer had been vaccinated. Mr. Liu was also charged with one count of conspiring to defraud the Department of Defense, according to prosecutors.

Using code words such as “gift cards,” “Pokemon cards,” and “Cardi Bs,” the men sent messages on encrypted messaging apps and on social media to inform potential buyers of the opportunity to buy the fake cards, prosecutors said.

Overall, according to the indictment, Mr. Rodriguez and Mr. Liu distributed at least 300 stolen or false COVID-19 vaccination cards, created more than 70 false entries in immunization databases, and destroyed multiple doses of COVID-19 vaccine. “The defendants put military and other communities at risk of contracting a virus that has already claimed nearly one million lives in this country,” Breon Peace, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said when announcing the charges.

Mr. Rodriguez’s lawyer said in an email to The New York Times that the charges are “disturbing” but added, “This young man has no prior record and has a good family, which is why he was released on an unsecured signature bond with the consent of the government.”

Mr. Rodriguez acquired his LPN license in 2018, and it was valid as of press time, according to the New York Office of the Professions database.

Mr. Liu, who also faces charges in connection with the January 6 riot on Capitol Hill, was released on a $250,000 bond to home detention with GPS monitoring, according to the same report.

If convicted, the men could each face up to 10 years in prison.
 

Pennsylvania nurse practitioner faces 22 felony charges

A Bradford County, Pennsylvania, nurse practitioner is facing nearly two dozen felony violations of state law.

Stephanie King, CRNP, 45, of Ulster, Pennsylvania, is accused of prescribing medicines without a collaborating physician, as well as with multiple counts of false billing.

The felony charges include three violations of the state’s Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act; two counts of insurance fraud; six counts of Medicaid fraud; six counts of forgery; two counts of tampering with public records; and three counts of theft by deception.

According to local press reports, Ms. King was the owner and operator of the Center for Holistic and Integrative Mental Health in Athens, Pa. The charging documents allege that, beginning in November 2016, Ms. King entered into a sexual relationship with a patient and billed a private insurer for their trysts. Ms. King subsequently entered a relationship with another patient. Although she discontinued medical care for this patient after the affair began, she continued to prescribe controlled substances for him, according to the indictment.

In addition, prosecutors allege that Ms. King renewed previous collaboration agreements without the knowledge of her physician collaborators. Under Pennsylvania law, nurse practitioners are required to enter into collaborative agreements with Pennsylvania-licensed physicians in order to perform medical diagnoses and prescribe controlled substances.

The investigation found that Ms. King falsely billed more than $300,000 to private insurers and $100,000 to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for services that did not meet acceptable medical treatment standards. In addition, she is alleged to have written more than 3,750 prescriptions to patients during the time she did not meet the State of Pennsylvania’s requirements to prescribe.

Her license, originally obtained in 2011, was suspended on March 25, 2020.
 

Massachusetts nurse pleads guilty of tampering with patients’ fentanyl

A Massachusetts nurse was charged with and has agreed to plead guilty to one count of tampering with a controlled substance while working in the postsurgery recovery unit at a Massachusetts hospital as well as at an outpatient vascular surgery center.

According to the charging documents, Hugo Vieira, 41, of Berkley, Massachusetts, removed fentanyl from vials meant for patients undergoing or recovering from surgery. He then replaced the fentanyl with saline. Investigators identified 60 vials that had been tampered with at the vascular surgery center and two at the hospital.

Mr. Viera faces up to 10 years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 for the tampering charge.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

One nurse is headed to federal prison and another faces a similar fate for participating in a pair of prison contraband schemes.

Former contract nurse Joseph Nwancha, RN, 41, of Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for his role in a scheme to smuggle narcotics, tobacco, cell phones, and other contraband into a state prison.

In his plea deal, Mr. Nwancha said that he was regularly the on-duty nurse during evenings and nights at Maryland Correctional Institute Jessup, which housed approximately 1,100 male inmates. This made it possible for him to have private contact with inmates without prison employees or other inmates observing the interactions.

According to court documents, beginning in September 2017, Corey Alston, an inmate at the medium-security prison, began bribing Mr. Nwancha to bring contraband into the prison. The inmate’s sister, Ashley Alston, discussed the bribe payments with Mr. Nwancha via text messages and later met with Mr. Nwancha to give him money. In his plea deal, Mr. Nwancha also admitted to having similar arrangements with other inmates.

On Nov. 28, 2017, Mr. Nwancha was stopped at MCIJ and was found to be in possession of approximately 230 g of K2, a synthetic cannabinoid, intended for Mr. Alston and other inmates, according to the court documents. A cell phone recovered from Mr. Nwancha contained text-message conversations discussing bribe payments and other details related to the smuggling operation. The next day, Mr. Nwancha fled to Dublin where he remained until his arrest and extradition, the document says.

According to the Maryland Board of Nursing, Mr. Nwancha earned his license to practice in 2013, and it expired in 2019.

The Washington Post reported that Mr. Nwancha was part of a smuggling ring involving at least 25 people, including corrections officers, in which conspirators would receive “bribes, kickbacks, and sexual favors” in exchange for smuggling contraband into the facility.

Jeane Arnette, RN, of Leavenworth, Kan., pleaded guilty to a scheme in which she used her role as a nurse to smuggle contraband, including cell phones, into the Leavenworth Detention Center.

Ms. Arnette, 61, pleaded guilty on Mach 10 to conspiracy to provide contraband to federal prison inmates. The Kansas City Star says Ms. Arnette worked at the prison from August 2020 through September 2021 and allegedly attempted to smuggle contraband on at least 15 occasions to one inmate. Investigators alleged she was paid through Cash App for the transactions.

She is scheduled to be sentenced June 9 and faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison.
 

New York nurse indicted in COVID-19 vaccine card scam

A New York licensed practical nurse faces charges of conspiring to defraud the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and conspiring to commit forgery in a scheme to distribute and sell false COVID-19 vaccination cards.

According to the indictment, Steven Rodriguez, of Long Beach, N.Y., 27, a nurse at a Hempstead, N.Y.–based clinic, conspired with Jia Liu, 26, of New York, who is a member of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, to provide the fake vaccination cards. The cards were sold to unvaccinated Marine Corps reservists who did not want to comply with U.S. Department of Defense vaccination regulations.

In the scheme, Mr. Liu purchased stolen, blank COVID-19 vaccination cards from Mr. Rodriguez, then forged and distributed them for profit. Mr. Liu also directed buyers to meet Mr. Rodriguez in person at the health care clinic where, rather than administer the vaccination, Mr. Rodriguez would destroy the vial of vaccine intended for that patient, then provide a forged vaccination card. Mr. Rodriguez then made false entries in immunization databases indicating that the buyer had been vaccinated. Mr. Liu was also charged with one count of conspiring to defraud the Department of Defense, according to prosecutors.

Using code words such as “gift cards,” “Pokemon cards,” and “Cardi Bs,” the men sent messages on encrypted messaging apps and on social media to inform potential buyers of the opportunity to buy the fake cards, prosecutors said.

Overall, according to the indictment, Mr. Rodriguez and Mr. Liu distributed at least 300 stolen or false COVID-19 vaccination cards, created more than 70 false entries in immunization databases, and destroyed multiple doses of COVID-19 vaccine. “The defendants put military and other communities at risk of contracting a virus that has already claimed nearly one million lives in this country,” Breon Peace, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said when announcing the charges.

Mr. Rodriguez’s lawyer said in an email to The New York Times that the charges are “disturbing” but added, “This young man has no prior record and has a good family, which is why he was released on an unsecured signature bond with the consent of the government.”

Mr. Rodriguez acquired his LPN license in 2018, and it was valid as of press time, according to the New York Office of the Professions database.

Mr. Liu, who also faces charges in connection with the January 6 riot on Capitol Hill, was released on a $250,000 bond to home detention with GPS monitoring, according to the same report.

If convicted, the men could each face up to 10 years in prison.
 

Pennsylvania nurse practitioner faces 22 felony charges

A Bradford County, Pennsylvania, nurse practitioner is facing nearly two dozen felony violations of state law.

Stephanie King, CRNP, 45, of Ulster, Pennsylvania, is accused of prescribing medicines without a collaborating physician, as well as with multiple counts of false billing.

The felony charges include three violations of the state’s Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act; two counts of insurance fraud; six counts of Medicaid fraud; six counts of forgery; two counts of tampering with public records; and three counts of theft by deception.

According to local press reports, Ms. King was the owner and operator of the Center for Holistic and Integrative Mental Health in Athens, Pa. The charging documents allege that, beginning in November 2016, Ms. King entered into a sexual relationship with a patient and billed a private insurer for their trysts. Ms. King subsequently entered a relationship with another patient. Although she discontinued medical care for this patient after the affair began, she continued to prescribe controlled substances for him, according to the indictment.

In addition, prosecutors allege that Ms. King renewed previous collaboration agreements without the knowledge of her physician collaborators. Under Pennsylvania law, nurse practitioners are required to enter into collaborative agreements with Pennsylvania-licensed physicians in order to perform medical diagnoses and prescribe controlled substances.

The investigation found that Ms. King falsely billed more than $300,000 to private insurers and $100,000 to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for services that did not meet acceptable medical treatment standards. In addition, she is alleged to have written more than 3,750 prescriptions to patients during the time she did not meet the State of Pennsylvania’s requirements to prescribe.

Her license, originally obtained in 2011, was suspended on March 25, 2020.
 

Massachusetts nurse pleads guilty of tampering with patients’ fentanyl

A Massachusetts nurse was charged with and has agreed to plead guilty to one count of tampering with a controlled substance while working in the postsurgery recovery unit at a Massachusetts hospital as well as at an outpatient vascular surgery center.

According to the charging documents, Hugo Vieira, 41, of Berkley, Massachusetts, removed fentanyl from vials meant for patients undergoing or recovering from surgery. He then replaced the fentanyl with saline. Investigators identified 60 vials that had been tampered with at the vascular surgery center and two at the hospital.

Mr. Viera faces up to 10 years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 for the tampering charge.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

California-based emergency physician Simone Melissa Gold, MD, JD, founder of the antivaccine group America’s Frontline Doctors (AFD) and leading voice in the antivaccine movement, has pleaded guilty to one of five charges related to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

According to the plea deal, Dr. Gold pleaded guilty to charges that she “did unlawfully and knowingly enter and remain in a restricted building and grounds, that is, any posted, cordoned-off, or otherwise restricted area within the United States Capitol and its grounds, during a time when the vice president was in the building without lawful authority to do so.” As part of the agreement, additional charges against her – obstructing an official proceeding and intent to disrupt the orderly conduct of government business – will be dismissed. She also agreed to cooperate with investigators, including allowing them to review social media postings made during the time surrounding the event.

Shortly after she was indicted, Dr. Gold told The Washington Post that she did not see any violence and that the event was “peaceful.” However, according to news reports, Dr. Gold acknowledged in her plea deal that she and her codefendant, John Herbert Strand, witnessed the assault of a police officer while they were outside the building.

Dr. Gold, 56, based in Beverly Hills, Calif., founded AFD in 2019. The group notes its goal is to “amplify the voices of concerned physicians and patients nationwide to combat those who push political and economic agendas at the expense of science and quality health care solutions.” Mr. Strand is the organization’s communication’s director.

The group has been a leading proponent of the use of ivermectin as a “safe and effective treatment” for COVID-19, according to its website.

In 2021, Dr. Gold spoke at an event called The Stand, representing AFD, where she promised to tell “the truth” about COVID vaccines, including that it was actually giving people the virus, that COVID was renamed from the “Wuhan Virus” as part of a cover-up, and touted treatments, including hydroxycholoroquine and ivermectin.

Dr. Gold has been one of the leading voices in the anti-vaccine movement. She has more than 400,000 Twitter followers; her Twitter profile includes a pinned tweet saying: “We are living in Orwellian times.” In addition to spreading vaccine misinformation, Dr. Gold has promoted the use of unproven treatments such as hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin.

Calls and emails to AFD regarding a statement on Gold’s plea made by this news organization were not returned by press time.

In October, Representative James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.), chairman of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, launched an investigation into organizations, including AFD, that spread misinformation and facilitate access to disproven and potentially hazardous treatments for COVID-19. According to news reports, Rep. Clyburn called the AFD and other such groups “predatory actors.”

Hospitals where Dr. Gold previously worked, including Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Santa Monica, Calif., and Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, have disassociated themselves from her. On July 29, 2020, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where Gold previously worked, issued a statement that said, in part, “Simone Gold, MD, has not worked with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center or any of its offices or affiliates since 2015. For 3 weeks in late 2015, Dr. Gold was employed on a per diem basis by Cedars-Sinai Medical Network, a component of Cedars-Sinai. She worked during this brief time in a network urgent care clinic. Dr. Gold is not authorized to represent or speak about any information on behalf of Cedars-Sinai.”

Dr. Gold’s medical license in the state of California is current and she has no pending hearings before the state medical board, according to its website. On her own website, Dr. Gold says she “voluntarily refused” to renew her board certification last year, “due to the unethical behavior of the medical boards.”

Dr. Gold is also a licensed attorney, having earned her law degree in health policy analysis at Stanford (Calif.) Law School.

Dr. Gold faces 6 months in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for June 16.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

California-based emergency physician Simone Melissa Gold, MD, JD, founder of the antivaccine group America’s Frontline Doctors (AFD) and leading voice in the antivaccine movement, has pleaded guilty to one of five charges related to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

According to the plea deal, Dr. Gold pleaded guilty to charges that she “did unlawfully and knowingly enter and remain in a restricted building and grounds, that is, any posted, cordoned-off, or otherwise restricted area within the United States Capitol and its grounds, during a time when the vice president was in the building without lawful authority to do so.” As part of the agreement, additional charges against her – obstructing an official proceeding and intent to disrupt the orderly conduct of government business – will be dismissed. She also agreed to cooperate with investigators, including allowing them to review social media postings made during the time surrounding the event.

Shortly after she was indicted, Dr. Gold told The Washington Post that she did not see any violence and that the event was “peaceful.” However, according to news reports, Dr. Gold acknowledged in her plea deal that she and her codefendant, John Herbert Strand, witnessed the assault of a police officer while they were outside the building.

Dr. Gold, 56, based in Beverly Hills, Calif., founded AFD in 2019. The group notes its goal is to “amplify the voices of concerned physicians and patients nationwide to combat those who push political and economic agendas at the expense of science and quality health care solutions.” Mr. Strand is the organization’s communication’s director.

The group has been a leading proponent of the use of ivermectin as a “safe and effective treatment” for COVID-19, according to its website.

In 2021, Dr. Gold spoke at an event called The Stand, representing AFD, where she promised to tell “the truth” about COVID vaccines, including that it was actually giving people the virus, that COVID was renamed from the “Wuhan Virus” as part of a cover-up, and touted treatments, including hydroxycholoroquine and ivermectin.

Dr. Gold has been one of the leading voices in the anti-vaccine movement. She has more than 400,000 Twitter followers; her Twitter profile includes a pinned tweet saying: “We are living in Orwellian times.” In addition to spreading vaccine misinformation, Dr. Gold has promoted the use of unproven treatments such as hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin.

Calls and emails to AFD regarding a statement on Gold’s plea made by this news organization were not returned by press time.

In October, Representative James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.), chairman of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, launched an investigation into organizations, including AFD, that spread misinformation and facilitate access to disproven and potentially hazardous treatments for COVID-19. According to news reports, Rep. Clyburn called the AFD and other such groups “predatory actors.”

Hospitals where Dr. Gold previously worked, including Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Santa Monica, Calif., and Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, have disassociated themselves from her. On July 29, 2020, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where Gold previously worked, issued a statement that said, in part, “Simone Gold, MD, has not worked with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center or any of its offices or affiliates since 2015. For 3 weeks in late 2015, Dr. Gold was employed on a per diem basis by Cedars-Sinai Medical Network, a component of Cedars-Sinai. She worked during this brief time in a network urgent care clinic. Dr. Gold is not authorized to represent or speak about any information on behalf of Cedars-Sinai.”

Dr. Gold’s medical license in the state of California is current and she has no pending hearings before the state medical board, according to its website. On her own website, Dr. Gold says she “voluntarily refused” to renew her board certification last year, “due to the unethical behavior of the medical boards.”

Dr. Gold is also a licensed attorney, having earned her law degree in health policy analysis at Stanford (Calif.) Law School.

Dr. Gold faces 6 months in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for June 16.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

California-based emergency physician Simone Melissa Gold, MD, JD, founder of the antivaccine group America’s Frontline Doctors (AFD) and leading voice in the antivaccine movement, has pleaded guilty to one of five charges related to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

According to the plea deal, Dr. Gold pleaded guilty to charges that she “did unlawfully and knowingly enter and remain in a restricted building and grounds, that is, any posted, cordoned-off, or otherwise restricted area within the United States Capitol and its grounds, during a time when the vice president was in the building without lawful authority to do so.” As part of the agreement, additional charges against her – obstructing an official proceeding and intent to disrupt the orderly conduct of government business – will be dismissed. She also agreed to cooperate with investigators, including allowing them to review social media postings made during the time surrounding the event.

Shortly after she was indicted, Dr. Gold told The Washington Post that she did not see any violence and that the event was “peaceful.” However, according to news reports, Dr. Gold acknowledged in her plea deal that she and her codefendant, John Herbert Strand, witnessed the assault of a police officer while they were outside the building.

Dr. Gold, 56, based in Beverly Hills, Calif., founded AFD in 2019. The group notes its goal is to “amplify the voices of concerned physicians and patients nationwide to combat those who push political and economic agendas at the expense of science and quality health care solutions.” Mr. Strand is the organization’s communication’s director.

The group has been a leading proponent of the use of ivermectin as a “safe and effective treatment” for COVID-19, according to its website.

In 2021, Dr. Gold spoke at an event called The Stand, representing AFD, where she promised to tell “the truth” about COVID vaccines, including that it was actually giving people the virus, that COVID was renamed from the “Wuhan Virus” as part of a cover-up, and touted treatments, including hydroxycholoroquine and ivermectin.

Dr. Gold has been one of the leading voices in the anti-vaccine movement. She has more than 400,000 Twitter followers; her Twitter profile includes a pinned tweet saying: “We are living in Orwellian times.” In addition to spreading vaccine misinformation, Dr. Gold has promoted the use of unproven treatments such as hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin.

Calls and emails to AFD regarding a statement on Gold’s plea made by this news organization were not returned by press time.

In October, Representative James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.), chairman of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, launched an investigation into organizations, including AFD, that spread misinformation and facilitate access to disproven and potentially hazardous treatments for COVID-19. According to news reports, Rep. Clyburn called the AFD and other such groups “predatory actors.”

Hospitals where Dr. Gold previously worked, including Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Santa Monica, Calif., and Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, have disassociated themselves from her. On July 29, 2020, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where Gold previously worked, issued a statement that said, in part, “Simone Gold, MD, has not worked with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center or any of its offices or affiliates since 2015. For 3 weeks in late 2015, Dr. Gold was employed on a per diem basis by Cedars-Sinai Medical Network, a component of Cedars-Sinai. She worked during this brief time in a network urgent care clinic. Dr. Gold is not authorized to represent or speak about any information on behalf of Cedars-Sinai.”

Dr. Gold’s medical license in the state of California is current and she has no pending hearings before the state medical board, according to its website. On her own website, Dr. Gold says she “voluntarily refused” to renew her board certification last year, “due to the unethical behavior of the medical boards.”

Dr. Gold is also a licensed attorney, having earned her law degree in health policy analysis at Stanford (Calif.) Law School.

Dr. Gold faces 6 months in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for June 16.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

A Florida jury has found a Palm Beach psychiatrist guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and wire fraud and 11 counts of healthcare fraud.

Mark Agresti, MD, 59, was convicted of unlawfully billing approximately $110 million of medically unnecessary urinalysis services for patients living at Good Decisions Sober Living (GDSL), a drug rehabilitation facility in West Palm Beach, Fla. Dr. Agresti was once the director of psychiatry at the former Columbia Hospital in West Palm Beach.

According to evidence presented at the trial, Dr. Agresti, as medical director of GDSL, agreed to provide standing orders for urinalysis for GDSL patients in exchange for a monthly fee. Three to four times a week, patients were required to submit to excessive and medically unnecessary urine tests, costing $6,000 to $9,000 per test, according to federal officials. Dr. Agresti did not review the results of these tests and did not use the tests to treat patients. The evidence also showed that he had also done this at other addiction facilities in the West Palm Beach area, resulting in thousands of additional fraudulent tests. Dr. Agresti had GDSL patients visit his private practice so he could fraudulently bill for services there as well.

“This defendant used his medical license to facilitate an egregious, multimillion-dollar fraud scheme that exploited vulnerable substance abusers,” said Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, in a statement announcing the conviction.

Three other defendants, including GDSL’s owner, Kenneth Bailynson, were previously indicted and pleaded guilty to related charges connected with the scheme. Dr. Agresti, however, insisted on his innocence throughout the trial, arguing that he was himself the victim of Mr. Bailynson. Mr. Bailynson, as a part of his plea deal, testified against Dr. Agresti at the trial.

According to a report in the Palm Beach Post, Dr. Agresti’s lawyers, in closing statements, argued, “The government did a fantastic job of proving that Dr. Agresti was negligent, maybe even grossly negligent, but that’s not the issue in this case.” The jury disagreed.

Dr. Agresti faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the healthcare fraud and wire fraud conspiracy charges and 10 years for each count of healthcare fraud. Sentencing is scheduled for April 21.
 

Ten people, including two physicians, charged in Texas kickback scheme

Jose Maldonado, MD, 48, a family medicine physician, and Eduardo Carlos Canova, MD, 44, an internal medicine specialist, both based in Laredo, Tex., were among ten people indicted in connection with a $300 million healthcare fraud scheme

According to the federal indictment, the founders of several lab companies, including Unified Laboratory Services, Spectrum Diagnostic Laboratory, and Reliable Labs, LLC, allegedly paid kickbacks to medical practitioners in exchange for orders for medically unnecessary lab tests, which were then billed to Medicare and other federal healthcare programs. The medical professionals, including Dr. Maldonado and Dr. Canova, are alleged to have accepted bribes for ordering millions of dollars’ worth of tests.

The scheme was facilitated by marketing firms, which paid doctors hundreds of thousands of dollars for “advisory services,” according to officials. Rather than providing advice, however, the physicians provided lab test referrals. The labs are accused of paying portions of the salaries of the doctors’ staffs as well as portions of their leases. In some instances, direct payments were made to the practitioner’s spouse. In one case, the labs informed one practitioner that the payments would cease if he didn’t refer more tests. He responded to the threat by immediately increasing his lab referrals, averaging 20 to 30 referrals a day.

Jeffrey Madison, the founder of Spectrum and Unified, is accused of convincing Reliable’s founders to convert their business to a physician-owned lab to disguise the kickbacks. Reliable offered physicians ownership opportunities only if they referred enough lab tests. In some cases, says the indictment, the labs made advance payments to physicians to ensure that those physicians would not send samples to other labs.

The scheme resulted in more than $300 million in billing to federal government healthcare programs. Between 2015 and 2018, Dr. Maldonado alone received more than $400,000 in kickbacks for ordering more than $4 million worth of lab tests, and Dr. Canova received more than $300,000 for ordering more than $12 million in tests, according to the indictment.

The 26-count indictment included charges of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, conspiracy to pay and receive healthcare kickbacks, offering or paying illegal kickbacks, and soliciting or receiving illegal kickbacks.
 

N.J. doc charged on 34 counts of illegally prescribing controlled substances

A N.J. orthopedic surgeon has been charged with 34 counts of illegally prescribing controlled substances.

According to documents filed in the case, from November 2016 to February 2018 Evangelos Megariotis, MD, 68, of Passaic County, N.J., prescribed opiates — including oxycodone, alprazolam (Xanax), and cough syrup with codeine — as well as stimulants without a legitimate medical purpose and outside the usual course of his practice.

Before the State of New Jersey permanently banned him from practicing medicine, Dr. Megariotis owned and operated Clifton Orthopedic Associates, in Clifton, N.J.

According to The Bergin Record, the state alleges that Dr. Megariotis prescribed thousands of doses of painkillers even though he knew his patients were abusing them and in some cases were getting similar drugs from other doctors. In addition, Dr. Megariotis failed to diagnose or treat these patients’ underlying conditions, treated illnesses outside his scope of practice, and performed surgery in the absence of medical need.

If convicted, Dr. Megariotis could face a lengthy prison sentence as well as substantial fines. The counts of illegally prescribing Schedule II opioids and stimulants are punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Illegally prescribing Schedule IV controlled substances brings a maximum of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The counts of illegally prescribing cough syrup with codeine, a Schedule V controlled substance, are punishable by a maximum of 1 year in prison and a $100,000 fine.
 

Michigan surgeon pleads guilty to fraud scheme

A Bay City, Mich., vascular surgeon has pleaded guilty to engaging in a scheme to defraud Medicare, Medicaid, and Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan out of approximately $19.5 million

According to the plea agreement, in 2009, Vasso Godiali, MD, 59, began false and fraudulent billing to the three insurers. False claims included billing for the placement of stents in dialysis patients and for the treatment of arterial blood clots. The surgeon admitted to billing for the placement of multiple stents in the same vessel and preparing medical records to support the necessity of placing those stents. However, he never placed the stents.

In the plea document, Dr. Godiali also admitted that his medical records would describe occluded arteries that would justify arterial thrombectomies. However, in many cases, there were no occluded arteries, and no thrombectomies were performed, even though Dr. Godiali billed insurers for them.

“When Dr Godiali submitted claims for medical services that were never provided, he violated the trust of his patients and defrauded taxpayer-funded health care programs,” Mario M. Pinto, special agent in charge, said in a statement announcing the plea.

In 2014, The Bay City Times interviewed Dr. Godiali after he was featured by USA Today as one of seven physicians in the United States to receive more than $10 million for Medicare reimbursements in 2012. He told The Times he was a workaholic. “I work a lot — I work probably more than surgeons that you meet,” he told the paper.

Dr. Godiali faces up to 10 years in prison. In addition, he will be required to pay $19.5 million in restitution to the three insurers. A civil forfeiture case against approximately $39.9 million seized from accounts controlled by Dr. Godiali is pending. Sentencing is scheduled for September 15.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

A Florida jury has found a Palm Beach psychiatrist guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and wire fraud and 11 counts of healthcare fraud.

Mark Agresti, MD, 59, was convicted of unlawfully billing approximately $110 million of medically unnecessary urinalysis services for patients living at Good Decisions Sober Living (GDSL), a drug rehabilitation facility in West Palm Beach, Fla. Dr. Agresti was once the director of psychiatry at the former Columbia Hospital in West Palm Beach.

According to evidence presented at the trial, Dr. Agresti, as medical director of GDSL, agreed to provide standing orders for urinalysis for GDSL patients in exchange for a monthly fee. Three to four times a week, patients were required to submit to excessive and medically unnecessary urine tests, costing $6,000 to $9,000 per test, according to federal officials. Dr. Agresti did not review the results of these tests and did not use the tests to treat patients. The evidence also showed that he had also done this at other addiction facilities in the West Palm Beach area, resulting in thousands of additional fraudulent tests. Dr. Agresti had GDSL patients visit his private practice so he could fraudulently bill for services there as well.

“This defendant used his medical license to facilitate an egregious, multimillion-dollar fraud scheme that exploited vulnerable substance abusers,” said Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, in a statement announcing the conviction.

Three other defendants, including GDSL’s owner, Kenneth Bailynson, were previously indicted and pleaded guilty to related charges connected with the scheme. Dr. Agresti, however, insisted on his innocence throughout the trial, arguing that he was himself the victim of Mr. Bailynson. Mr. Bailynson, as a part of his plea deal, testified against Dr. Agresti at the trial.

According to a report in the Palm Beach Post, Dr. Agresti’s lawyers, in closing statements, argued, “The government did a fantastic job of proving that Dr. Agresti was negligent, maybe even grossly negligent, but that’s not the issue in this case.” The jury disagreed.

Dr. Agresti faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the healthcare fraud and wire fraud conspiracy charges and 10 years for each count of healthcare fraud. Sentencing is scheduled for April 21.
 

Ten people, including two physicians, charged in Texas kickback scheme

Jose Maldonado, MD, 48, a family medicine physician, and Eduardo Carlos Canova, MD, 44, an internal medicine specialist, both based in Laredo, Tex., were among ten people indicted in connection with a $300 million healthcare fraud scheme

According to the federal indictment, the founders of several lab companies, including Unified Laboratory Services, Spectrum Diagnostic Laboratory, and Reliable Labs, LLC, allegedly paid kickbacks to medical practitioners in exchange for orders for medically unnecessary lab tests, which were then billed to Medicare and other federal healthcare programs. The medical professionals, including Dr. Maldonado and Dr. Canova, are alleged to have accepted bribes for ordering millions of dollars’ worth of tests.

The scheme was facilitated by marketing firms, which paid doctors hundreds of thousands of dollars for “advisory services,” according to officials. Rather than providing advice, however, the physicians provided lab test referrals. The labs are accused of paying portions of the salaries of the doctors’ staffs as well as portions of their leases. In some instances, direct payments were made to the practitioner’s spouse. In one case, the labs informed one practitioner that the payments would cease if he didn’t refer more tests. He responded to the threat by immediately increasing his lab referrals, averaging 20 to 30 referrals a day.

Jeffrey Madison, the founder of Spectrum and Unified, is accused of convincing Reliable’s founders to convert their business to a physician-owned lab to disguise the kickbacks. Reliable offered physicians ownership opportunities only if they referred enough lab tests. In some cases, says the indictment, the labs made advance payments to physicians to ensure that those physicians would not send samples to other labs.

The scheme resulted in more than $300 million in billing to federal government healthcare programs. Between 2015 and 2018, Dr. Maldonado alone received more than $400,000 in kickbacks for ordering more than $4 million worth of lab tests, and Dr. Canova received more than $300,000 for ordering more than $12 million in tests, according to the indictment.

The 26-count indictment included charges of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, conspiracy to pay and receive healthcare kickbacks, offering or paying illegal kickbacks, and soliciting or receiving illegal kickbacks.
 

N.J. doc charged on 34 counts of illegally prescribing controlled substances

A N.J. orthopedic surgeon has been charged with 34 counts of illegally prescribing controlled substances.

According to documents filed in the case, from November 2016 to February 2018 Evangelos Megariotis, MD, 68, of Passaic County, N.J., prescribed opiates — including oxycodone, alprazolam (Xanax), and cough syrup with codeine — as well as stimulants without a legitimate medical purpose and outside the usual course of his practice.

Before the State of New Jersey permanently banned him from practicing medicine, Dr. Megariotis owned and operated Clifton Orthopedic Associates, in Clifton, N.J.

According to The Bergin Record, the state alleges that Dr. Megariotis prescribed thousands of doses of painkillers even though he knew his patients were abusing them and in some cases were getting similar drugs from other doctors. In addition, Dr. Megariotis failed to diagnose or treat these patients’ underlying conditions, treated illnesses outside his scope of practice, and performed surgery in the absence of medical need.

If convicted, Dr. Megariotis could face a lengthy prison sentence as well as substantial fines. The counts of illegally prescribing Schedule II opioids and stimulants are punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Illegally prescribing Schedule IV controlled substances brings a maximum of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The counts of illegally prescribing cough syrup with codeine, a Schedule V controlled substance, are punishable by a maximum of 1 year in prison and a $100,000 fine.
 

Michigan surgeon pleads guilty to fraud scheme

A Bay City, Mich., vascular surgeon has pleaded guilty to engaging in a scheme to defraud Medicare, Medicaid, and Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan out of approximately $19.5 million

According to the plea agreement, in 2009, Vasso Godiali, MD, 59, began false and fraudulent billing to the three insurers. False claims included billing for the placement of stents in dialysis patients and for the treatment of arterial blood clots. The surgeon admitted to billing for the placement of multiple stents in the same vessel and preparing medical records to support the necessity of placing those stents. However, he never placed the stents.

In the plea document, Dr. Godiali also admitted that his medical records would describe occluded arteries that would justify arterial thrombectomies. However, in many cases, there were no occluded arteries, and no thrombectomies were performed, even though Dr. Godiali billed insurers for them.

“When Dr Godiali submitted claims for medical services that were never provided, he violated the trust of his patients and defrauded taxpayer-funded health care programs,” Mario M. Pinto, special agent in charge, said in a statement announcing the plea.

In 2014, The Bay City Times interviewed Dr. Godiali after he was featured by USA Today as one of seven physicians in the United States to receive more than $10 million for Medicare reimbursements in 2012. He told The Times he was a workaholic. “I work a lot — I work probably more than surgeons that you meet,” he told the paper.

Dr. Godiali faces up to 10 years in prison. In addition, he will be required to pay $19.5 million in restitution to the three insurers. A civil forfeiture case against approximately $39.9 million seized from accounts controlled by Dr. Godiali is pending. Sentencing is scheduled for September 15.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

A Florida jury has found a Palm Beach psychiatrist guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and wire fraud and 11 counts of healthcare fraud.

Mark Agresti, MD, 59, was convicted of unlawfully billing approximately $110 million of medically unnecessary urinalysis services for patients living at Good Decisions Sober Living (GDSL), a drug rehabilitation facility in West Palm Beach, Fla. Dr. Agresti was once the director of psychiatry at the former Columbia Hospital in West Palm Beach.

According to evidence presented at the trial, Dr. Agresti, as medical director of GDSL, agreed to provide standing orders for urinalysis for GDSL patients in exchange for a monthly fee. Three to four times a week, patients were required to submit to excessive and medically unnecessary urine tests, costing $6,000 to $9,000 per test, according to federal officials. Dr. Agresti did not review the results of these tests and did not use the tests to treat patients. The evidence also showed that he had also done this at other addiction facilities in the West Palm Beach area, resulting in thousands of additional fraudulent tests. Dr. Agresti had GDSL patients visit his private practice so he could fraudulently bill for services there as well.

“This defendant used his medical license to facilitate an egregious, multimillion-dollar fraud scheme that exploited vulnerable substance abusers,” said Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, in a statement announcing the conviction.

Three other defendants, including GDSL’s owner, Kenneth Bailynson, were previously indicted and pleaded guilty to related charges connected with the scheme. Dr. Agresti, however, insisted on his innocence throughout the trial, arguing that he was himself the victim of Mr. Bailynson. Mr. Bailynson, as a part of his plea deal, testified against Dr. Agresti at the trial.

According to a report in the Palm Beach Post, Dr. Agresti’s lawyers, in closing statements, argued, “The government did a fantastic job of proving that Dr. Agresti was negligent, maybe even grossly negligent, but that’s not the issue in this case.” The jury disagreed.

Dr. Agresti faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the healthcare fraud and wire fraud conspiracy charges and 10 years for each count of healthcare fraud. Sentencing is scheduled for April 21.
 

Ten people, including two physicians, charged in Texas kickback scheme

Jose Maldonado, MD, 48, a family medicine physician, and Eduardo Carlos Canova, MD, 44, an internal medicine specialist, both based in Laredo, Tex., were among ten people indicted in connection with a $300 million healthcare fraud scheme

According to the federal indictment, the founders of several lab companies, including Unified Laboratory Services, Spectrum Diagnostic Laboratory, and Reliable Labs, LLC, allegedly paid kickbacks to medical practitioners in exchange for orders for medically unnecessary lab tests, which were then billed to Medicare and other federal healthcare programs. The medical professionals, including Dr. Maldonado and Dr. Canova, are alleged to have accepted bribes for ordering millions of dollars’ worth of tests.

The scheme was facilitated by marketing firms, which paid doctors hundreds of thousands of dollars for “advisory services,” according to officials. Rather than providing advice, however, the physicians provided lab test referrals. The labs are accused of paying portions of the salaries of the doctors’ staffs as well as portions of their leases. In some instances, direct payments were made to the practitioner’s spouse. In one case, the labs informed one practitioner that the payments would cease if he didn’t refer more tests. He responded to the threat by immediately increasing his lab referrals, averaging 20 to 30 referrals a day.

Jeffrey Madison, the founder of Spectrum and Unified, is accused of convincing Reliable’s founders to convert their business to a physician-owned lab to disguise the kickbacks. Reliable offered physicians ownership opportunities only if they referred enough lab tests. In some cases, says the indictment, the labs made advance payments to physicians to ensure that those physicians would not send samples to other labs.

The scheme resulted in more than $300 million in billing to federal government healthcare programs. Between 2015 and 2018, Dr. Maldonado alone received more than $400,000 in kickbacks for ordering more than $4 million worth of lab tests, and Dr. Canova received more than $300,000 for ordering more than $12 million in tests, according to the indictment.

The 26-count indictment included charges of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, conspiracy to pay and receive healthcare kickbacks, offering or paying illegal kickbacks, and soliciting or receiving illegal kickbacks.
 

N.J. doc charged on 34 counts of illegally prescribing controlled substances

A N.J. orthopedic surgeon has been charged with 34 counts of illegally prescribing controlled substances.

According to documents filed in the case, from November 2016 to February 2018 Evangelos Megariotis, MD, 68, of Passaic County, N.J., prescribed opiates — including oxycodone, alprazolam (Xanax), and cough syrup with codeine — as well as stimulants without a legitimate medical purpose and outside the usual course of his practice.

Before the State of New Jersey permanently banned him from practicing medicine, Dr. Megariotis owned and operated Clifton Orthopedic Associates, in Clifton, N.J.

According to The Bergin Record, the state alleges that Dr. Megariotis prescribed thousands of doses of painkillers even though he knew his patients were abusing them and in some cases were getting similar drugs from other doctors. In addition, Dr. Megariotis failed to diagnose or treat these patients’ underlying conditions, treated illnesses outside his scope of practice, and performed surgery in the absence of medical need.

If convicted, Dr. Megariotis could face a lengthy prison sentence as well as substantial fines. The counts of illegally prescribing Schedule II opioids and stimulants are punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Illegally prescribing Schedule IV controlled substances brings a maximum of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The counts of illegally prescribing cough syrup with codeine, a Schedule V controlled substance, are punishable by a maximum of 1 year in prison and a $100,000 fine.
 

Michigan surgeon pleads guilty to fraud scheme

A Bay City, Mich., vascular surgeon has pleaded guilty to engaging in a scheme to defraud Medicare, Medicaid, and Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan out of approximately $19.5 million

According to the plea agreement, in 2009, Vasso Godiali, MD, 59, began false and fraudulent billing to the three insurers. False claims included billing for the placement of stents in dialysis patients and for the treatment of arterial blood clots. The surgeon admitted to billing for the placement of multiple stents in the same vessel and preparing medical records to support the necessity of placing those stents. However, he never placed the stents.

In the plea document, Dr. Godiali also admitted that his medical records would describe occluded arteries that would justify arterial thrombectomies. However, in many cases, there were no occluded arteries, and no thrombectomies were performed, even though Dr. Godiali billed insurers for them.

“When Dr Godiali submitted claims for medical services that were never provided, he violated the trust of his patients and defrauded taxpayer-funded health care programs,” Mario M. Pinto, special agent in charge, said in a statement announcing the plea.

In 2014, The Bay City Times interviewed Dr. Godiali after he was featured by USA Today as one of seven physicians in the United States to receive more than $10 million for Medicare reimbursements in 2012. He told The Times he was a workaholic. “I work a lot — I work probably more than surgeons that you meet,” he told the paper.

Dr. Godiali faces up to 10 years in prison. In addition, he will be required to pay $19.5 million in restitution to the three insurers. A civil forfeiture case against approximately $39.9 million seized from accounts controlled by Dr. Godiali is pending. Sentencing is scheduled for September 15.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

An Alaska physician has been sentenced to 34 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release and fined $25,000 for illegally dispensing and distributing controlled substances to his patients.

According to court documents, between January 2014 and October 2019, family physician David Chisholm, MD, 64, of Wasilla, Alaska, wrote more than 20,000 prescriptions to approximately 350 patients for oxycodone, methadone, and hydrocodone, often prescribing the pills using variations of patients’ names in an attempt to avoid being red-flagged by payers.

When Walmart refused to continue filling the prescriptions, Dr. Chisholm told his staff to advise the patients to use other pharmacies. In addition, he often prescribed combinations of medications, such as concurrent opioids, benzodiazepines, sedatives, and carisoprodol, thus increasing the chances that his patients would become addicted to or overdose on the drugs. Chisholm, who pleaded guilty in June, acknowledged to federal officials that his prescriptions were a significant contributing factor to the overdose deaths of five of his patients during this time, according to a statement by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska.

According to the Anchorage Daily News, Dr. Chisholm, who was not board certified in pain medicine, said his reason for prescribing the drugs was not to make money but to help patients suffering from chronic pain and because he enjoyed the challenge.

Dr. Chisholm’s attorney, Nick Oberheiden, told CNN his client “sacrificed his reputation as a patient advocate and his years of service to the Alaskan community” in overprescribing opioids. “He expressed his sincere remorse in open court and he accepts the consequences of his misconduct. He hopes that his case serves as a warning to other physicians facing the same dilemma when treating chronic pain.”

He surrendered his medical license in November 2020 before being formally charged in April 2021.
 

Texas hospital CEO, seven doctors settle kickback

A hospital executive and seven physicians have agreed to pay a total of $1.1 million to settle allegations that they violated the Anti-Kickback Statute and Stark Law. The eight have also agreed to cooperate in investigations and litigation involving other parties.

The Texas physicians involved in the settlement are internist Jaspaul Bhangoo, MD, of Denton; family physician Robert Megna, DO, of Ferris; cardiologist Baxter Montgomery, MD, of Houston; internist Murtaza Mussaji, DO, of Houston; family physician David Sneed, DO, of Austin; family physician Kevin Lewis, DO, of Houston; and family physician Angela Mosley-Nunnery, MD, of Kingwood.

Also settling was Richard DeFoore, former CEO of Jones County Regional Healthcare (dba Stamford Memorial Hospital).

The physicians were accused of accepting payments from organizations in exchange for ordering lab tests from True Health Diagnostics, Little River Healthcare, and Boston Heart. The payments to the physicians were disguised as investment returns but, according to the allegations, were in fact offered in exchange for the doctors’ referrals. Mr. DeFoore, the hospital executive involved in the settlement, allegedly oversaw a similar scheme that benefited the now-defunct Stamford Memorial.

“Paying kickbacks to physicians distorts the medical decision-making process, corrupts our health care system, and increases the cost of healthcare funded by the taxpayer,” Brit Featherston, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Texas, said in a statement announcing the agreement. “Laboratories, marketers, and physicians cannot immunize their conduct by attempting to disguise the kickbacks as some sort of investment arrangement.”
 

Practice administrative assistant sentenced for fraudulent prescriptions

An administrative assistant at an Illinois orthopedics office was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison for writing fraudulent prescriptions for opioids.

Amanda Biesiada, 39, of Alsip, Ill., who worked as an administrative assistant at Hinsdale Orthopaedics in Westmont, Ill., was not a licensed physician and could not legally write the prescriptions unless instructed to do so and supervised by licensed doctors.

According to a statement by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, the prescriptions for hydrocodone, oxycodone, and other controlled substances – 85 prescriptions in all from 2017 to 2019 – were made out to an acquaintance of Biesiada’s and written without the knowledge or approval of the providers in whose names she wrote them.

Federal officials said Ms. Biesiada attempted to conceal the fraudulent prescriptions by marking them “filed in error” in the practice’s prescription system.
 

Lab owner pleads guilty to $6.9 million testing fraud scheme

A Florida lab owner has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud Medicare through false and fraudulent claims totaling more than $6.9 million.

According to court documents, Christopher Licata, 45, of Delray Beach, Fla., admitted to bribing patient brokers to refer orders for medically unnecessary genetic testing to his lab. The tests were then billed to Medicare.

Mr. Licata and the patient brokers entered sham agreements meant to disguise the true purpose of the payments, according to a statement from the Department of Justice. The 45-year-old owner of Boca Toxicology (dba Lab Dynamics) pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to commit health care fraud.

The scheme began in 2018; however, once the pandemic began, Mr. Licata shifted strategies, playing on patients’ fears of COVID-19 to bundle inexpensive COVID tests with more expensive medically unnecessary tests. These tests included respiratory pathogen panels and genetic testing for cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and other illnesses. In all, Mr. Licata’s laboratory submitted over $6.9 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for these unnecessary tests, according to the DOJ statement.

The case is a part of the U.S. Attorney General’s COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force that was established to enhance the efforts of agencies and governments across the country to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud.

Mr. Licata faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for March 24.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

An Alaska physician has been sentenced to 34 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release and fined $25,000 for illegally dispensing and distributing controlled substances to his patients.

According to court documents, between January 2014 and October 2019, family physician David Chisholm, MD, 64, of Wasilla, Alaska, wrote more than 20,000 prescriptions to approximately 350 patients for oxycodone, methadone, and hydrocodone, often prescribing the pills using variations of patients’ names in an attempt to avoid being red-flagged by payers.

When Walmart refused to continue filling the prescriptions, Dr. Chisholm told his staff to advise the patients to use other pharmacies. In addition, he often prescribed combinations of medications, such as concurrent opioids, benzodiazepines, sedatives, and carisoprodol, thus increasing the chances that his patients would become addicted to or overdose on the drugs. Chisholm, who pleaded guilty in June, acknowledged to federal officials that his prescriptions were a significant contributing factor to the overdose deaths of five of his patients during this time, according to a statement by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska.

According to the Anchorage Daily News, Dr. Chisholm, who was not board certified in pain medicine, said his reason for prescribing the drugs was not to make money but to help patients suffering from chronic pain and because he enjoyed the challenge.

Dr. Chisholm’s attorney, Nick Oberheiden, told CNN his client “sacrificed his reputation as a patient advocate and his years of service to the Alaskan community” in overprescribing opioids. “He expressed his sincere remorse in open court and he accepts the consequences of his misconduct. He hopes that his case serves as a warning to other physicians facing the same dilemma when treating chronic pain.”

He surrendered his medical license in November 2020 before being formally charged in April 2021.
 

Texas hospital CEO, seven doctors settle kickback

A hospital executive and seven physicians have agreed to pay a total of $1.1 million to settle allegations that they violated the Anti-Kickback Statute and Stark Law. The eight have also agreed to cooperate in investigations and litigation involving other parties.

The Texas physicians involved in the settlement are internist Jaspaul Bhangoo, MD, of Denton; family physician Robert Megna, DO, of Ferris; cardiologist Baxter Montgomery, MD, of Houston; internist Murtaza Mussaji, DO, of Houston; family physician David Sneed, DO, of Austin; family physician Kevin Lewis, DO, of Houston; and family physician Angela Mosley-Nunnery, MD, of Kingwood.

Also settling was Richard DeFoore, former CEO of Jones County Regional Healthcare (dba Stamford Memorial Hospital).

The physicians were accused of accepting payments from organizations in exchange for ordering lab tests from True Health Diagnostics, Little River Healthcare, and Boston Heart. The payments to the physicians were disguised as investment returns but, according to the allegations, were in fact offered in exchange for the doctors’ referrals. Mr. DeFoore, the hospital executive involved in the settlement, allegedly oversaw a similar scheme that benefited the now-defunct Stamford Memorial.

“Paying kickbacks to physicians distorts the medical decision-making process, corrupts our health care system, and increases the cost of healthcare funded by the taxpayer,” Brit Featherston, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Texas, said in a statement announcing the agreement. “Laboratories, marketers, and physicians cannot immunize their conduct by attempting to disguise the kickbacks as some sort of investment arrangement.”
 

Practice administrative assistant sentenced for fraudulent prescriptions

An administrative assistant at an Illinois orthopedics office was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison for writing fraudulent prescriptions for opioids.

Amanda Biesiada, 39, of Alsip, Ill., who worked as an administrative assistant at Hinsdale Orthopaedics in Westmont, Ill., was not a licensed physician and could not legally write the prescriptions unless instructed to do so and supervised by licensed doctors.

According to a statement by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, the prescriptions for hydrocodone, oxycodone, and other controlled substances – 85 prescriptions in all from 2017 to 2019 – were made out to an acquaintance of Biesiada’s and written without the knowledge or approval of the providers in whose names she wrote them.

Federal officials said Ms. Biesiada attempted to conceal the fraudulent prescriptions by marking them “filed in error” in the practice’s prescription system.
 

Lab owner pleads guilty to $6.9 million testing fraud scheme

A Florida lab owner has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud Medicare through false and fraudulent claims totaling more than $6.9 million.

According to court documents, Christopher Licata, 45, of Delray Beach, Fla., admitted to bribing patient brokers to refer orders for medically unnecessary genetic testing to his lab. The tests were then billed to Medicare.

Mr. Licata and the patient brokers entered sham agreements meant to disguise the true purpose of the payments, according to a statement from the Department of Justice. The 45-year-old owner of Boca Toxicology (dba Lab Dynamics) pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to commit health care fraud.

The scheme began in 2018; however, once the pandemic began, Mr. Licata shifted strategies, playing on patients’ fears of COVID-19 to bundle inexpensive COVID tests with more expensive medically unnecessary tests. These tests included respiratory pathogen panels and genetic testing for cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and other illnesses. In all, Mr. Licata’s laboratory submitted over $6.9 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for these unnecessary tests, according to the DOJ statement.

The case is a part of the U.S. Attorney General’s COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force that was established to enhance the efforts of agencies and governments across the country to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud.

Mr. Licata faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for March 24.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

An Alaska physician has been sentenced to 34 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release and fined $25,000 for illegally dispensing and distributing controlled substances to his patients.

According to court documents, between January 2014 and October 2019, family physician David Chisholm, MD, 64, of Wasilla, Alaska, wrote more than 20,000 prescriptions to approximately 350 patients for oxycodone, methadone, and hydrocodone, often prescribing the pills using variations of patients’ names in an attempt to avoid being red-flagged by payers.

When Walmart refused to continue filling the prescriptions, Dr. Chisholm told his staff to advise the patients to use other pharmacies. In addition, he often prescribed combinations of medications, such as concurrent opioids, benzodiazepines, sedatives, and carisoprodol, thus increasing the chances that his patients would become addicted to or overdose on the drugs. Chisholm, who pleaded guilty in June, acknowledged to federal officials that his prescriptions were a significant contributing factor to the overdose deaths of five of his patients during this time, according to a statement by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska.

According to the Anchorage Daily News, Dr. Chisholm, who was not board certified in pain medicine, said his reason for prescribing the drugs was not to make money but to help patients suffering from chronic pain and because he enjoyed the challenge.

Dr. Chisholm’s attorney, Nick Oberheiden, told CNN his client “sacrificed his reputation as a patient advocate and his years of service to the Alaskan community” in overprescribing opioids. “He expressed his sincere remorse in open court and he accepts the consequences of his misconduct. He hopes that his case serves as a warning to other physicians facing the same dilemma when treating chronic pain.”

He surrendered his medical license in November 2020 before being formally charged in April 2021.
 

Texas hospital CEO, seven doctors settle kickback

A hospital executive and seven physicians have agreed to pay a total of $1.1 million to settle allegations that they violated the Anti-Kickback Statute and Stark Law. The eight have also agreed to cooperate in investigations and litigation involving other parties.

The Texas physicians involved in the settlement are internist Jaspaul Bhangoo, MD, of Denton; family physician Robert Megna, DO, of Ferris; cardiologist Baxter Montgomery, MD, of Houston; internist Murtaza Mussaji, DO, of Houston; family physician David Sneed, DO, of Austin; family physician Kevin Lewis, DO, of Houston; and family physician Angela Mosley-Nunnery, MD, of Kingwood.

Also settling was Richard DeFoore, former CEO of Jones County Regional Healthcare (dba Stamford Memorial Hospital).

The physicians were accused of accepting payments from organizations in exchange for ordering lab tests from True Health Diagnostics, Little River Healthcare, and Boston Heart. The payments to the physicians were disguised as investment returns but, according to the allegations, were in fact offered in exchange for the doctors’ referrals. Mr. DeFoore, the hospital executive involved in the settlement, allegedly oversaw a similar scheme that benefited the now-defunct Stamford Memorial.

“Paying kickbacks to physicians distorts the medical decision-making process, corrupts our health care system, and increases the cost of healthcare funded by the taxpayer,” Brit Featherston, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Texas, said in a statement announcing the agreement. “Laboratories, marketers, and physicians cannot immunize their conduct by attempting to disguise the kickbacks as some sort of investment arrangement.”
 

Practice administrative assistant sentenced for fraudulent prescriptions

An administrative assistant at an Illinois orthopedics office was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison for writing fraudulent prescriptions for opioids.

Amanda Biesiada, 39, of Alsip, Ill., who worked as an administrative assistant at Hinsdale Orthopaedics in Westmont, Ill., was not a licensed physician and could not legally write the prescriptions unless instructed to do so and supervised by licensed doctors.

According to a statement by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, the prescriptions for hydrocodone, oxycodone, and other controlled substances – 85 prescriptions in all from 2017 to 2019 – were made out to an acquaintance of Biesiada’s and written without the knowledge or approval of the providers in whose names she wrote them.

Federal officials said Ms. Biesiada attempted to conceal the fraudulent prescriptions by marking them “filed in error” in the practice’s prescription system.
 

Lab owner pleads guilty to $6.9 million testing fraud scheme

A Florida lab owner has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud Medicare through false and fraudulent claims totaling more than $6.9 million.

According to court documents, Christopher Licata, 45, of Delray Beach, Fla., admitted to bribing patient brokers to refer orders for medically unnecessary genetic testing to his lab. The tests were then billed to Medicare.

Mr. Licata and the patient brokers entered sham agreements meant to disguise the true purpose of the payments, according to a statement from the Department of Justice. The 45-year-old owner of Boca Toxicology (dba Lab Dynamics) pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to commit health care fraud.

The scheme began in 2018; however, once the pandemic began, Mr. Licata shifted strategies, playing on patients’ fears of COVID-19 to bundle inexpensive COVID tests with more expensive medically unnecessary tests. These tests included respiratory pathogen panels and genetic testing for cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and other illnesses. In all, Mr. Licata’s laboratory submitted over $6.9 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for these unnecessary tests, according to the DOJ statement.

The case is a part of the U.S. Attorney General’s COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force that was established to enhance the efforts of agencies and governments across the country to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud.

Mr. Licata faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for March 24.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

In 2020, it was hard to imagine that the situation could get worse for doctors.

But 2021 presented a new set of challenges. As quarantines lifted and physicians tried to get back to work, they were forced to deal with reduced staff, continuing COVID stress, and pandemic-related anxieties about family and loved ones.

olm26250/Thinkstock

Medscape’s National Burnout and Depression Report 2022 asked more than 13,000 physicians from 29 specialties to share details about their lives and struggles with burnout and depression in 2021. The results paint a picture of physicians trying to fulfill their mission to care for patients, but struggling to maintain their own well-being amid a global pandemic.
 

Burnout bump

In 2021’s report, 42% of physicians said they were burned out. In 2022, that number increased to 47%. Perhaps not surprisingly, burnout among emergency physicians took the biggest leap, increasing from 43% to 60%. Critical care (56%), ob.gyn. (53%), and infectious disease and family medicine (both at 51%) rounded out the top five specialties with doctors experiencing burnout in 2021.

Burnout has typically been a greater problem for women than men physicians, and the pandemic hasn’t changed that. “There’s no question that women have reported far more role strain during the pandemic than men,” says Carol A. Bernstein, MD, psychiatrist at Montefiore Health System and professor and vice chair for faculty development and well-being at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, both in New York. And indeed, 56% of women and 41% of men reported burnout in the 2022 survey.

The causes, however, weren’t especially pandemic related – or at least not directly. As in previous surveys, the major contributing factor to burnout was too much paperwork (60%), such as charting and other bureaucratic tasks. Treating COVID-19 patients was cited as the major source of stress by 10% of respondents. About 34% said too many hours at work was the biggest contributing factor to burnout.
 

The nature of the beast

What is burnout like for these doctors? One described the conditions that lead to burnout like this: “I barely spend enough time with most patients, just running from one to the next; and then after work, I spend hours documenting, charting, dealing with reports. I feel like an overpaid clerk.” Another said: “Where’s the relationships with patients that used to make this worthwhile?” Others fingered staffing shortages at work or an overwhelming home life: “Staff calls in sick; we’re all running around trying to find things and get things done. It never ends.”

Of those who do experience burnout, the problem reaches beyond the workplace, with 54% saying that their burnout has a strong/severe impact on life and 68% reporting that burnout affects their relationships. One respondent said: “I’m always tired; I have trouble concentrating, no time for the children, more arguments with my hubby.” Another put it this way: “Home is just as busy and chaotic as work. I can never relax.”

It doesn’t help matters that physicians are likely to think they’re the only professionals experiencing job burnout. For example, only 36% of respondents believe teachers experience comparable burnout, yet more than 41% of teachers leave the profession within 5 years of starting – often because of burnout.

When it comes to methods for coping with burnout, exercise is the clear favorite, with 63% of respondents saying exercise helps maintain their mental health. About 41% talk with family members or close friends. However, less healthy coping mechanisms were cited as well, such as isolating themselves from others (45%), sleeping (41%), and eating junk food (35%) or drinking alcohol (24%).

When it comes to trying to alleviate burnout, 29% have tried meditation or similar stress-reduction techniques, while others have reduced their work hours (29%) or changed their work settings (19%).
 

‘Now I feel like there’s no hope’

About a fifth of physicians (21%) said they suffered from clinical depression, and 64% reported feeling “blue, down, or sad.” One physician characterized their depression this way: “I used to think my life would be great. Now I feel like there’s no hope, this will never get better, I’ll never be happy.”

Of doctors reporting depression, 53% said their illness did not affect their interactions with patients, while 34% said depression caused them to be more easily exasperated by patients.

When asked about seeking help for depression, about half (49%) said they believed they could deal with emotional stress on their own. Unfortunately, fear of medical boards finding out keeps 43% of physicians from reaching out for help, according to the survey.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

In 2020, it was hard to imagine that the situation could get worse for doctors.

But 2021 presented a new set of challenges. As quarantines lifted and physicians tried to get back to work, they were forced to deal with reduced staff, continuing COVID stress, and pandemic-related anxieties about family and loved ones.

olm26250/Thinkstock

Medscape’s National Burnout and Depression Report 2022 asked more than 13,000 physicians from 29 specialties to share details about their lives and struggles with burnout and depression in 2021. The results paint a picture of physicians trying to fulfill their mission to care for patients, but struggling to maintain their own well-being amid a global pandemic.
 

Burnout bump

In 2021’s report, 42% of physicians said they were burned out. In 2022, that number increased to 47%. Perhaps not surprisingly, burnout among emergency physicians took the biggest leap, increasing from 43% to 60%. Critical care (56%), ob.gyn. (53%), and infectious disease and family medicine (both at 51%) rounded out the top five specialties with doctors experiencing burnout in 2021.

Burnout has typically been a greater problem for women than men physicians, and the pandemic hasn’t changed that. “There’s no question that women have reported far more role strain during the pandemic than men,” says Carol A. Bernstein, MD, psychiatrist at Montefiore Health System and professor and vice chair for faculty development and well-being at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, both in New York. And indeed, 56% of women and 41% of men reported burnout in the 2022 survey.

The causes, however, weren’t especially pandemic related – or at least not directly. As in previous surveys, the major contributing factor to burnout was too much paperwork (60%), such as charting and other bureaucratic tasks. Treating COVID-19 patients was cited as the major source of stress by 10% of respondents. About 34% said too many hours at work was the biggest contributing factor to burnout.
 

The nature of the beast

What is burnout like for these doctors? One described the conditions that lead to burnout like this: “I barely spend enough time with most patients, just running from one to the next; and then after work, I spend hours documenting, charting, dealing with reports. I feel like an overpaid clerk.” Another said: “Where’s the relationships with patients that used to make this worthwhile?” Others fingered staffing shortages at work or an overwhelming home life: “Staff calls in sick; we’re all running around trying to find things and get things done. It never ends.”

Of those who do experience burnout, the problem reaches beyond the workplace, with 54% saying that their burnout has a strong/severe impact on life and 68% reporting that burnout affects their relationships. One respondent said: “I’m always tired; I have trouble concentrating, no time for the children, more arguments with my hubby.” Another put it this way: “Home is just as busy and chaotic as work. I can never relax.”

It doesn’t help matters that physicians are likely to think they’re the only professionals experiencing job burnout. For example, only 36% of respondents believe teachers experience comparable burnout, yet more than 41% of teachers leave the profession within 5 years of starting – often because of burnout.

When it comes to methods for coping with burnout, exercise is the clear favorite, with 63% of respondents saying exercise helps maintain their mental health. About 41% talk with family members or close friends. However, less healthy coping mechanisms were cited as well, such as isolating themselves from others (45%), sleeping (41%), and eating junk food (35%) or drinking alcohol (24%).

When it comes to trying to alleviate burnout, 29% have tried meditation or similar stress-reduction techniques, while others have reduced their work hours (29%) or changed their work settings (19%).
 

‘Now I feel like there’s no hope’

About a fifth of physicians (21%) said they suffered from clinical depression, and 64% reported feeling “blue, down, or sad.” One physician characterized their depression this way: “I used to think my life would be great. Now I feel like there’s no hope, this will never get better, I’ll never be happy.”

Of doctors reporting depression, 53% said their illness did not affect their interactions with patients, while 34% said depression caused them to be more easily exasperated by patients.

When asked about seeking help for depression, about half (49%) said they believed they could deal with emotional stress on their own. Unfortunately, fear of medical boards finding out keeps 43% of physicians from reaching out for help, according to the survey.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

In 2020, it was hard to imagine that the situation could get worse for doctors.

But 2021 presented a new set of challenges. As quarantines lifted and physicians tried to get back to work, they were forced to deal with reduced staff, continuing COVID stress, and pandemic-related anxieties about family and loved ones.

olm26250/Thinkstock

Medscape’s National Burnout and Depression Report 2022 asked more than 13,000 physicians from 29 specialties to share details about their lives and struggles with burnout and depression in 2021. The results paint a picture of physicians trying to fulfill their mission to care for patients, but struggling to maintain their own well-being amid a global pandemic.
 

Burnout bump

In 2021’s report, 42% of physicians said they were burned out. In 2022, that number increased to 47%. Perhaps not surprisingly, burnout among emergency physicians took the biggest leap, increasing from 43% to 60%. Critical care (56%), ob.gyn. (53%), and infectious disease and family medicine (both at 51%) rounded out the top five specialties with doctors experiencing burnout in 2021.

Burnout has typically been a greater problem for women than men physicians, and the pandemic hasn’t changed that. “There’s no question that women have reported far more role strain during the pandemic than men,” says Carol A. Bernstein, MD, psychiatrist at Montefiore Health System and professor and vice chair for faculty development and well-being at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, both in New York. And indeed, 56% of women and 41% of men reported burnout in the 2022 survey.

The causes, however, weren’t especially pandemic related – or at least not directly. As in previous surveys, the major contributing factor to burnout was too much paperwork (60%), such as charting and other bureaucratic tasks. Treating COVID-19 patients was cited as the major source of stress by 10% of respondents. About 34% said too many hours at work was the biggest contributing factor to burnout.
 

The nature of the beast

What is burnout like for these doctors? One described the conditions that lead to burnout like this: “I barely spend enough time with most patients, just running from one to the next; and then after work, I spend hours documenting, charting, dealing with reports. I feel like an overpaid clerk.” Another said: “Where’s the relationships with patients that used to make this worthwhile?” Others fingered staffing shortages at work or an overwhelming home life: “Staff calls in sick; we’re all running around trying to find things and get things done. It never ends.”

Of those who do experience burnout, the problem reaches beyond the workplace, with 54% saying that their burnout has a strong/severe impact on life and 68% reporting that burnout affects their relationships. One respondent said: “I’m always tired; I have trouble concentrating, no time for the children, more arguments with my hubby.” Another put it this way: “Home is just as busy and chaotic as work. I can never relax.”

It doesn’t help matters that physicians are likely to think they’re the only professionals experiencing job burnout. For example, only 36% of respondents believe teachers experience comparable burnout, yet more than 41% of teachers leave the profession within 5 years of starting – often because of burnout.

When it comes to methods for coping with burnout, exercise is the clear favorite, with 63% of respondents saying exercise helps maintain their mental health. About 41% talk with family members or close friends. However, less healthy coping mechanisms were cited as well, such as isolating themselves from others (45%), sleeping (41%), and eating junk food (35%) or drinking alcohol (24%).

When it comes to trying to alleviate burnout, 29% have tried meditation or similar stress-reduction techniques, while others have reduced their work hours (29%) or changed their work settings (19%).
 

‘Now I feel like there’s no hope’

About a fifth of physicians (21%) said they suffered from clinical depression, and 64% reported feeling “blue, down, or sad.” One physician characterized their depression this way: “I used to think my life would be great. Now I feel like there’s no hope, this will never get better, I’ll never be happy.”

Of doctors reporting depression, 53% said their illness did not affect their interactions with patients, while 34% said depression caused them to be more easily exasperated by patients.

When asked about seeking help for depression, about half (49%) said they believed they could deal with emotional stress on their own. Unfortunately, fear of medical boards finding out keeps 43% of physicians from reaching out for help, according to the survey.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

One of the unexpected consequences of the pandemic is that many people are rethinking their priorities and lifestyles, and physicians are no exception.

This year’s Medscape Physician Lifestyle and Happiness Report surveyed more than 10,000 physicians in 29 specialties about how they are prioritizing wellness, work-life balance, and their family lives during this challenging time.

Pets, prayer, and partners

The pandemic has taken a toll on physicians outside of work as well as on the job. Eight in 10 physicians (82% of men and 80% of women) said they were “somewhat” or “very” happy outside of work before the pandemic. This is almost exactly the same result as in last year’s survey.

However, when asked how happy they are outside of work currently, only 6 in 10 (59%) reported being “somewhat” or “very” happy. While the pandemic has made life difficult for everyone, health care professionals face particular stresses even outside of work. Wayne M. Sotile, PhD, founder of the Center for Physician Resilience, says he has counseled doctors who witnessed COVID-related suffering and death at work, then came home to a partner who didn’t believe that the pandemic was real.

Still, physicians reported that spending time with people they love and engaging in favorite activities helps them stay happy. “Spending time with pets” and “religious practice/prayer” were frequent “other” responses to the question, “What do you do to maintain happiness and mental health?” Seven in 10 physicians reported having some kind of religious or spiritual beliefs.

The majority of physicians (83%) are either married or living with a partner, with male physicians edging out their female peers (89% vs. 75%). Among married physicians, 8 in 10 physicians reported that their union is “good” or “very good.” The pandemic may have helped in this respect. Dr. Sotile says he’s heard physicians say that they’ve connected more with their families in the past 18 months. Specialists with the highest rates of happy marriages were otolaryngologists and immunologists (both 91%), followed closely by dermatologists, rheumatologists, and nephrologists (all 90%).

Among physicians balancing a medical career and parenthood, female physicians reported feeling conflicted more often than males (48% vs. 29%). Nicole A. Sparks, MD, an ob.gyn. and a health and lifestyle blogger, cites not being there for her kids as a source of stress. She notes that her two young children notice when she’s not there to help with homework, read bedtime stories, or make their dinner. “Mom guilt can definitely set in if I have to miss important events,” she says.

Work-life balance is an important, if elusive, goal for physicians, and not just females. Sixty percent of female doctors and 53% of male doctors said they would be willing to take a cut in pay if it meant more free time and a better work-life balance. Many doctors do manage to get away from work occasionally, with one-fifth of all physicians taking 5 or more weeks of vacation each year.

Seeking a ‘balanced life’

Alexis Polles, MD, medical director for the Professionals Resource Network, points out the importance of taking time for personal health and wellness. “When we work with professionals who have problems with mental health or substance abuse, they often don’t have a balanced life,” she says. “They are usually in a workaholic mindset and disregard their own needs.”

Few physicians seem to prioritize self-care, with a third indicating they “always” or “most of the time” spend enough time on their own health and wellness. But of those who do, males (38%) are more likely than females (27%) to spend enough time on their own health and wellness. Dr. Polles adds that exercising after a shift can help physicians better make the transition from professional to personal life. Though they did not report when they exercised, about a third of physicians reported doing so four or more times per week. Controlling weight is an issue as well, with 49% of male and 55% of female physicians saying they are currently trying to lose weight.

Of physicians who drink alcohol, about a third have three or more drinks per week. (The CDC defines “heavy drinking” as consuming 15 drinks or more per week for men and eight drinks or more per week for women.)

Of those surveyed, 92% say they do not regularly use cannabidiol or cannabis, and a mere 4% of respondents said they would use at least one of these substances if they were to become legal in their state.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

One of the unexpected consequences of the pandemic is that many people are rethinking their priorities and lifestyles, and physicians are no exception.

This year’s Medscape Physician Lifestyle and Happiness Report surveyed more than 10,000 physicians in 29 specialties about how they are prioritizing wellness, work-life balance, and their family lives during this challenging time.

Pets, prayer, and partners

The pandemic has taken a toll on physicians outside of work as well as on the job. Eight in 10 physicians (82% of men and 80% of women) said they were “somewhat” or “very” happy outside of work before the pandemic. This is almost exactly the same result as in last year’s survey.

However, when asked how happy they are outside of work currently, only 6 in 10 (59%) reported being “somewhat” or “very” happy. While the pandemic has made life difficult for everyone, health care professionals face particular stresses even outside of work. Wayne M. Sotile, PhD, founder of the Center for Physician Resilience, says he has counseled doctors who witnessed COVID-related suffering and death at work, then came home to a partner who didn’t believe that the pandemic was real.

Still, physicians reported that spending time with people they love and engaging in favorite activities helps them stay happy. “Spending time with pets” and “religious practice/prayer” were frequent “other” responses to the question, “What do you do to maintain happiness and mental health?” Seven in 10 physicians reported having some kind of religious or spiritual beliefs.

The majority of physicians (83%) are either married or living with a partner, with male physicians edging out their female peers (89% vs. 75%). Among married physicians, 8 in 10 physicians reported that their union is “good” or “very good.” The pandemic may have helped in this respect. Dr. Sotile says he’s heard physicians say that they’ve connected more with their families in the past 18 months. Specialists with the highest rates of happy marriages were otolaryngologists and immunologists (both 91%), followed closely by dermatologists, rheumatologists, and nephrologists (all 90%).

Among physicians balancing a medical career and parenthood, female physicians reported feeling conflicted more often than males (48% vs. 29%). Nicole A. Sparks, MD, an ob.gyn. and a health and lifestyle blogger, cites not being there for her kids as a source of stress. She notes that her two young children notice when she’s not there to help with homework, read bedtime stories, or make their dinner. “Mom guilt can definitely set in if I have to miss important events,” she says.

Work-life balance is an important, if elusive, goal for physicians, and not just females. Sixty percent of female doctors and 53% of male doctors said they would be willing to take a cut in pay if it meant more free time and a better work-life balance. Many doctors do manage to get away from work occasionally, with one-fifth of all physicians taking 5 or more weeks of vacation each year.

Seeking a ‘balanced life’

Alexis Polles, MD, medical director for the Professionals Resource Network, points out the importance of taking time for personal health and wellness. “When we work with professionals who have problems with mental health or substance abuse, they often don’t have a balanced life,” she says. “They are usually in a workaholic mindset and disregard their own needs.”

Few physicians seem to prioritize self-care, with a third indicating they “always” or “most of the time” spend enough time on their own health and wellness. But of those who do, males (38%) are more likely than females (27%) to spend enough time on their own health and wellness. Dr. Polles adds that exercising after a shift can help physicians better make the transition from professional to personal life. Though they did not report when they exercised, about a third of physicians reported doing so four or more times per week. Controlling weight is an issue as well, with 49% of male and 55% of female physicians saying they are currently trying to lose weight.

Of physicians who drink alcohol, about a third have three or more drinks per week. (The CDC defines “heavy drinking” as consuming 15 drinks or more per week for men and eight drinks or more per week for women.)

Of those surveyed, 92% say they do not regularly use cannabidiol or cannabis, and a mere 4% of respondents said they would use at least one of these substances if they were to become legal in their state.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

One of the unexpected consequences of the pandemic is that many people are rethinking their priorities and lifestyles, and physicians are no exception.

This year’s Medscape Physician Lifestyle and Happiness Report surveyed more than 10,000 physicians in 29 specialties about how they are prioritizing wellness, work-life balance, and their family lives during this challenging time.

Pets, prayer, and partners

The pandemic has taken a toll on physicians outside of work as well as on the job. Eight in 10 physicians (82% of men and 80% of women) said they were “somewhat” or “very” happy outside of work before the pandemic. This is almost exactly the same result as in last year’s survey.

However, when asked how happy they are outside of work currently, only 6 in 10 (59%) reported being “somewhat” or “very” happy. While the pandemic has made life difficult for everyone, health care professionals face particular stresses even outside of work. Wayne M. Sotile, PhD, founder of the Center for Physician Resilience, says he has counseled doctors who witnessed COVID-related suffering and death at work, then came home to a partner who didn’t believe that the pandemic was real.

Still, physicians reported that spending time with people they love and engaging in favorite activities helps them stay happy. “Spending time with pets” and “religious practice/prayer” were frequent “other” responses to the question, “What do you do to maintain happiness and mental health?” Seven in 10 physicians reported having some kind of religious or spiritual beliefs.

The majority of physicians (83%) are either married or living with a partner, with male physicians edging out their female peers (89% vs. 75%). Among married physicians, 8 in 10 physicians reported that their union is “good” or “very good.” The pandemic may have helped in this respect. Dr. Sotile says he’s heard physicians say that they’ve connected more with their families in the past 18 months. Specialists with the highest rates of happy marriages were otolaryngologists and immunologists (both 91%), followed closely by dermatologists, rheumatologists, and nephrologists (all 90%).

Among physicians balancing a medical career and parenthood, female physicians reported feeling conflicted more often than males (48% vs. 29%). Nicole A. Sparks, MD, an ob.gyn. and a health and lifestyle blogger, cites not being there for her kids as a source of stress. She notes that her two young children notice when she’s not there to help with homework, read bedtime stories, or make their dinner. “Mom guilt can definitely set in if I have to miss important events,” she says.

Work-life balance is an important, if elusive, goal for physicians, and not just females. Sixty percent of female doctors and 53% of male doctors said they would be willing to take a cut in pay if it meant more free time and a better work-life balance. Many doctors do manage to get away from work occasionally, with one-fifth of all physicians taking 5 or more weeks of vacation each year.

Seeking a ‘balanced life’

Alexis Polles, MD, medical director for the Professionals Resource Network, points out the importance of taking time for personal health and wellness. “When we work with professionals who have problems with mental health or substance abuse, they often don’t have a balanced life,” she says. “They are usually in a workaholic mindset and disregard their own needs.”

Few physicians seem to prioritize self-care, with a third indicating they “always” or “most of the time” spend enough time on their own health and wellness. But of those who do, males (38%) are more likely than females (27%) to spend enough time on their own health and wellness. Dr. Polles adds that exercising after a shift can help physicians better make the transition from professional to personal life. Though they did not report when they exercised, about a third of physicians reported doing so four or more times per week. Controlling weight is an issue as well, with 49% of male and 55% of female physicians saying they are currently trying to lose weight.

Of physicians who drink alcohol, about a third have three or more drinks per week. (The CDC defines “heavy drinking” as consuming 15 drinks or more per week for men and eight drinks or more per week for women.)

Of those surveyed, 92% say they do not regularly use cannabidiol or cannabis, and a mere 4% of respondents said they would use at least one of these substances if they were to become legal in their state.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Psychiatrist sentenced to 3 years in prison for running pill mill

A former Florida psychiatrist was sentenced to 3 years in prison for illegally prescribing controlled substances and must forfeit more than $400,000 in cash and nine luxury vehicles, including a 2020 Porsche GT4 and a 2020 Aston Martin.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating Gerald Michael Abraham, 76, after receiving a tip that he was prescribing opioids to patients who did not need the medication. The investigation, which began in October 2019, included 18 visits by undercover patients to Abraham’s cash-only clinic in Naples, Fla. Patients paid $400 per visit, according to court documents.

Even though the undercover patients pretended to have signs of drug abuse, Dr. Abraham still prescribed oxycodone, a strong opioid, on each visit without any physical examination, according to officials. He repeatedly increased the strength of the prescriptions when the patients asked. In one case, he told a patient that the patient’s medical paperwork “shows you are completely normal,” then went ahead to prescribe the oxycodone.

Dr. Abraham also gave Adderall to patients who had no legitimate medical need for the drug. As with the opioid, Dr. Abraham prescribed the frequently abused amphetamine (typically used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) after being asked for it, without performing an examination or asking questions to justify the prescription, according to the undercover law enforcement agents.

According to the Florida Department of Health, Dr. Abraham voluntarily relinquished his license in September pending board action. His license was set to expire in January 2022.

Pennsylvania physician admits to distributing drugs resulting in patient’s death

A Pennsylvania internist pleaded guilty to unlawful prescription of controlled substances, maintaining drug-involved premises, and healthcare fraud, as well as that the death of a patient resulted from the use of the controlled drugs.

When entering his plea, Dr.Kurt Moran, 69, acknowledged that the purpose of his Scranton-based pain management practice was to distribute high doses of opioids not for medical purposes, and that he often prescribed these drugs without examining the patient to verify the illness or condition the patient claimed to have. At times, he even prescribed the drugs without seeing the patient. He admitted that he knew that such practices could result in addiction and even death, according to federal officials.

The healthcare fraud charges resulted from a scheme that took place between 2014 and 2017 in which Dr. Moran received bribes in exchange for prescribing the drug Subsys (sublingual fentanyl), which is approved for use only in cancer patients who suffer from breakthrough pain. Court documents allege that Dr. Moran was paid approximately $140,000 over a 2-year period to prescribe Subsys to patients for whom the drug was not indicated.

In order to conceal the kickbacks and bribes, the company that paid Dr. Moran is alleged to have described the payments as honoraria for educational presentations about the drug. During that period, Dr. Moran prescribed millions of micrograms of the sublingual spray to patients with no cancer diagnosis.

Subsys is manufactured by Insys, a company whose founder and CEO, John Kapoor, was sentenced in 2019 to 5½ years in prison for his role in the bribery scheme involving Dr. Moran and other physicians.

Dr. Moran faces 12 years in prison. The maximum penalty for the crimes is 10 years for each charge. As a part of his plea deal, Dr. Moran agreed to forfeit $134,000. His license to practice medicine was suspended in October 2020 according to the Pennsylvania Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs.

Former pharmaceutical executive charged with embezzlement

The former owner and CEO of a New Jersey pharmaceutical company is accused of embezzling millions of dollars from his company by federal officials.

According to the charging documents, John Klein, 75, of Palisades Park, N.J., hired a chief financial officer in 2016 who then created a profit-and-loss statement showing the company’s sales and receivables. According to the CFO, Mr. Klein provided information that included an account receivable of approximately $3.9 million that had not been collected.

In December 2016 and January 2017, Mr. Klein approved a reserve against the uncollected receivable in the financial statements. However, back in May 2016, $3.9 million was transferred into a company bank account that Mr. Klein controlled. In a June 2016 email, Mr. Klein acknowledged that the invoices in question had been paid in full. A review of the company bank account showed that Mr. Klein used the money to pay personal debts, such as credit card payments, property taxes, and private-school tuition for his child.

Mr. Klein is the subject of several federal lawsuits from people who worked at Cambridge Therapeutic Technologies in Teaneck, N.J., as well as individuals he collected investment money from, according to media reports.

If convicted, Mr. Klein faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross profits or twice the gross loss suffered by the victims of the fraud, whichever is greatest.

Practice administrator sentenced for defrauding medical practice

An Indiana man was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for stealing from the ophthalmology practice where he worked for 5 years as a practice administrator.

Joshua D. Millspaugh, 42, of Westfield, Ind., pled guilty to charges of wire fraud, according to federal officials.

Mr. Millspaugh, who earned an annual salary of over $100,000, was responsible for payroll processing, purchasing, and paying the practice’s bills. After less than a year on the job, he began taking advantage of his access to company money to use the practice’s funds for himself. During his 5 years of employment, he made over 500 such transactions, making purchases, paying personal bills, and sending payroll checks to his personal bank account. He concealed these transactions with false entries in the company’s bookkeeping system. When asked about expenditures, he made up false justifications.

During Mr. Millspaugh’s sentencing, William Whitson, MD, owner and director of the practice, Whitson Vision, told the court that the loss to him and the practice was about more than money. In addition to creating long-term credit and banking problems, the situation damaged both the company’s business reputation and the morale of its other employees.

“Fraud on a small business impacts every area of that business,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana Zachary A. Myers. “It also breeds mistrust, especially if the fraud is perpetrated by a trusted employee. Mr. Millspaugh exploited his position of trust for purely personal gain, and he is now being held accountable for his actions.”

In addition to the prison sentence, Mr. Millspaugh was ordered to pay $270,000 in restitution and will be federally supervised for 3 years following his release from prison.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Psychiatrist sentenced to 3 years in prison for running pill mill

A former Florida psychiatrist was sentenced to 3 years in prison for illegally prescribing controlled substances and must forfeit more than $400,000 in cash and nine luxury vehicles, including a 2020 Porsche GT4 and a 2020 Aston Martin.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating Gerald Michael Abraham, 76, after receiving a tip that he was prescribing opioids to patients who did not need the medication. The investigation, which began in October 2019, included 18 visits by undercover patients to Abraham’s cash-only clinic in Naples, Fla. Patients paid $400 per visit, according to court documents.

Even though the undercover patients pretended to have signs of drug abuse, Dr. Abraham still prescribed oxycodone, a strong opioid, on each visit without any physical examination, according to officials. He repeatedly increased the strength of the prescriptions when the patients asked. In one case, he told a patient that the patient’s medical paperwork “shows you are completely normal,” then went ahead to prescribe the oxycodone.

Dr. Abraham also gave Adderall to patients who had no legitimate medical need for the drug. As with the opioid, Dr. Abraham prescribed the frequently abused amphetamine (typically used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) after being asked for it, without performing an examination or asking questions to justify the prescription, according to the undercover law enforcement agents.

According to the Florida Department of Health, Dr. Abraham voluntarily relinquished his license in September pending board action. His license was set to expire in January 2022.

Pennsylvania physician admits to distributing drugs resulting in patient’s death

A Pennsylvania internist pleaded guilty to unlawful prescription of controlled substances, maintaining drug-involved premises, and healthcare fraud, as well as that the death of a patient resulted from the use of the controlled drugs.

When entering his plea, Dr.Kurt Moran, 69, acknowledged that the purpose of his Scranton-based pain management practice was to distribute high doses of opioids not for medical purposes, and that he often prescribed these drugs without examining the patient to verify the illness or condition the patient claimed to have. At times, he even prescribed the drugs without seeing the patient. He admitted that he knew that such practices could result in addiction and even death, according to federal officials.

The healthcare fraud charges resulted from a scheme that took place between 2014 and 2017 in which Dr. Moran received bribes in exchange for prescribing the drug Subsys (sublingual fentanyl), which is approved for use only in cancer patients who suffer from breakthrough pain. Court documents allege that Dr. Moran was paid approximately $140,000 over a 2-year period to prescribe Subsys to patients for whom the drug was not indicated.

In order to conceal the kickbacks and bribes, the company that paid Dr. Moran is alleged to have described the payments as honoraria for educational presentations about the drug. During that period, Dr. Moran prescribed millions of micrograms of the sublingual spray to patients with no cancer diagnosis.

Subsys is manufactured by Insys, a company whose founder and CEO, John Kapoor, was sentenced in 2019 to 5½ years in prison for his role in the bribery scheme involving Dr. Moran and other physicians.

Dr. Moran faces 12 years in prison. The maximum penalty for the crimes is 10 years for each charge. As a part of his plea deal, Dr. Moran agreed to forfeit $134,000. His license to practice medicine was suspended in October 2020 according to the Pennsylvania Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs.

Former pharmaceutical executive charged with embezzlement

The former owner and CEO of a New Jersey pharmaceutical company is accused of embezzling millions of dollars from his company by federal officials.

According to the charging documents, John Klein, 75, of Palisades Park, N.J., hired a chief financial officer in 2016 who then created a profit-and-loss statement showing the company’s sales and receivables. According to the CFO, Mr. Klein provided information that included an account receivable of approximately $3.9 million that had not been collected.

In December 2016 and January 2017, Mr. Klein approved a reserve against the uncollected receivable in the financial statements. However, back in May 2016, $3.9 million was transferred into a company bank account that Mr. Klein controlled. In a June 2016 email, Mr. Klein acknowledged that the invoices in question had been paid in full. A review of the company bank account showed that Mr. Klein used the money to pay personal debts, such as credit card payments, property taxes, and private-school tuition for his child.

Mr. Klein is the subject of several federal lawsuits from people who worked at Cambridge Therapeutic Technologies in Teaneck, N.J., as well as individuals he collected investment money from, according to media reports.

If convicted, Mr. Klein faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross profits or twice the gross loss suffered by the victims of the fraud, whichever is greatest.

Practice administrator sentenced for defrauding medical practice

An Indiana man was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for stealing from the ophthalmology practice where he worked for 5 years as a practice administrator.

Joshua D. Millspaugh, 42, of Westfield, Ind., pled guilty to charges of wire fraud, according to federal officials.

Mr. Millspaugh, who earned an annual salary of over $100,000, was responsible for payroll processing, purchasing, and paying the practice’s bills. After less than a year on the job, he began taking advantage of his access to company money to use the practice’s funds for himself. During his 5 years of employment, he made over 500 such transactions, making purchases, paying personal bills, and sending payroll checks to his personal bank account. He concealed these transactions with false entries in the company’s bookkeeping system. When asked about expenditures, he made up false justifications.

During Mr. Millspaugh’s sentencing, William Whitson, MD, owner and director of the practice, Whitson Vision, told the court that the loss to him and the practice was about more than money. In addition to creating long-term credit and banking problems, the situation damaged both the company’s business reputation and the morale of its other employees.

“Fraud on a small business impacts every area of that business,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana Zachary A. Myers. “It also breeds mistrust, especially if the fraud is perpetrated by a trusted employee. Mr. Millspaugh exploited his position of trust for purely personal gain, and he is now being held accountable for his actions.”

In addition to the prison sentence, Mr. Millspaugh was ordered to pay $270,000 in restitution and will be federally supervised for 3 years following his release from prison.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Psychiatrist sentenced to 3 years in prison for running pill mill

A former Florida psychiatrist was sentenced to 3 years in prison for illegally prescribing controlled substances and must forfeit more than $400,000 in cash and nine luxury vehicles, including a 2020 Porsche GT4 and a 2020 Aston Martin.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating Gerald Michael Abraham, 76, after receiving a tip that he was prescribing opioids to patients who did not need the medication. The investigation, which began in October 2019, included 18 visits by undercover patients to Abraham’s cash-only clinic in Naples, Fla. Patients paid $400 per visit, according to court documents.

Even though the undercover patients pretended to have signs of drug abuse, Dr. Abraham still prescribed oxycodone, a strong opioid, on each visit without any physical examination, according to officials. He repeatedly increased the strength of the prescriptions when the patients asked. In one case, he told a patient that the patient’s medical paperwork “shows you are completely normal,” then went ahead to prescribe the oxycodone.

Dr. Abraham also gave Adderall to patients who had no legitimate medical need for the drug. As with the opioid, Dr. Abraham prescribed the frequently abused amphetamine (typically used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) after being asked for it, without performing an examination or asking questions to justify the prescription, according to the undercover law enforcement agents.

According to the Florida Department of Health, Dr. Abraham voluntarily relinquished his license in September pending board action. His license was set to expire in January 2022.

Pennsylvania physician admits to distributing drugs resulting in patient’s death

A Pennsylvania internist pleaded guilty to unlawful prescription of controlled substances, maintaining drug-involved premises, and healthcare fraud, as well as that the death of a patient resulted from the use of the controlled drugs.

When entering his plea, Dr.Kurt Moran, 69, acknowledged that the purpose of his Scranton-based pain management practice was to distribute high doses of opioids not for medical purposes, and that he often prescribed these drugs without examining the patient to verify the illness or condition the patient claimed to have. At times, he even prescribed the drugs without seeing the patient. He admitted that he knew that such practices could result in addiction and even death, according to federal officials.

The healthcare fraud charges resulted from a scheme that took place between 2014 and 2017 in which Dr. Moran received bribes in exchange for prescribing the drug Subsys (sublingual fentanyl), which is approved for use only in cancer patients who suffer from breakthrough pain. Court documents allege that Dr. Moran was paid approximately $140,000 over a 2-year period to prescribe Subsys to patients for whom the drug was not indicated.

In order to conceal the kickbacks and bribes, the company that paid Dr. Moran is alleged to have described the payments as honoraria for educational presentations about the drug. During that period, Dr. Moran prescribed millions of micrograms of the sublingual spray to patients with no cancer diagnosis.

Subsys is manufactured by Insys, a company whose founder and CEO, John Kapoor, was sentenced in 2019 to 5½ years in prison for his role in the bribery scheme involving Dr. Moran and other physicians.

Dr. Moran faces 12 years in prison. The maximum penalty for the crimes is 10 years for each charge. As a part of his plea deal, Dr. Moran agreed to forfeit $134,000. His license to practice medicine was suspended in October 2020 according to the Pennsylvania Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs.

Former pharmaceutical executive charged with embezzlement

The former owner and CEO of a New Jersey pharmaceutical company is accused of embezzling millions of dollars from his company by federal officials.

According to the charging documents, John Klein, 75, of Palisades Park, N.J., hired a chief financial officer in 2016 who then created a profit-and-loss statement showing the company’s sales and receivables. According to the CFO, Mr. Klein provided information that included an account receivable of approximately $3.9 million that had not been collected.

In December 2016 and January 2017, Mr. Klein approved a reserve against the uncollected receivable in the financial statements. However, back in May 2016, $3.9 million was transferred into a company bank account that Mr. Klein controlled. In a June 2016 email, Mr. Klein acknowledged that the invoices in question had been paid in full. A review of the company bank account showed that Mr. Klein used the money to pay personal debts, such as credit card payments, property taxes, and private-school tuition for his child.

Mr. Klein is the subject of several federal lawsuits from people who worked at Cambridge Therapeutic Technologies in Teaneck, N.J., as well as individuals he collected investment money from, according to media reports.

If convicted, Mr. Klein faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross profits or twice the gross loss suffered by the victims of the fraud, whichever is greatest.

Practice administrator sentenced for defrauding medical practice

An Indiana man was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for stealing from the ophthalmology practice where he worked for 5 years as a practice administrator.

Joshua D. Millspaugh, 42, of Westfield, Ind., pled guilty to charges of wire fraud, according to federal officials.

Mr. Millspaugh, who earned an annual salary of over $100,000, was responsible for payroll processing, purchasing, and paying the practice’s bills. After less than a year on the job, he began taking advantage of his access to company money to use the practice’s funds for himself. During his 5 years of employment, he made over 500 such transactions, making purchases, paying personal bills, and sending payroll checks to his personal bank account. He concealed these transactions with false entries in the company’s bookkeeping system. When asked about expenditures, he made up false justifications.

During Mr. Millspaugh’s sentencing, William Whitson, MD, owner and director of the practice, Whitson Vision, told the court that the loss to him and the practice was about more than money. In addition to creating long-term credit and banking problems, the situation damaged both the company’s business reputation and the morale of its other employees.

“Fraud on a small business impacts every area of that business,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana Zachary A. Myers. “It also breeds mistrust, especially if the fraud is perpetrated by a trusted employee. Mr. Millspaugh exploited his position of trust for purely personal gain, and he is now being held accountable for his actions.”

In addition to the prison sentence, Mr. Millspaugh was ordered to pay $270,000 in restitution and will be federally supervised for 3 years following his release from prison.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

A former nurse was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the sexual assault of an incapacitated woman in the long-term care facility where he worked as a licensed practical nurse.

The sentence, which took into account the vulnerability of the victim, was the maximum allowed according to a deal in which the former nurse pleaded guilty in September to sexual assault and vulnerable adult abuse. He will also be placed on probation for the rest of his life and will have to register as a sex offender.

The crime came to light in December 2018, when the patient, a 29-year-old woman who lived at Hacienda HealthCare, a private, nonprofit, long-term health care facility, was found giving birth when staff changed her clothes and bedding. The woman, who had lived at the Phoenix facility since she was 3 years old, is not in a coma but has severe cognitive disabilities resulting from seizures. She does not speak but has some ability to move and can respond to sounds and make facial gestures.

According to a 911 call made by staff members, no one knew she was pregnant until she went into labor. “One of the patients just had a baby, and we had no idea she was pregnant,” a nurse told responders on the frantic 911 call.

Police tested the DNA of all male employees at the facility and found the baby’s DNA matched that of Nathan Sutherland, who was the woman’s primary caregiver at the time of the assault. The child, a boy, is being cared for by the woman’s mother.

“It’s hard to imagine a more vulnerable adult than the victim in this case,” said Superior Court Judge Margaret LaBianca when she handed down the sentence, according to the Associated Press

Mr. Sutherland, 39, who surrendered his nursing license after his arrest, apologized to his victim at the sentencing, saying: “You didn’t deserve to be hurt no matter what was going on in my personal life and the demons I was fighting. I had no right to put you through that.”

In a statement to this news organization, Perry Petrilli, CEO of Hacienda HealthCare, said, “For nearly 3 years, our team has cooperated in every way possible with law enforcement and prosecutors in the Sutherland case. We are relieved that [Mr. Sutherland] will never again torment another innocent human being.” He added: “Our thoughts and hearts are with the victim, the victim’s family and loved ones. We hope this last chapter of the Sutherland case brings them all greater peace.”

In June, the court approved a $15 million settlement between the woman’s parents and Phillip Gear Jr., MD, the doctor who cared for the woman during the 26 years she was a patient at Hacienda Healthcare. Dr. Gear died in 2020, prior to the settlement agreement.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

A former nurse was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the sexual assault of an incapacitated woman in the long-term care facility where he worked as a licensed practical nurse.

The sentence, which took into account the vulnerability of the victim, was the maximum allowed according to a deal in which the former nurse pleaded guilty in September to sexual assault and vulnerable adult abuse. He will also be placed on probation for the rest of his life and will have to register as a sex offender.

The crime came to light in December 2018, when the patient, a 29-year-old woman who lived at Hacienda HealthCare, a private, nonprofit, long-term health care facility, was found giving birth when staff changed her clothes and bedding. The woman, who had lived at the Phoenix facility since she was 3 years old, is not in a coma but has severe cognitive disabilities resulting from seizures. She does not speak but has some ability to move and can respond to sounds and make facial gestures.

According to a 911 call made by staff members, no one knew she was pregnant until she went into labor. “One of the patients just had a baby, and we had no idea she was pregnant,” a nurse told responders on the frantic 911 call.

Police tested the DNA of all male employees at the facility and found the baby’s DNA matched that of Nathan Sutherland, who was the woman’s primary caregiver at the time of the assault. The child, a boy, is being cared for by the woman’s mother.

“It’s hard to imagine a more vulnerable adult than the victim in this case,” said Superior Court Judge Margaret LaBianca when she handed down the sentence, according to the Associated Press

Mr. Sutherland, 39, who surrendered his nursing license after his arrest, apologized to his victim at the sentencing, saying: “You didn’t deserve to be hurt no matter what was going on in my personal life and the demons I was fighting. I had no right to put you through that.”

In a statement to this news organization, Perry Petrilli, CEO of Hacienda HealthCare, said, “For nearly 3 years, our team has cooperated in every way possible with law enforcement and prosecutors in the Sutherland case. We are relieved that [Mr. Sutherland] will never again torment another innocent human being.” He added: “Our thoughts and hearts are with the victim, the victim’s family and loved ones. We hope this last chapter of the Sutherland case brings them all greater peace.”

In June, the court approved a $15 million settlement between the woman’s parents and Phillip Gear Jr., MD, the doctor who cared for the woman during the 26 years she was a patient at Hacienda Healthcare. Dr. Gear died in 2020, prior to the settlement agreement.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

A former nurse was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the sexual assault of an incapacitated woman in the long-term care facility where he worked as a licensed practical nurse.

The sentence, which took into account the vulnerability of the victim, was the maximum allowed according to a deal in which the former nurse pleaded guilty in September to sexual assault and vulnerable adult abuse. He will also be placed on probation for the rest of his life and will have to register as a sex offender.

The crime came to light in December 2018, when the patient, a 29-year-old woman who lived at Hacienda HealthCare, a private, nonprofit, long-term health care facility, was found giving birth when staff changed her clothes and bedding. The woman, who had lived at the Phoenix facility since she was 3 years old, is not in a coma but has severe cognitive disabilities resulting from seizures. She does not speak but has some ability to move and can respond to sounds and make facial gestures.

According to a 911 call made by staff members, no one knew she was pregnant until she went into labor. “One of the patients just had a baby, and we had no idea she was pregnant,” a nurse told responders on the frantic 911 call.

Police tested the DNA of all male employees at the facility and found the baby’s DNA matched that of Nathan Sutherland, who was the woman’s primary caregiver at the time of the assault. The child, a boy, is being cared for by the woman’s mother.

“It’s hard to imagine a more vulnerable adult than the victim in this case,” said Superior Court Judge Margaret LaBianca when she handed down the sentence, according to the Associated Press

Mr. Sutherland, 39, who surrendered his nursing license after his arrest, apologized to his victim at the sentencing, saying: “You didn’t deserve to be hurt no matter what was going on in my personal life and the demons I was fighting. I had no right to put you through that.”

In a statement to this news organization, Perry Petrilli, CEO of Hacienda HealthCare, said, “For nearly 3 years, our team has cooperated in every way possible with law enforcement and prosecutors in the Sutherland case. We are relieved that [Mr. Sutherland] will never again torment another innocent human being.” He added: “Our thoughts and hearts are with the victim, the victim’s family and loved ones. We hope this last chapter of the Sutherland case brings them all greater peace.”

In June, the court approved a $15 million settlement between the woman’s parents and Phillip Gear Jr., MD, the doctor who cared for the woman during the 26 years she was a patient at Hacienda Healthcare. Dr. Gear died in 2020, prior to the settlement agreement.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

COVID-19 has been difficult for parents trying to balance careers, home life, and keeping their loved ones safe. A new study indicates that, not only are physicians not immune to these stressors, but the long-term effects could be devastating for health care overall.

Juanmonino/Getty Images

In a study published Nov. 11, 2021, in JAMA Network Open , researchers found that stresses to work/life balance and family life caused by the pandemic have differed among men and women physicians. Women physicians have borne more of the burden, and the consequences could reach far beyond home.

Physicians and other health care workers have been at the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, and their work lives have been the focus of a lot of attention in the media and by researchers. Their family lives, not so much. But physicians have families, and the pandemic has upended almost everything about their lives, particularly where work life and home life intersect. School and day care closures, working from home, working extra hours, or working less – all of these changes have consequences on family life and the mental health of parents who are also physicians.

Findings from a Medscape survey published in early 2021 indicate that more female physicians than male physicians were either “conflicted” or “very conflicted” as parents because of work demands (42% vs. 23%) nearly 6 months into the pandemic.

In the current study, researchers from the University of Michigan, Harvard University, and the Medical University of South Carolina teamed up to investigate gender differences in how work/family factors affected the mental health of early-career physician parents in the United States during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results suggest that the pandemic has increased gender disparity and added disproportionately to the burden of female physicians.
 

Managing the household falls mostly on moms

Participants were physicians enrolled in the Intern Health Study, a longitudinal study that regularly surveys medical interns in the United States to assess stress and mood. When researchers compared survey results from before the onset of the pandemic (2018) with later results (2020), they found a striking gender difference in how the pandemic has changed family and work duties for physicians.

The authors of the study pointed out that previous research had found that female physicians take on a greater share of household and childcare duties than male physicians. The current study found that their share had increased with the pandemic. Physician moms are now 30 times more likely to be in charge of these tasks than physician dads.

In families in which both parents were physicians, none of the men said they took the primary role in managing the extra demands caused by the pandemic. In addition, women were twice as likely as men to work primarily from home and to work reduced hours.

The extra stress seems to be taking a toll on women physicians. In the 2020 survey, physician mothers had higher scores for anxiety and depression symptoms, compared with men. Notably, the 2018 survey did not show a significant difference in depression scores between men and women. Nor were there significant differences in depression and anxiety scores between women and men who were not parents or in reports of work/family conflict before and after the pandemic.

In general, the results indicate that the pandemic has only widened the gender gap between women and men physicians when it comes to managing family life and dealing with the stresses of maintaining a suitable work-life balance.
 

‘Long-term repercussions’ for gender equity in medicine

Although these are serious problems for women physicians and their families, the effects go beyond the home and beyond individuals. Even before the pandemic, women in medicine struggled for parity in career advancement and opportunities as well as in pay, and this new setback could make those challenges even greater.

“Even short-term adjustments can have serious long-term repercussions as they may lead to lower earnings and negatively impact opportunities for promotion, further exacerbating gender inequalities in compensation and advancement,” the study’s authors wrote.

The potential damage extends to the entire profession and the health care system itself. The profession is already struggling to retain young female physicians, and this situation is likely to make that problem worse and have long-term consequences. Citing data showing that female physicians spend more time with patients and that their patients may have better outcomes, the authors wrote that the consequences of losing more early-career female physicians “could be devastating to the U.S. health care system, particularly in the context of a global pandemic and an impending physician shortage.”

The sample size was small (276 U.S. physicians), and the study relied on self-reported data. The findings suggest that more research on this topic is needed, especially research that includes other demographic factors, such as sexual orientation and ethnicity. The authors recommend that institutional and public policymakers take into account the effects of the pandemic on physician mothers to ensure that recent gains in gender equity for women physicians do not fall victim to COVID-19.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

COVID-19 has been difficult for parents trying to balance careers, home life, and keeping their loved ones safe. A new study indicates that, not only are physicians not immune to these stressors, but the long-term effects could be devastating for health care overall.

Juanmonino/Getty Images

In a study published Nov. 11, 2021, in JAMA Network Open , researchers found that stresses to work/life balance and family life caused by the pandemic have differed among men and women physicians. Women physicians have borne more of the burden, and the consequences could reach far beyond home.

Physicians and other health care workers have been at the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, and their work lives have been the focus of a lot of attention in the media and by researchers. Their family lives, not so much. But physicians have families, and the pandemic has upended almost everything about their lives, particularly where work life and home life intersect. School and day care closures, working from home, working extra hours, or working less – all of these changes have consequences on family life and the mental health of parents who are also physicians.

Findings from a Medscape survey published in early 2021 indicate that more female physicians than male physicians were either “conflicted” or “very conflicted” as parents because of work demands (42% vs. 23%) nearly 6 months into the pandemic.

In the current study, researchers from the University of Michigan, Harvard University, and the Medical University of South Carolina teamed up to investigate gender differences in how work/family factors affected the mental health of early-career physician parents in the United States during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results suggest that the pandemic has increased gender disparity and added disproportionately to the burden of female physicians.
 

Managing the household falls mostly on moms

Participants were physicians enrolled in the Intern Health Study, a longitudinal study that regularly surveys medical interns in the United States to assess stress and mood. When researchers compared survey results from before the onset of the pandemic (2018) with later results (2020), they found a striking gender difference in how the pandemic has changed family and work duties for physicians.

The authors of the study pointed out that previous research had found that female physicians take on a greater share of household and childcare duties than male physicians. The current study found that their share had increased with the pandemic. Physician moms are now 30 times more likely to be in charge of these tasks than physician dads.

In families in which both parents were physicians, none of the men said they took the primary role in managing the extra demands caused by the pandemic. In addition, women were twice as likely as men to work primarily from home and to work reduced hours.

The extra stress seems to be taking a toll on women physicians. In the 2020 survey, physician mothers had higher scores for anxiety and depression symptoms, compared with men. Notably, the 2018 survey did not show a significant difference in depression scores between men and women. Nor were there significant differences in depression and anxiety scores between women and men who were not parents or in reports of work/family conflict before and after the pandemic.

In general, the results indicate that the pandemic has only widened the gender gap between women and men physicians when it comes to managing family life and dealing with the stresses of maintaining a suitable work-life balance.
 

‘Long-term repercussions’ for gender equity in medicine

Although these are serious problems for women physicians and their families, the effects go beyond the home and beyond individuals. Even before the pandemic, women in medicine struggled for parity in career advancement and opportunities as well as in pay, and this new setback could make those challenges even greater.

“Even short-term adjustments can have serious long-term repercussions as they may lead to lower earnings and negatively impact opportunities for promotion, further exacerbating gender inequalities in compensation and advancement,” the study’s authors wrote.

The potential damage extends to the entire profession and the health care system itself. The profession is already struggling to retain young female physicians, and this situation is likely to make that problem worse and have long-term consequences. Citing data showing that female physicians spend more time with patients and that their patients may have better outcomes, the authors wrote that the consequences of losing more early-career female physicians “could be devastating to the U.S. health care system, particularly in the context of a global pandemic and an impending physician shortage.”

The sample size was small (276 U.S. physicians), and the study relied on self-reported data. The findings suggest that more research on this topic is needed, especially research that includes other demographic factors, such as sexual orientation and ethnicity. The authors recommend that institutional and public policymakers take into account the effects of the pandemic on physician mothers to ensure that recent gains in gender equity for women physicians do not fall victim to COVID-19.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

COVID-19 has been difficult for parents trying to balance careers, home life, and keeping their loved ones safe. A new study indicates that, not only are physicians not immune to these stressors, but the long-term effects could be devastating for health care overall.

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In a study published Nov. 11, 2021, in JAMA Network Open , researchers found that stresses to work/life balance and family life caused by the pandemic have differed among men and women physicians. Women physicians have borne more of the burden, and the consequences could reach far beyond home.

Physicians and other health care workers have been at the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, and their work lives have been the focus of a lot of attention in the media and by researchers. Their family lives, not so much. But physicians have families, and the pandemic has upended almost everything about their lives, particularly where work life and home life intersect. School and day care closures, working from home, working extra hours, or working less – all of these changes have consequences on family life and the mental health of parents who are also physicians.

Findings from a Medscape survey published in early 2021 indicate that more female physicians than male physicians were either “conflicted” or “very conflicted” as parents because of work demands (42% vs. 23%) nearly 6 months into the pandemic.

In the current study, researchers from the University of Michigan, Harvard University, and the Medical University of South Carolina teamed up to investigate gender differences in how work/family factors affected the mental health of early-career physician parents in the United States during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results suggest that the pandemic has increased gender disparity and added disproportionately to the burden of female physicians.
 

Managing the household falls mostly on moms

Participants were physicians enrolled in the Intern Health Study, a longitudinal study that regularly surveys medical interns in the United States to assess stress and mood. When researchers compared survey results from before the onset of the pandemic (2018) with later results (2020), they found a striking gender difference in how the pandemic has changed family and work duties for physicians.

The authors of the study pointed out that previous research had found that female physicians take on a greater share of household and childcare duties than male physicians. The current study found that their share had increased with the pandemic. Physician moms are now 30 times more likely to be in charge of these tasks than physician dads.

In families in which both parents were physicians, none of the men said they took the primary role in managing the extra demands caused by the pandemic. In addition, women were twice as likely as men to work primarily from home and to work reduced hours.

The extra stress seems to be taking a toll on women physicians. In the 2020 survey, physician mothers had higher scores for anxiety and depression symptoms, compared with men. Notably, the 2018 survey did not show a significant difference in depression scores between men and women. Nor were there significant differences in depression and anxiety scores between women and men who were not parents or in reports of work/family conflict before and after the pandemic.

In general, the results indicate that the pandemic has only widened the gender gap between women and men physicians when it comes to managing family life and dealing with the stresses of maintaining a suitable work-life balance.
 

‘Long-term repercussions’ for gender equity in medicine

Although these are serious problems for women physicians and their families, the effects go beyond the home and beyond individuals. Even before the pandemic, women in medicine struggled for parity in career advancement and opportunities as well as in pay, and this new setback could make those challenges even greater.

“Even short-term adjustments can have serious long-term repercussions as they may lead to lower earnings and negatively impact opportunities for promotion, further exacerbating gender inequalities in compensation and advancement,” the study’s authors wrote.

The potential damage extends to the entire profession and the health care system itself. The profession is already struggling to retain young female physicians, and this situation is likely to make that problem worse and have long-term consequences. Citing data showing that female physicians spend more time with patients and that their patients may have better outcomes, the authors wrote that the consequences of losing more early-career female physicians “could be devastating to the U.S. health care system, particularly in the context of a global pandemic and an impending physician shortage.”

The sample size was small (276 U.S. physicians), and the study relied on self-reported data. The findings suggest that more research on this topic is needed, especially research that includes other demographic factors, such as sexual orientation and ethnicity. The authors recommend that institutional and public policymakers take into account the effects of the pandemic on physician mothers to ensure that recent gains in gender equity for women physicians do not fall victim to COVID-19.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

In the best of times, critical care nurses have one of the most difficult and stressful jobs in health care. The COVID-19 pandemic has made that immeasurably worse. As hospitals have been flooded with critically ill patients, nurses have been overwhelmed.

“What we’re hearing from our nurses is really shocking,” Amanda Bettencourt, PhD, APRN, CCRN-K, president-elect of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), told this news organization. “They’re saying they’re at the breaking point.”

Between August 26 and August 30, the AACN surveyed more than 6,000 critical care nurses, zeroing in on four key questions regarding the pandemic and its impact on nursing. The results were alarming – not only with regard to individual nurses but also for the nursing profession and the future of health care. A full 66% of those surveyed said their experiences during the pandemic have caused them to consider leaving nursing. The respondents’ take on their colleagues was even more concerning. Ninety-two percent agreed with the following two statements: “I believe the pandemic has depleted nurses at my hospital. Their careers will be shorter than they intended.”

“This puts the entire health care system at risk,” says Dr. Bettencourt, who is assistant professor in the department of family and community health at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia. Intensive care unit (ICU) nurses are highly trained and are skilled in caring for critically ill patients with complex medical needs. “It’s not easy to replace a critical care nurse when one leaves,” she says.

And when nurses leave, patients suffer, says Beth Wathen, MSN, RN, CCRN-K, president of the ACCN and frontline nurse at Children’s Hospital Colorado, Aurora. “Hospitals can have all the beds and all the rooms and all the equipment they want, but without nurses and others at the front lines to provide that essential care, none of it really matters, whether we’re talking about caring for COVID patients or caring for patients with other health ailments.”
 

Heartbreak of the unvaccinated

The problem is not just overwork because of the flood of COVID-19 patients. The emotional strain is enormous as well. “What’s demoralizing for us is not that patients are sick and that it’s physically exhausting to take care of sick patients. We’re used to that,” says Dr. Bettencourt.

But few nurses have experienced the sheer magnitude of patients caused by this pandemic. “The past 18 months have been grueling,” says Ms. Wathen. “The burden on frontline caregivers and our nurses at the front line has been immense.”

The situation is made worse by how unnecessary much of the suffering is at this point. Seventy-six percent of the survey’s respondents agreed with the following statement: “People who hold out on getting vaccinated undermine nurses’ physical and mental well-being.” That comment doesn’t convey the nature or extent of the effect on caregivers’ well-being. “That 9 out of 10 of the people we’re seeing in ICU right now are unvaccinated just adds to the sense of heartbreak and frustration,” says Ms. Wathen. “These deaths don’t have to be happening right now. And that’s hard to bear witness to.”

The politicization of public health has also taken a toll. “That’s been the hard part of this entire pandemic,” says Ms. Wathen. “This really isn’t at all about politics. This is about your health; this is about my health. This is about our collective health as a community and as a country.”

Like the rest of the world, nurses are also concerned about their own loved ones. The survey statement, “I fear taking care of patients with COVID puts my family’s health at risk,” garnered 67% agreement. Ms. Wathen points out that nurses take the appropriate precautions but still worry about taking infection home to their families. “This disease is a tricky one,” she says. She points out that until this pandemic is over, in addition to being vaccinated, nurses and the public still need to be vigilant about wearing masks, social distancing, and taking other precautions to ensure the safety of us all. “Our individual decisions don’t just affect ourselves. They affect our family, the people in our circle, and the people in our community,” she says.
 

Avoiding a professional exodus

It’s too early yet to have reliable national data on how many nurses have already left their jobs because of COVID-19, but it is clear that there are too few nurses of all kinds. Earlier this month, the American Nurses Association sent a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services urging the agency to declare the nursing shortage a crisis and to take immediate steps to find solutions.

The nursing shortage predates the pandemic, and COVID-19 has brought a simmering problem to a boil. Nurses are calling on the public and the health care system for help. From inside the industry, the needs are pretty much what they were before the pandemic. Dr. Bettencourt and Ms. Wathen point to the need for supportive leadership, healthy work environments, sufficient staffing to meet patients’ needs, and a voice in decisions, such as decisions about staffing, that affect nurses and their patients. Nurses want to be heard and appreciated. “It’s not that these are new things,” says Dr. Bettencourt. “We just need them even more now because we’re stressed even more than we were before.”

Critical care nurses have a different request of the public. They’re asking – pleading, actually – with the public to get vaccinated, wear masks in public, practice social distancing, and bring this pandemic to an end.

“COVID kills, and it’s a really difficult, tragic, and lonely death,” says Ms. Wathen. “We’ve witnessed hundreds of thousands of those deaths. But now we have a way to stop it. If many more people get vaccinated, we can stop this pandemic. And hopefully that will stop this current trend of nurses leaving.”

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

In the best of times, critical care nurses have one of the most difficult and stressful jobs in health care. The COVID-19 pandemic has made that immeasurably worse. As hospitals have been flooded with critically ill patients, nurses have been overwhelmed.

“What we’re hearing from our nurses is really shocking,” Amanda Bettencourt, PhD, APRN, CCRN-K, president-elect of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), told this news organization. “They’re saying they’re at the breaking point.”

Between August 26 and August 30, the AACN surveyed more than 6,000 critical care nurses, zeroing in on four key questions regarding the pandemic and its impact on nursing. The results were alarming – not only with regard to individual nurses but also for the nursing profession and the future of health care. A full 66% of those surveyed said their experiences during the pandemic have caused them to consider leaving nursing. The respondents’ take on their colleagues was even more concerning. Ninety-two percent agreed with the following two statements: “I believe the pandemic has depleted nurses at my hospital. Their careers will be shorter than they intended.”

“This puts the entire health care system at risk,” says Dr. Bettencourt, who is assistant professor in the department of family and community health at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia. Intensive care unit (ICU) nurses are highly trained and are skilled in caring for critically ill patients with complex medical needs. “It’s not easy to replace a critical care nurse when one leaves,” she says.

And when nurses leave, patients suffer, says Beth Wathen, MSN, RN, CCRN-K, president of the ACCN and frontline nurse at Children’s Hospital Colorado, Aurora. “Hospitals can have all the beds and all the rooms and all the equipment they want, but without nurses and others at the front lines to provide that essential care, none of it really matters, whether we’re talking about caring for COVID patients or caring for patients with other health ailments.”
 

Heartbreak of the unvaccinated

The problem is not just overwork because of the flood of COVID-19 patients. The emotional strain is enormous as well. “What’s demoralizing for us is not that patients are sick and that it’s physically exhausting to take care of sick patients. We’re used to that,” says Dr. Bettencourt.

But few nurses have experienced the sheer magnitude of patients caused by this pandemic. “The past 18 months have been grueling,” says Ms. Wathen. “The burden on frontline caregivers and our nurses at the front line has been immense.”

The situation is made worse by how unnecessary much of the suffering is at this point. Seventy-six percent of the survey’s respondents agreed with the following statement: “People who hold out on getting vaccinated undermine nurses’ physical and mental well-being.” That comment doesn’t convey the nature or extent of the effect on caregivers’ well-being. “That 9 out of 10 of the people we’re seeing in ICU right now are unvaccinated just adds to the sense of heartbreak and frustration,” says Ms. Wathen. “These deaths don’t have to be happening right now. And that’s hard to bear witness to.”

The politicization of public health has also taken a toll. “That’s been the hard part of this entire pandemic,” says Ms. Wathen. “This really isn’t at all about politics. This is about your health; this is about my health. This is about our collective health as a community and as a country.”

Like the rest of the world, nurses are also concerned about their own loved ones. The survey statement, “I fear taking care of patients with COVID puts my family’s health at risk,” garnered 67% agreement. Ms. Wathen points out that nurses take the appropriate precautions but still worry about taking infection home to their families. “This disease is a tricky one,” she says. She points out that until this pandemic is over, in addition to being vaccinated, nurses and the public still need to be vigilant about wearing masks, social distancing, and taking other precautions to ensure the safety of us all. “Our individual decisions don’t just affect ourselves. They affect our family, the people in our circle, and the people in our community,” she says.
 

Avoiding a professional exodus

It’s too early yet to have reliable national data on how many nurses have already left their jobs because of COVID-19, but it is clear that there are too few nurses of all kinds. Earlier this month, the American Nurses Association sent a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services urging the agency to declare the nursing shortage a crisis and to take immediate steps to find solutions.

The nursing shortage predates the pandemic, and COVID-19 has brought a simmering problem to a boil. Nurses are calling on the public and the health care system for help. From inside the industry, the needs are pretty much what they were before the pandemic. Dr. Bettencourt and Ms. Wathen point to the need for supportive leadership, healthy work environments, sufficient staffing to meet patients’ needs, and a voice in decisions, such as decisions about staffing, that affect nurses and their patients. Nurses want to be heard and appreciated. “It’s not that these are new things,” says Dr. Bettencourt. “We just need them even more now because we’re stressed even more than we were before.”

Critical care nurses have a different request of the public. They’re asking – pleading, actually – with the public to get vaccinated, wear masks in public, practice social distancing, and bring this pandemic to an end.

“COVID kills, and it’s a really difficult, tragic, and lonely death,” says Ms. Wathen. “We’ve witnessed hundreds of thousands of those deaths. But now we have a way to stop it. If many more people get vaccinated, we can stop this pandemic. And hopefully that will stop this current trend of nurses leaving.”

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

In the best of times, critical care nurses have one of the most difficult and stressful jobs in health care. The COVID-19 pandemic has made that immeasurably worse. As hospitals have been flooded with critically ill patients, nurses have been overwhelmed.

“What we’re hearing from our nurses is really shocking,” Amanda Bettencourt, PhD, APRN, CCRN-K, president-elect of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), told this news organization. “They’re saying they’re at the breaking point.”

Between August 26 and August 30, the AACN surveyed more than 6,000 critical care nurses, zeroing in on four key questions regarding the pandemic and its impact on nursing. The results were alarming – not only with regard to individual nurses but also for the nursing profession and the future of health care. A full 66% of those surveyed said their experiences during the pandemic have caused them to consider leaving nursing. The respondents’ take on their colleagues was even more concerning. Ninety-two percent agreed with the following two statements: “I believe the pandemic has depleted nurses at my hospital. Their careers will be shorter than they intended.”

“This puts the entire health care system at risk,” says Dr. Bettencourt, who is assistant professor in the department of family and community health at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia. Intensive care unit (ICU) nurses are highly trained and are skilled in caring for critically ill patients with complex medical needs. “It’s not easy to replace a critical care nurse when one leaves,” she says.

And when nurses leave, patients suffer, says Beth Wathen, MSN, RN, CCRN-K, president of the ACCN and frontline nurse at Children’s Hospital Colorado, Aurora. “Hospitals can have all the beds and all the rooms and all the equipment they want, but without nurses and others at the front lines to provide that essential care, none of it really matters, whether we’re talking about caring for COVID patients or caring for patients with other health ailments.”
 

Heartbreak of the unvaccinated

The problem is not just overwork because of the flood of COVID-19 patients. The emotional strain is enormous as well. “What’s demoralizing for us is not that patients are sick and that it’s physically exhausting to take care of sick patients. We’re used to that,” says Dr. Bettencourt.

But few nurses have experienced the sheer magnitude of patients caused by this pandemic. “The past 18 months have been grueling,” says Ms. Wathen. “The burden on frontline caregivers and our nurses at the front line has been immense.”

The situation is made worse by how unnecessary much of the suffering is at this point. Seventy-six percent of the survey’s respondents agreed with the following statement: “People who hold out on getting vaccinated undermine nurses’ physical and mental well-being.” That comment doesn’t convey the nature or extent of the effect on caregivers’ well-being. “That 9 out of 10 of the people we’re seeing in ICU right now are unvaccinated just adds to the sense of heartbreak and frustration,” says Ms. Wathen. “These deaths don’t have to be happening right now. And that’s hard to bear witness to.”

The politicization of public health has also taken a toll. “That’s been the hard part of this entire pandemic,” says Ms. Wathen. “This really isn’t at all about politics. This is about your health; this is about my health. This is about our collective health as a community and as a country.”

Like the rest of the world, nurses are also concerned about their own loved ones. The survey statement, “I fear taking care of patients with COVID puts my family’s health at risk,” garnered 67% agreement. Ms. Wathen points out that nurses take the appropriate precautions but still worry about taking infection home to their families. “This disease is a tricky one,” she says. She points out that until this pandemic is over, in addition to being vaccinated, nurses and the public still need to be vigilant about wearing masks, social distancing, and taking other precautions to ensure the safety of us all. “Our individual decisions don’t just affect ourselves. They affect our family, the people in our circle, and the people in our community,” she says.
 

Avoiding a professional exodus

It’s too early yet to have reliable national data on how many nurses have already left their jobs because of COVID-19, but it is clear that there are too few nurses of all kinds. Earlier this month, the American Nurses Association sent a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services urging the agency to declare the nursing shortage a crisis and to take immediate steps to find solutions.

The nursing shortage predates the pandemic, and COVID-19 has brought a simmering problem to a boil. Nurses are calling on the public and the health care system for help. From inside the industry, the needs are pretty much what they were before the pandemic. Dr. Bettencourt and Ms. Wathen point to the need for supportive leadership, healthy work environments, sufficient staffing to meet patients’ needs, and a voice in decisions, such as decisions about staffing, that affect nurses and their patients. Nurses want to be heard and appreciated. “It’s not that these are new things,” says Dr. Bettencourt. “We just need them even more now because we’re stressed even more than we were before.”

Critical care nurses have a different request of the public. They’re asking – pleading, actually – with the public to get vaccinated, wear masks in public, practice social distancing, and bring this pandemic to an end.

“COVID kills, and it’s a really difficult, tragic, and lonely death,” says Ms. Wathen. “We’ve witnessed hundreds of thousands of those deaths. But now we have a way to stop it. If many more people get vaccinated, we can stop this pandemic. And hopefully that will stop this current trend of nurses leaving.”

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.