Forum of the North Carolina Medical Board

              FROM THE PRESIDENT
IN THIS ISSUE
In 2009, The Joint Commission (TJC) called atten-tion
to the “disruptive physician” and required hospitals
to develop a process for identifying and dealing with
doctors who seemed to have problems working with oth-ers.
As usual, TJC did not dictate how hospitals should
do this. Rather, TJC simply required hospitals to create
procedures to deal with the problem. As a result, licens-ees
and others contacted the NCMB to ask it to issue a
formal position on “disruptive physicians.” In response,
the Board published the position entitled, “Collaborative
care within the health care team” on January 1, 2010.
The position statement outlines the Board’s expectation
for licensee conduct (among physicians and others such
as PAs) in the context of working with others to provide
patient care. We purposefully avoided the term “disrup-tive
physician” in the title, choosing to emphasize the
most important part of our professional lives—care of the
patient—by everyone involved. We did define disruptive
behavior, noted that the behavior may result from other
underlying causes, and indicated that such behavior may
be grounds for discipline.
Almost always, it is physicians who are singled out as “disruptive” and it’s not terribly
difficult to understand why. In medicine, physicians have traditionally been at the top of
the power structure and, consequently, have the greatest potential to impact those around
them, including patients and other members of the health care team. This phenomenon is
commonly referred to as “power distance.” Defined simply, power distance occurs when
individuals in positions of less power are reluctant to challenge those with greater author-ity.
In some environments, such as the battlefield, there are very good reasons for strict
adherence to the established power structure. But in other environments, power distance
may actually result in harm.
The aviation industry is rife with examples that tragically demonstrate this. If the cap-tain
intimidates crew members or the culture of the airline allows the captain an abso-lute
authority, crew members may not speak up appropriately. Examples of this include
the 1977 KLM crash in Tenerife, in which hundreds of people lost their lives essentially
because the flight crew did not contest a poor decision made by the captain. Similarly, the
crash of Korean Air Flight 801 in 1997 was attributed primarily to the rigidly hierarchical
power structure in the cockpit, which prevented crew from speaking up until it was too late
to avoid catastrophe.
Similarly hierarchical cultures exist in medicine, and the implications are clear. If a
SPRING 2013 FOR THE BENEFIT AND PROTECTION OF THE PEOPLE OF NORTH CAROLINA
Teamwork: In medicine, more than
ever, patient safety demands it
Year in Review — Pg. 10
NCMB President Dr. William
A. Walker, says “By engaging
everyone on the team, we
support each other and make
errors much less likely.”
4 Hospital suspensions related
to failure to complete medi-cal
records
5 Out and about
6 How complete is your LI page?
7 Licensee Information contest!
8 Position statement update
9 NCMB on the road: At the FSMB
Meeting
12 Quarterly Board Actions Report
16 Serve on the NCMB
Board officers
President
William A. Walker, MD | Charlotte
President Elect
Paul S. Camnitz, MD | Greenville
Secretary/Treasurer
Cheryl Walker-McGill, MD | Gastonia
Immediate Past President
Ralph C. Loomis, MD | Asheville
Board members
Michael J. Arnold, MBA | Wake Forest
Eleanor E. Greene, MD | High Point
Subhash C. Gumber, MD, PhD | Cary
Thomas R. Hill, MD | Hickory
Janice E. Huff, MD | Charlotte
Thelma Lennon | Raleigh
John B. Lewis, Jr, LLB | Farmville
Helen Diane Meelheim, FNP | Beaufort
Pascal O. Udekwu, MD | Raleigh
Forum staff
Publisher
NC Medical Board
Editor
Jean Fisher Brinkley
Associate Editor
Dena M. Konkel
Editor Emeritus
Dale G Breaden
Contact Us
Street Address
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Raleigh, NC 27609
Mailing Address
PO Box 20007
Raleigh, NC 27619
Telephone / Fax
(800) 253-9653
Fax (919) 326-0036
Web Site:
www.ncmedboard.org
E-Mail:
info@ncmedboard.org
Have something for the editor?
forum@ncmedboard.org
The Forum of the North Carolina Medical Board is published four times a year. Articles appearing in the Forum,
including letters and reviews, represent the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the
North Carolina Medical Board, its members or staff, or the institutions or organizations with which the authors are
affiliated. Official statements, policies, positions, or reports of the Board are clearly identified.
We welcome letters to the editor addressing topics covered in the Forum. They will be published in edited form
depending on available space. A letter should include the writer’s full name, address, and telephone number.
North Carolina Medical Board Forum Credits Volume XVI | Spring 2013
Primum Non Nocere
FROM THE PRESIDENT
physician or surgeon (the captain) intimidates or disrespects
others who help care for the patient (the crew), bad or even
fatal outcomes may occur. In an airplane crash, however, the
captain and flight crew often perish with the passengers. In
the context of health care, only the patient suffers the conse-quences.
Just as in the aviation industry, health care organizations
such as TJC and the Accreditation Council for Graduate
Medical Education have started to understand the effects
of poor team performance. Still, not everyone agrees that
personal behavior can impact care.
During a confidential interview at the NCMB that I helped
conduct, an attorney for a physician argued that his client
was an excellent physician and that his behavior had no effect
on the quality of care he provided. I felt compelled to explain
that physician behavior can have a very large impact on qual-ity.
If a nurse has been verbally abused by a physician, that
nurse will be understandably reluctant to call the physician
when concerns arise. Who would, knowing that the likely
result would be a rude, belittling response? So in ambiguous
circumstances, a nurse might wait until a patient’s condition
has worsened further before alerting the physician, poten-tially
increasing the risk of complications. It was a simple but
compelling example that I hope helped the attorney under-stand
that medicine is more than just technical knowledge.
In 2003, the Institute for Safe Medication Practices sur-veyed
1,565 nurses and 354 pharmacists about their experi-ences
with physicians. Eighty-eight percent of respondents
reported that a physician had spoken to them with conde-scending
language or tone; 87 percent reported that physi-cians
had been impatient with questions; and 79 percent
said physicians had demonstrated reluctance to, or had
refused to, answer questions or phone calls. In other words,
a significant majority of nurses and pharmacists had expe-rienced
this treatment. Nearly half of those surveyed—48
percent—said they had experienced strong verbal abuse from
a physician; and 42 percent reported they had experienced
threatening body language. Aside from the potential for pa-tient
harm, how many of us would want our sons, daughters
or other family members to be treated in such a fashion?
We’ve all heard the same excuses to explain poor behavior
by physicians, but in reality, there are no excuses. Treat-ing
people poorly is never right, especially if there is even
a chance that our patients might suffer as a result. While
physicians have certainly seen a substantial change in their
roles over the last several years, they remain the leaders of
the team. As such, the physician must set the example and
welcome the engagement of the other team members.
How do physicians successfully lead the team? Most
physicians can probably appreciate the value of a calm,
professional, deliberate atmosphere. But many of us don’t
remember that we play a huge part in setting that tone. As
team leaders, physicians should encourage communication
from all members of the team, regardless of level of training
or role. Many of my surgical colleagues have questioned the
part of the surgical checklist that requires team members
to introduce themselves. It might seem unnecessary, since
many of us have worked with the same nurses, techs and
nurse anesthetists for years, but the action of actually speak-ing
up empowers people to continue speaking if concerns
arise. Physicians should encourage members of the team to
express concerns without fear of retribution, sarcasm or bul-lying.
It sounds pretty fundamental, but we’ve all seen those
behaviors from our colleagues. Some of us may even have
Treating people poorly is never right,
especially if there is even a chance that
our patients might suffer as a result.
“ “
FROM THE PRESIDENT
FORUM | Spring 2013 3
participated in them. By engaging
everyone on the team, we support each
other and make errors much less likely.
At a session presented by the health
care safety consulting firm HPI, the
speaker quoted data published in 2004
about perceptions of teamwork. In
a survey of operating room person-nel
about teamwork, 75 percent of
surgeons rated teamwork as “high”
(e.g. surgeons felt the team worked
well together.) You may be reading
this thinking, ‘I’ve seen bad behav-ior
in others but I’m one of the good
ones—my team works like a well-oiled
machine.’ Just remember that we are
not always the best and most accurate
judges of how we are perceived by
others. The responses of other team
members to the same survey question
are telling. Thirty-nine percent of an-esthesiologists
surveyed reported that
teamwork was “high.” Just 28 percent
of surgical nurses rated teamwork as
“high” and nurse anesthetists came
in at a slightly less enthusiastic 25
percent. Surgical residents were the
toughest critics, with just 10 percent of
residents describing the level of team-work
as “high.”
The same study gives some hints
as to what might influence team
members’ perceptions of the team.
The survey found that 50 percent of
surgeons felt junior team members
should not question senior physicians
(though, as a surgeon, it pains me to
share this finding.) That attitude prob-ably
reflects the failure of physicians to
understand that working as part of a
team doesn’t mean rule by committee.
No one suggests that surgery should be
done by consensus after discussion by
all members of the team. Teamwork
does require mutual trust and respect
and a shared expectation that any
member of the team has an obligation
to speak up if he or she believes an er-ror
is imminent or sees some potential
for patient harm. It should be clear to
all that good communication is not a
challenge to anyone’s authority.
While I hope I’ve argued persuasive-ly
that physicians play a critical role
in nurturing true collaboration, I also
want to be clear that I think it’s time
to move beyond simplistic and pejora-tive
terms such as “disruptive physi-cian.”
Anyone can disrupt the smooth
functioning of the team and potentially
harm the patient, and anyone disrupt-ing
good care should be held account-able.
No individual has all the knowl-edge
required to take care of patients
in an exceedingly complex medical
care environment. Rather than resent-ing
suggestions about care or ques-tions
that clarify issues, we should all
welcome support from our teammates
and offer such support in kind.
Send comments to Forum@ncmedboard.org
Collaborative care within the health care team
Created: January 1, 2010
The North Carolina Medical Board (“the Board”) recognizes that the manner in which its licensees interact with others
can significantly impact patient care.
The Board strongly urges its licensees to fulfill their obligations to maximize the safety of patient care by behaving in
a manner that promotes both professional practice and a work environment that ensures high standards of care. The Ac-creditation
Council for Graduate Medical Education highlights the importance of interpersonal/communication skills and
professionalism as two of the six core competencies required for graduation from residency. Licensees should consider it
their ethical duty to foster respect among all health care professionals as a means of ensuring good patient care.
Disruptive behavior is a style of interaction with physicians, hospital personnel, patients, family members, or others
that interferes with patient care. Behaviors such as foul language; rude, loud or ofensive comments; and intimidation
of staff, patients and family members are commonly recognized as detrimental to patient care. Furthermore, it has
become apparent that disruptive behavior is often a marker for concerns that can range from a lack of interpersonal
skills to deeper problems, such as depression or substance abuse. As a result, disruptive behavior may reach a threshold
such that it constitutes grounds for further inquiry by the Board into the potential underlying causes of such behavior.
Behavior by a licensee that is disruptive could be grounds for Board discipline.
The Board distinguishes disruptive behavior from constructive criticism that is offered in a professional manner with
the aim of improving patient care. The Board also reminds its licensees of their responsibility not only to patients, but
also to themselves. Symptoms of stress, such as exhaustion and depression, can negatively affect a licensee’s health and
performance. Licensees sufering such symptoms are encouraged to seek the support needed to help them regain their
equilibrium.
Finally, licensees, in their role as patient and peer advocates, are obligated to take appropriate action when observ-ing
disruptive behavior on the part of other licensees. The Board urges its licensees to support their hospital, practice, or
other health care organization in their efforts to identify and manage disruptive behavior, by taking a role in this process
when appropriate.
Since the fall of 2009, the NCMB has been implement-ing
and refining the expanded licensee information system
mandated by the North Carolina General Assembly. As part
of this work, last fall the Board began posting on its website
hospital privilege suspensions
related to failure to timely com-plete
medical records. Hospitals
are currently required by state
law to report these actions to the
Board when a licensee receives
three suspensions of this type in
a calendar year. These actions
have been available to the public
through the NCMB for several
years. Until relatively recently,
however, the NCMB did not post
them on the Board’s website. Only
privilege suspensions and revoca-tions
that stemmed from concerns
about clinical competence or willful misconduct were posted
to the site.
This column will discuss the recent change in Board
policy regarding suspensions related to failure to complete
medical records and highlight some resulting changes to
how those actions are displayed on the NCMB’s website.
What changed?
Last year, the NCMB spent some time carefully consider-ing
its handling of hospital privilege suspensions related
to failure to timely complete medical records. The Board
analyzed the seriousness of these suspensions compared
to others. Part of the analysis included a discussion of how
the NCMB might differentiate medical records-related
suspensions from those related to competence or miscon-duct.
Ultimately, it was decided that suspensions for failure
to complete medical records should be published on the
Board’s website and the relevant staff were directed to come
up with a means of differentiating between adverse actions
and administrative actions such as the records-related hos-pital
suspensions.
Staff began posting newly reported hospital privilege ac-tions
in this category in the fall. To be fair, and to ensure the
accuracy and completeness of information on each indi-vidual’s
Licensee Information (LI) page, the Board staff also
began the process of reviewing all privilege actions that had
been previously reported to ensure that all actions that meet
criteria are posted.
As Board staff began posting records-related suspensions
BOARD NEWS
Hospital suspensions related to failure to complete
medical records (yes, those are actions too)
from the last few years, it notified licensees of the changes.
We quickly heard back from a number of licensees who
weren’t happy to see a suspension for failure to timely com-plete
medical records on their otherwise clean public record.
As a former hospital-based physician (before joining the
Board’s staff, I practiced emergency medicine in Raleigh) I
can understand licensees’ frustrations. The vast majority of
suspensions related to late medical records are temporary
—many are resolved within a day or two—and they rarely, if
ever, involve concerns about patient care. Yet a public report
of a hospital “suspension” can have adverse effects on a
physician or PA that may include real or perceived dings to
professional reputation or difficulties with recredentialing.
Why records are important
I don’t want to minimize in any way the importance of
timely completion of medical records. The Board believes
that accurate, current and complete medical records are an
essential component of patient care. Significant delays in the
completion of medical records diminish both the accuracy
and credibility of the records, and may create confusion
among others treating the patient. The Board expects
licensees to properly document medical care in an accurate
and timely manner.
When the Board receives information that a licensee’s
hospital privileges have been limited, suspended or re-voked
(a Change in Staff Privileges or CISP), it has a duty to
investigate. Depending on the seriousness of the allegation
and corresponding level of concern, the Board may conduct
a field investigation or require the licensee to respond in
writing with an explanation that provides their side of the
story. The licensee conduct that led to a CISP may or may
not result in a disciplinary action by the Board (most often
it does not). In the case of a CISP related to failure to timely
complete medical records, the licensee is expected to notify
the Board, in writing, within 30 days that all delinquent
medical records have been completed and that privileges
have been restored.
NCMB’s duty to publish
Pursuant to NCGS 90-5.2 (a) (8), (b) the Medical Board is
required to publish actions by health care institutions that sus-pend
or revoke a licensee’s privileges. Corresponding rules state
that these actions are to be displayed on the Board’s website
(they appear on the individual’s LI page) for a period of 7 years.
The rules do not differentiate between hospital actions
related to medical records as opposed to actions related to
clinical competence or quality of care. However, the Board
From the Office of
the Medical Director
Sc ot t G.
Kirby, MD
Presentations to consumer and community
groups/organizations
The Leisurettes, National Asso-ciation
of University Women
Raleigh, NC | February 28 | April 27
Jean Fisher Brinkley, the NCMB’s di-rector
of public affairs, presented talks
to two Raleigh-area groups, a group of
retired teachers, the Leisurettes, and
a Raleigh chapter of the NAUW. The
talks gave an overview of the NCMB’s
mission/duties and emphasized how
the Board protects the public.
Citizen Advocacy Center
Public Outreach Meeting
Washington, D.C. | April 9
Dena Konkel, the NCMB’s assistant
director of public affairs, presented
on the Board’s public outreach ef-forts.
The Citizen Advocacy Center
(CAC) is dedicated to improving the
efficacy of health regulatory over-sight
boards by offering training
and resources to public members, Board staff and other
interested parties.
FORUM | Spring 2013 5
BOARD NEWS
recognizes that there is a qualitative difference between
them. Consequently, the Board recently modified how these
actions are displayed on licensee information pages. The
revised page layout now includes a section for administra-tive
actions, including hospital suspensions related to failure
to timely complete medical records. The administrative
actions section is labeled to indicate that the actions listed
are considered non-disciplinary by the Board and involve
issues such as failure to meet certain statutory requirements
or failure to follow correct administrative procedures. The
Board and its staff hope that these changes will prevent con-fusion
about the nature of posted actions and prevent undue
negative consequences to licensees.
License Tip
Licensees are sometimes confused about what information they are required to disclose to the Board regarding hospital actions.
Licensees are required to report ANY limitation, suspension, revocation or other action by a hospital or health care institution at
the time of annual renewal. This is true even if the licensee is aware that the hospital has already reported the action to the Board.
Note to hospitals
Finally, it must be noted that it is clear to the Board that
some CISP reporting requirements are being unevenly ap-plied
by health care institutions. In reviewing suspensions
related to failure to timely complete medical records, it
quickly became apparent that some hospitals are reporting
these suspensions in accordance with the law and some, it
seems, are not. If you are a hospital administrator or chief of
staff reading this article, please understand that the Board
expects you to equitably and fairly comply with reporting
requirements as outlined in this article. The Board accepts
change in staff privilege (CISP) reports via its website at:
www.ncmedboard.org/professional_resources/report_cisp/
Out and about
Presentations to professional groups
American Association of
Physicians of Indian Origin,
Carolinas Chapter
Spring Governing Meeting
Charlotte, NC | March 22-24
Board Member Subhash C. Gumber,
MD, a Cary gastroenterologist, and
Board President William A. Walker,
MD, a Charlotte colorectal surgeon,
presented a general overview of the
Board and spoke about current and future initiatives.
North Carolina Academy of
Family Physicians
2013 Spring Family Physicians
Weekend
Greensboro, NC | April 4-7
Board President William A. Walker,
MD, presented a talk entitled, “Fear
Factor—Myths and Reality about
the NC Medical Board.” The talk
featured a special emphasis on the
Board’s disciplinary work related to inappropriate pre-scribing
of controlled substances and provided practical
advice to attendees on avoiding problems.
The North Carolina Medical Board regularly sends Board Members and staff to speak to and engage with licensees,
community organizations and other groups. Here are some of the venues our speakers have visited recently.
Dr. Gumber
Dr. Walker
Ms. Konkel
Ms. Brinkley
Send comments to Forum@ncmedboard.org
“ “
BULLETIN BOARD LICENSEE
INFORMATION
Who ’s repo rting and what are th ey sa ying ?
3,612 Total licensee
population reporting
PRACTICE WEBSITE
address on LI pages
10,111 Total licensee population reporting use of
ELECTRONIC HEALTH RE CORDS
Medicare and Medicaid
Participates in Medicare: 13,495
Participates in Medicaid: 13,231
Accepting new Medicare patients: 11,874
Accepting new Medicaid patients: 11,046
Public service
#1
AWARDS and recognition
5,337
Total number of licensees who have
reported receiving one or more awards
Academic Excellence
America’s Top Doctors
Military Honors
Total number of licensees who have
reported public service
2,741 Medical Missions
Non-profit organizations
Community Clinic Volunteer
Practice philosophy
11,820
I treat patients of all ages. I emphasize prevention
and wellness. I have special interests in geriatrics,
pediatrics,sports medicine and public health
Languages
Report they can provide
clinical services in one or
more languages
4,332
5MOST COMMONLY
SPOKEN LANGUAGES
1. Spanish: 3,453
2. Hindi: 286
3. French: 173
4. Rusian: 84
5. Arabic: 65
378 report utilizing a translation
service to communicate with patients
Memberships
Medical Societies
Specialty Societies
American Medical Association
Total number of licensees who have reported
membership in one or more professional groups
19,482
Total number of licensees who
report a practice philosophy
In 2009 the NCMB expanded its online Licensee Information pages.
This infographic explores the many new, optional categories that
licensees have reported information in.
Why report optional information? The NCMB’s “Look Up a
Licensee” tool is the most popular feature on the Board’s website..
Many users are patients researching specialists they have been
referred to, or people scouting out new primary care providers.
Licensees may not think that it matters whether they have pro-vided
content for optional categories, but consumers notice when
it’s not there. Don’t miss out on an opportunity to make a positive
first impression.
It’s easy to update your LI page
Visit www.ncmedboard.org and click on “Update Licensee Info Page” in the green Quick Links box on the
home page. Follow the prompts to log in. Set aside some time to make sure you’ve made the most of our
optional categories. Need some incentive? Check out our LI page contest on the opposite page!
FORUM | Spring 2013 7
BULLETIN BOARD
The NCMB challenges licensees to make the most of their Licensee Information pages by providing content
for the many optional categories available to them. This information helps patients and others who use the
NCMB’s website to look up physicians and physician assistants get a better sense of a licensee’s unique pro-fessional
background, education and training. Besides, it’s free marketing—why wouldn’t you want to take
advantage of that?
Our g oa l :
To encourage more licensed physicians and physician assistants to provide optional content for their Licensee
Information pages.
How to ent er:
Go to www.ncmedboard.org and click on Update Licensee Info Page from the green Quick Links box on the
home page. Log in and provide content for applicable optional categories (practice philosophy, memberships,
languages spoken, etc.) When you have finished entering information, email forum@ncmedboard.org with your
full name and indicate you are entering the contest. Entrants must complete updates by end of business July 1.
Rules:
Licensed physicians and PAs may enter. You must have an active license, be practicing medicine at least part
time and have no history of public discipline for at least 10 years. Information reported in optional Licensee
Information categories must be accurate and relevant to each individual category for which information is pro-vided.
Winning entries will be determined at the sole discretion of the NCMB’s Public Affairs department.
Prizes:
Depending on the number and quality of entries, the NCMB’s Public Affairs department will select up to 10 li-censees,
who will be offered the opportunity to be featured in an upcoming NCMB public awareness campaign.
Examples of upcoming campaigns include print media/display advertisements, radio spots and/or video public
service announcements. Winners will also be featured in the Forum.
Questions ?
Contact Jean Fisher Brinkley, Director, Public Affairs at jean.fisher@ncmedboard.org or 919-326-1109 x230
ENTER NOW: Win a chance to be featured in an
upcoming NCMB campaign!
North Carolina law requires physicians and physician assistants to state their area of practice. Many licens-ees
responded with enthusiasm and listed multiples areas of practice. Trouble is, nearly 40 percent did not
indicate a PRIMARY area of practice as requested. The Board needs licensees to do this to enable the NCMB
to accurately measure the number of licensees practicing in each primary AOP.
Psst! We still care about the required information too
Make sure we have your primary AOP. Visit www.ncmedboard.org and click on “Update Licensee Info Page.”
	 Than	k you for your help in making the NCMB’s licensee information accurate and complete.
1st
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Position Statement update
Statement: Advance directives and patient autonomy
Date revised: November 2012
Changes: Minor changes only (changing physician to li-censee
throughout).
Statement: Referral fees and fee splitting
Date revised: January 2013
Changes: Changed physician to licensee throughout; The
statement is revised to address licensee use of voucher
advertising programs (e.g. Groupon, Living Social, etc.) The
new section on voucher advertising reads:
It is the Board’s position that, so long as certain conditions
are followed, advertising involving the utilization of vouch-ers
does not constitute unethical fee-splitting or a prohibited
solicitation or referral fee under North Carolina law. Those
conditions include: (1) ensuring that the negotiated fee
between the voucher advertising company and the licensee
represents reasonable compensation for the cost of advertis-ing;
and (2) incorporating the following terms and conditions
in a clear and conspicuous manner in all advertisements:
(a) A description of the discounted price in comparison to
the actual cost of services;
(b) A disclosure that all patients may not be eligible for the
advertised medical service and that decisions about med-ical
care should not be made in haste. Determinations
regarding the medical indications for individual patients
will be made on an individual basis by applying accepted
and prevailing standards of medical practice; and
(c) A disclosure to prospective patients that, if it is later
decided that the patient is not a candidate for the previ-ously
purchased medical service, the patient’s purchase
price will be refunded in its entirety. If the patient does
not claim the service, then the patient’s purchase price
must still be refunded in its entirety. In the event that
the voucher advertising company does not refund the
purchase price in its entirety, it will be the sole obliga-tion
of the licensee to refund the entire purchase price.
Statement: End-of-life responsibilities and palliative care
Date revised: January 2012
Changes: Revises definition of palliative care; changes phy-sician
to licensee throughout.
Statement: Drug overdose prevention
Date revised: March 2013
Changes: Broadens the scope of the position statement to
indicate Board support of all programs that attempt to pre-vent
deaths from drug overdose through making available
or prescribing an opioid antagonist such as naloxone to
someone in a position to assist a person at risk of an opiate-related
overdose.
New Position Statement: Professional Use of Social Media
Date adopted: March 2013
Professional Use of Social Media
The Board recognizes that social media has increasing
relevance to professionals and supports its responsible
use. However, health care practitioners are held to a higher
standard than others with respect to social media because
health care professionals, unlike members of the lay public,
are bound by ethical and professional obligations that ex-tend
beyond the exam room.
The informality of social media sites may obscure the seri-ous
implications and long term consequences of certain
types of postings. The Board encourages its licensees to
consider the implications of their online activities includ-ing,
but not limited to, the following:
• Licensees must understand that the code of conduct that
governs their face to face encounters with patients also
extends to online activity. As such, licensees interacting
with patients online must maintain appropriate bound-aries
in accordance with professional ethical guidelines,
just as they would in any other context.
• Licensees have an absolute obligation to maintain pa-tient
privacy and must refrain from posting identifiable
patient information online.
• A licensee’s publicly available online content directly
reflects on his or her professionalism. It is advisable
that licensees separate their professional and personal
identities online (maintain separate email accounts for
personal and professional use; establish a social media
presence for professional purposes and one for personal
use, etc.).
• Because privacy is never absolute, considerations of pro-fessionalism
should also extend to a licensee’s personal ac-counts.
Posting of material that demonstrates, or appears
to demonstrate, behavior that might be considered unpro-fessional,
inappropriate or unethical should be avoided.
The NCMB regularly adopts new position statements and reviews and, where appropriate, revises the existing official
position statements of the Board to ensure that they remain relevant. We periodically publish a summary of recent revi-sions
to position statements to help licensees stay abreast of changes. Full position statements may be found online in the
Professional Resources section of the Board’s website.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
• The online use of profanity, disparaging or discriminato-ry
remarks about individual patients or types of patients
is unacceptable.
• Licensees should routinely monitor their own online
presence to ensure that the personal and professional in-formation
on their own sites is accurate and appropriate.
The Board also endorses the Model Policy Guidelines for
the Appropriate Use of Social Media and Social Network-ing
in Medical Practice adopted by the Federation of State
Medical Boards (www.fsmb.org/pdf/pub-social-media-guidelines.
pdf). Further discussion of this issue by the
Board’s Medical Director can be found at www.ncmed-board.
org/articles/detail/practicing_medicine_in_the_
facebook_age_maintaining_professionalism_online.
FORUM | Spring 2013 9
NCMB on the road: At the Federation of State
Medical Boards Annual Meeting, April 18-20
Each year members of the Board and a delegation of
Board staff attend the annual meeting of the Federation of
State Medical Boards (FSMB) to discuss current and emerg-ing
issues in medical regulation. This year’s meeting found
Board Members and staff in Boston, just days after the
bombing at the city’s iconic Boston Marathon. A day into
the meeting, law enforcement put the city on lockdown as
they circled in on the surviving bombing suspect. The NCMB
delegation was confined to the hotel for almost two days.
Fortunately, there was no shortage of medical regula-tory
business to attend to. Ralph C. Loomis, MD, a recent
former Board member and
past president of the Board,
continued the proud NCMB
tradition of service on the
Federation’s Board of Direc-tors
by winning a seat on that
board. Loomis, an Asheville
neurosurgeon who completed
his final term on the NCMB
in October, is one of many
former NCMB members to
serve in this capacity.
North Carolinians, includ-ing
members of the NCMB
staff and others who work closely with the Board, led and
participated in panels at the FSMB meeting, and at the
annual meeting of the Administrators in Medicine (the
professional organization for medical board executives and
staff). The AIM meeting took place in Boston on April 17.
• Michael C. Sheppa, MD, the NCMB’s associate medi-cal
director, led the Medical Board Staff Roundtable,
which brings together staff from medical boards across
the nation and territories to discuss the scope of their
administrative work, issues they may have in common
and challenges that they face.
• Warren Pendergast, MD, medical director of the NC
Physicians Health Program, participated in a panel
offered as part of a Joint Session of the FSMB and the
Federation of State Physicians Health Programs, of
which Pendergast is the current president. The panel
discussion, entitled “Aging and Misbehaving: Two Spe-cial
Topics in Physician Health” explored trends related
to the aging of the physician workforce and the rise in
“disruptive” behavior among physicians. The emphasis
of the panel was on how PHPs can assist with aging and
disruptive physician licensees.
• Thom Mansfield, the director of the NCMB’s Legal De-partment
and its primary liaison to the NC legislature,
co-presented a session on the Federal Trade Commis-sion’s
emerging interest in licensing board regulatory
practices to attendees of the AIM annual meeting. The
FTC has a particular interest in licensing boards’ efforts
to limit unauthorized practice (In FTC’s view, poten-tial
“restraint of trade” activity). The session explored
lessons from the recent FTC action against the North
Carolina Board of Dental Examiners, which is currently
under appeal. The session provided practical advice
on steps boards can take to minimize the risk of FTC
scrutiny and tips on responding to an FTC investigation,
if one is initiated.
Dr. Loomis
Dr. Pendergast waits to speak during a panel presentation titled
“Aging and Misbehaving: Two Special Topics in Physician Health”
Year in Review:
A look back at data from 2012
SUMMARY OF THE 2012
BOARD ACTION RE PORT
Prejudicial Actions *
Annulment:
None
License Denied:
5 Actions (3 Physicians, 2 PAs)
Revocations:
5 Actions (5 Physicians)
Reprimand:
32 Actions (26 Physicians, 5 PAs, 1 LP)
Suspensions:
46 Actions (37 Physicians, 8 PAs, 1 NPs)
Summary Suspensions:
4 Actions (4 Physicians)
Miscellaneous Actions:
2 Actions (2 Physicians)
Surrenders:
25 Actions (20 Physicians, 4 PAs)
Public Letters of Concern:
74 Actions (64 Physicians, 8 PAs, 1 NP, 1 LP)
Temporary/Date Licenses Issued to Expire:
8 Actions (7 Physicians, 1 PA)
Temporary/Dated Licenses Allowed to Expire:
None
Conditions on License
Phys ici an Po pula tion by Count y
Alamance 277 Clay 6 Harnett 63 Nash 179 Stokes 24
Alexander 17 Cleveland 172 Haywood 112 New Hanover 741 Surry 122
Alleghany 11 Columbus 60 Henderson 268 Northampton 5 Swain 32
Anson 18 Craven 254 Hertford 40 Onslow 241 Transylvania 63
Ashe 25 Cumberland 812 Hoke 13 Orange 1,535 Tyrrell 0
Avery 21 Currituck 10 Hyde 2 Pamlico 8 Union 178
Beaufort 64 Dare 58 Iredell 335 Pasquotank 108 Vance 67
Bertie 10 Davidson 122 Jackson 85 Pender 26 Wake 2,439
Bladen 24 Davie 36 Johnston 130 Perquimans 4 Warren 4
Brunswick 121 Duplin 37 Jones 19 Person 31 Washington 7
Buncombe 1,078 Durham 2,367 Lee 88 Pitt 804 Watauga 135
Burke 199 Edgecombe 41 Lenoir 104 Polk 30 Wayne 199
Cabarrus 452 Forsyth 1,874 Lincoln 79 Randolph 125 Wilkes 74
Caldwell 83 Franklin 24 Macon 71 Richmond 46 Wilson 119
Camden 0 Gaston 407 Madison 11 Robeson 158 Yadkin 23
Carteret 130 Gates 1 Martin 19 Rockingham 107 Yancey 19
Caswell 13 Graham 4 McDowell 43 Rowan 251 In State
Out State
23,867
9,616
Catawba 414 Granville 130 Mecklenburg 2,927 Rutherford 84
Chatham 90 Greene 10 Mitchell 25 Sampson 57
Cherokee 37 Guilford 1,295 Montgomery 10 Scotland 69
Grand Total 33,483
Chowan 31 Halifax 71 Moore 321 Stanly 82
total by sex total lic ens ee p opul ation
COUNTY TOTAL COUNTY TOTAL COUNTY TOTAL COUNTY TOTAL COUNTY TOTAL
It’s that time again: Year in Review time. This feature highlights a selection of Board data in a two-page graphic spread that, we hope, illustrates some interesting
facts about the NCMB’s work and licensee population.
Back by request (really, we get frequent inquiries) is the Physician Population by County table. This data is also available for Physician Assistants (our space is
limited here, so it is not published—look for it online in the Data Center). PAs are currently the NCMB’s fastest growing licensee group. Notable: PAs account for
11.5 percent of the total licensee population in 2012 but made up more than 14 percent of licenses issued for the year.
And, for the first time, we took a look at fines issued by the NCMB in 2012. Fines are a relatively recent addition to the range of tools used by the Board to ad-dress
disciplinary and administrative matters. Good to know: the NCMB does not benefit financially from the issuance of fines. All funds go to the NC Department
of Education.
FORUM | Spring 2013 11
41 Actions (34 Physicians, 6 PAs, 1 LP)
Limitations/Restrictions on License
7 Actions (5 Physicians, 2 PAs)
TOTALS:
Prejudicial actions in 2012 related to 192 per-sons
(164 physicians; 24 PAs; 2 NPs, 2 LPs)
Prejudicial actions in 2011 related to 213
persons (187 physicians; 19 PAs; 7 NPs)
*Prejudicial Action: A “prejudicial action” is
adverse in nature and reflects a violation of
the Medical Practice Act by the practitioner.
40,764
WITH PUBLIC BOARD ACTIONS
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
TOTAL PHYSICIAN AND PA POP.
34% 66%
PA: 2,943
DO: 527
MD: 23,988
PA: 1,810
FEMALE DO: 1,074
13,892
MALE
26,872
85%
MD: 10,422
TOTAL LICENSEE POPULATION
Nearly
instate
75%
Physicians: 36,006 | Physician Assistants: 4,751
Perfusionists: 134 | Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners: 107
Anesthesiology Assistants: 15
41,013
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
576 526
297 313
275 271
130 137 147 115
2012 2011 2012 2011 2012 2011 2012 2011 2012 2011
Communication Issue
Quality of Care
Malpractice Settlement
Prescribing Issues
Policy-Procedures Within DOC
tOP fiv e complaint al eg ation s 2011-2012
0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200
Accept as Information
Private Letter of Concern
Public Actions (Adverse)
Confidential Interview
Interim Letter of Concern
1,065
1,088
625
422
249
262
93
104
67
48
2012
2011
Public and pri va t e actions 2011-2012
Total: 46
Total amount of all fines received in 2012: $57,350
Rate of fines per 1,000 licensees: 1.1
Average fine amount: $1,235
Minimum fine: $350 | Maximum fine: $10,000
Fines between 0-$500: 43%
Fines between $501-$1,000: 37%
Fines greater than $1,001: 20%
fin es receiv ed by NCMB in 2012
License Type Total
Physicians 2,188
Resident Training License 898
Physician Assistants 512
LICENSING
Total licenses issued by the NCMB in 2012.
Pristine: one week or less
With issues*: up to two months
*Non-disclosures, discrepancies, etc.
Length of time to process an application
assuming the Board has received all materials
from the applicant.
Fines collected benefit the NC
Department of Education.
DISCIPLINARY REPORT
North Carolina Medical Board
Quarterly Board Actions Report | November 2012 - January 2013
The Board actions listed below are published in an abbreviated format. The report does not include non-prejudicial actions
such as reentry agreements and non-disciplinary consent orders. Recent Board actions are also available at www.ncmed-board.
org. Go to “Professional Resources” to view current disciplinary data or to sign up to receive notification when new
actions are posted via the RSS Feed subscription service.
Name/license#/location Date of ac-tion
Cause of action Board action
ANNULMENTS
[None]
SUMMARY SUSPENSIONS
BLACK, Laura Ann, MD
(009701305) Charlotte, NC
12/20/2012 MD saw as many as 60 patients a day and wrote pre-scriptions
for controlled substances for many of them
while working at a clinic whose physician owner was
serving an indefinite license suspension. MD was
unaware of the suspension. MD's care of patients fell
below accepted and prevailing standards.
MD's license is suspended for
one year, stayed all but 30
days, which shall be served
in two 15 day increments
(12/21/12 to 1/4/2013 and
2/17/13 to 3/3/13).
CADE, Jerry David, MD
(000019787) Spruce Pine, NC
12/12/2012 History of substance abuse/alcohol dependency; MD
admitted taking Ambien that he obtained over the
Internet without a prescription; he admitted that he
had drunk alcohol in violation of his NCPHP contract.
Indefinite suspension
CASSIDY, John Francis, PA
(000103164) Raleigh, NC
01/17/2013 PA had an inappropriate relationship with a patient.
PA inappropriately prescribed controlled substances
to this patient, even after she was no longer a patient
of the practice. Prescriptions were not documented.
PA's license is indefinitely
suspended; PA may not apply
for reinstatement for one year
from the date of this order.
FENN, James David, MD
(201000133) Moyock, NC
11/07/2012 October 2011 arrest for DWI; January 2012 ar-rest
for assault on a female; Failure to report for
treatment for alcohol dependence.
Indefinite suspension; MD may
not apply for reinstatement un-til
his meets certain conditions,
FREDE, James Richard, MD
(201001726) Kahului, HI
11/14/2012 MD entered into a consent order with the Illinois
Board that indefinitely suspended MD's license
because he issued prescriptions over the Internet.
Indefinite suspension
MUNCHING, Aaron Albert, PA
(001000016) Raleigh, NC
01/30/2013 History of cognitive dysfunction. PA also relapsed
and drank alcohol and took Vicodin.
Indefinite suspension
VANSTORY, Ashley Nowlan, PA
(001001770) High Point, NC
11/29/2012 History of alcohol/substance abuse; Following a
dental procedure, PA was prescribed Norco for
pain. She was permitted by NCPHP to take the
medication for three days. PA continued to take
the medication in violation of her NCPHP contract.
Indefinite suspension
WEISS, Allen Charles, MD
(000031404) Milford, DE
01/11/2013 MD's Delaware license was suspended based on
unprofessional conduct, including: failure to appropri-ately
prescribe controlled substances, failure to docu-ment
patient care, bizarre behavior, verbal abuse of
patients/pharmacists and physical abuse of a patient.
Indefinite suspension
ZIMMERMAN, Mark Woodrow, MD
(09401104) Raleigh, NC
11/19/2012 History of alcohol dependence; MD self-report-ed
that he relapsed in July 2012
Indefinite suspension
PROBATIONS
[None]
RE PRIMANDS
ALEX, Vicki May, PA
(000102576) Taylorsville, NC
12/18/2012 PA engaged in an inappropriate relationship and
inappropriate prescribing with Patient A and his
wife, Patient B. PA prescribed narcotic controlled
substances to Patients A and B, while engaging in a
sexual relationship with Patient A.
Reprimand; Simultaneously,
PA’s license is suspended for
120 days but immediately
stayed.
DRISCOLL, William Barry, MD
(200200022) Charlotte, NC
01/03/2013 MD prescribed controlled substances to himself and
to his wife, in violation of the Board's position state-ment
and corresponding administrative rules.
Reprimand
DISCIPLINARY REPORT
FORUM | Spring 2013 13
Name/license#/location Date of action Cause of action Board action
EAKINS, Darrin Franklin, MD
(009800521) Steamboat Springs, CO
01/11/2013 MD was arrested/charged with unauthorized use of a
motor vehicle and larceny. He also took property from
his neighbor, resulting in additional charges of posses-sion
of stolen goods and breaking and entering. MD
was convicted and placed on probation for 36 months.
Reprimand
KIRSCH, Melvin Lee, MD
(000019757) Winston-Salem, NC
12/06/2012 MD was arrested and charged with misdemeanor
offenses arising out of a confrontation with an indi-vidual
who accused MD of keying her car. MD failed
to report the arrest on his 2011 license renewal. MD
failed to file/pay NC income and withholding taxes
from 2004-2009 and NC withholding tax for his em-ployees'
wages during each quarter of tax year 2009.
Reprimand
REDDY, Ravi Kanth T., MD
(200000121) Winston-Salem, NC
12/20/2013 MD's privileges to perform Endoscopic Retrograde
Cholangiopancreatography were summarily sus-pended
as a result of an adverse perforation event. A
Board review determined that aspects of the care MD
provided failed to conform to accepted standards.
Reprimand; MD must
provide Board with detailed
Delineation of Privileges for
each institution where MD
holds privileges.
SONYIKA, Chionesu, MD
(200700334) Griffin, GA
12/19/2012 MD failed to correctly answer two questions on
his application for reinstatement.
MD's NC license is reinstated
with a reprimand, $1,500 fine.
STATON, Tara Mills, MD
(200301083) Goldsboro, NC
11/07/2012 MD treated a patient who was thought to have
had either syncope or a seizure associated with a
motor vehicle collision and right wrist fracture. MD
administered a rapid escalation of opiate regimen
that a medical expert opined decreased the patient's
respiratory drive and led to cardiorespiratory collapse,
subsequent irreversible neurologic damage and death.
Reprimand; within six months
of the date of the order, MD
must complete a Board-approved
CME course in
prescribing
SWEENY, Mark Anthony, MD
(009900695) Decatur, AL
11/16/2012 MD entered into a consent order with the Alabama
Board that reprimanded MD, fined him and required
him to complete 25 credits of CME. The order was
based on MD's false certification that he had met
CME requirements needed to renew his AL license.
Reprimand
DENIALS OF LICENSE/APPROVAL
SURE NDER S
CASSIDY, John Francis, PA
(000103164) Raleigh, NC
12/06/2012 Voluntary surrender of PA
license
HOOVER, Michael Shane, MD
(200800507) Goldsboro, NC
01/09/2013 Voluntary surrender of
medical license
MAYES, Kate Barrett, MD
(201201391) Aiken, SC
11/29/2012 Voluntary surrender of
medical license
RICE, Philip Scott, MD
(000031367) Morehead City, NC
01/14/2013 Voluntary surrender of
medical license
PUBLIC LETTER S OF CONCER N
ANDERSON, Jeffery Stuart, MD
(000039759) Morehead City, NC
12/04/2012 The Board is concerned that MD's care of a
63-year-old patient with penicillin and sulfa al-lergies
may have failed to conform to acceptable
and prevailing standards of medical practice.
Public letter of concern; MD
is required to attend CME in
evaluation and management
of bite wounds.
BOYER, Kevin Louis, MD
(200500165) Bradenton, FL
11/13/2012 MD entered into a settlement agreement with the
Florida Board related to allegations of practicing
below standards on a patient who presented with
complaints of paralysis and immobility in his legs.
Public letter of concern
BROOKS, Chad Montgomery, PA
(000104187) Memphis, TN
11/19/2012 PA's treatment of a 26-year-old diabetic female who
presented in the ER with complaints of dizziness,
fainting, chest pain, failed to meet accepted standards.
Public letter of concern; PA
must complete appropriate
CME courses.
CABORN, David Neil M., MD
(000028401) Louisville, KY
11/19/2012 The Board is concerned that MD's care of a patient
who presented to his office with a history of chronic
right knee pain may have failed to conform to ac-cepted
standards.
Public letter of concern
CHAKNIS, Manuel John, MD
(201300105) Atlanta, GA
01/23/2013 MD provided an incorrect answer on his applica-tion
for a NC medical license.
Public letter of concern;
$1,000 administrative fine
DISCIPLINARY REPORT
Name/license#/location Date of action Cause of action Board action
DAVE, Sharda Kiran, MD
(201202429) Flushing, NY
12/31/2012 MD entered into a consent order with the New
York Board related to charges that he provided
improper anesthesia care and falsified the
patient's medical records.
NC medical license issued, with
a public letter of concern
EASON, Ernest Bernard, MD
(000026815) Burlington, NC
12/13/2012 The Board is concerned that MD's care of a pa-tient
who was hospitalized for decompensated
cardiomyopathy may have failed to conform to
accepted and prevailing standards of care.
Public letter of concern
HOFFMAN, Stanley David, MD
(200000825) Denver, NC
12/14/2012 MD prescribed medications to himself and his
family members in conflict with the Board's
position on treating self/family.
Public letter of concern
HUFFMAN, Robert Allen, NP
(000200993) Whiteville, NC
01/11/2013 While restricted by consent order from prescrib-ing
controlled substances, NP authorized nine
prescriptions for Bontril and two prescriptions
for testosterone, both of which are schedule II
drugs. The Board is concerned that NP relied
too early and primarily on drug therapy.
Public letter of concern; must
complete CME in medical man-agement
of obesity; $1,000 fine
for violation of consent order
JREISAT, Khalid Farid, MD
(000027377) Jacksonville, NC
12/06/2012 MD self-prescribed testosterone, a controlled
substance, in conflict with the Board's position
statement and related administrative rules.
Public letter of concern
OVERCASH, William Todd, MD
(000038275) Williston, FL
01/22/2013 MD was issued a letter of concern by the Florida
Board for complications arising out of two gas-tric
sleeve bypass procedures MD performed.
Public letter of concern
PATTERSON, Dwayne Edward, MD
(009700702) Raleigh, NC
11/27/2012 MD's care of a 77-year-old patient who pre-sented
with a history of back surgeries and
chronic lower back pain may have failed to
conform to accepted standards.
Public letter of concern
POWELL, Eddie Nelson, MD
(000023962) Roseboro, NC
12/13/2012 MD failed to complete an assessment in the
time and manner ordered by the Board.
Public letter of concern
PURCELL, Craig Sumner, PA
(000102990) Pinehurst, NC
01/23/2013 PA allowed a nurse to sign his name to prescrip-tions,
and may have missed some early signs that
a patient was abusing or diverting medications.
Public letter of concern
SCHWARTZ, Jay Harris, MD
(201202287) Philadelphia, PA
12/03/2012 MD entered into a consent order with the New
Jersey Board wherein he voluntarily surrendered
his license due to issues involving substance abuse.
Public letter of concern
SHUCK, Linda Michele, DO
(200500550) Elkin, NC
01/22/2013 DO prescribed a controlled substance to a close
family member for weight loss purposes, which is in
violation of the Board's position statement and related
administrative rules on self/family treatment.
Public letter of concern
WEEMS, Larry Bryan, MD
(009300367) Huntersville, NC
11/29/2012 MD prescribed for himself and for a person with
whom he has a significant emotional relationship.
He failed to keep a medical record for any of the
prescriptions. It is a violation of the Board’s posi-tion
statement and related administrative rules.
Public letter of concern
MISCELLANEOUS ACTIONS
PARIKH, Himanshu Pravinchandra, MD
(009600671) Cary, NC
12/06/2012 MD is relieved of certain obliga-tions
stated in his 4/2012 consent
order. He is relieved of the require-ment
to obtain work-site approval
from the Board president and to
use a workplace monitor.
WESTRA, Donald Freeman, Jr., MD
(000023891) Bradenton, FL
12/13/2012 MD allegedly engaged in a romantic relationship with
a patient. MD acknowledges that he and the patient
met outside of practice hours to discuss their business
relationship but contends that there was no romantic
relationship. MD did prescribe Adipex, a weight loss
medication, and other non-controlled medications for
this patient, without a physical exam/medical records.
The Board accepts MD's making
license inactive.
METHVEN, George Duncan, MD
(201300112) El Dorado Springs, MO
01/24/2013 History of alcohol abuse, history alleged domestic
assault, alleged sexual misconduct with a patient;
MD enrolled in a treatment program for physi-cians
for anger management, alcohol abuse and
sexual boundary issues.
MD shall be issued a license; MD
shall maintain a contract with
NCPHP and abide by all terms
and conditions.
I
FORUM | Spring 2013 15
DISCIPLINARY REPORT
Name/license#/location Date of action Cause of action Board action
OENBRINK, Raymond Joseph, DO
(200901584) High Point, NC
01/04/2013 DO has a medical condition that, left untreat-ed,
affects his ability to practice medicine.
DO agrees not to practice clini-cal
medicine or perform any
activities that require a license
to practice medicine under the
terms of this order. Agrees to
refrain from consuming mind
or mood-altering substances.
CONSENT ORDER S AMENDED
[None]
TEMPORARY /DATED LICENSES: ISSUED, EXTENDED, EXPIRE D, OR RE PLACED BY FULL LICENSES
BOOK, Roy DeWayne, MD
(009701700) Greensboro, NC
01/17/2013 Temporary medical license is-sued
to expire 01/31/2014
DUNN, Lawrence Anthony, MD
(000030018) Durham, NC
11/15/2012 MD's temporary license is ex-tended;
Expires 11/30/2013
EARLA, Janaki Ram Prasad, MD
(200701202) Hoover, AL
01/17/2013 Temporary medical license
made full and unrestricted
EVANS, Michael Allen, MD
(200001370) Smithfield, NC
01/30/2013 Prior history of substance abuse; MD has
successfully completed inpatient treatment.
MD is issued a temporary
license to expire on 07/31/2013
KAOUD, Hany Aziz, MD
(200901680) Greenville, NC
12/06/2012 History of substance abuse; MD's license was
indefinitely suspended 8/22/2012. MD has
successfully completed inpatient treatment.
MD is issued a temporary
license ; Expires May 31, 2013
LOGAN, Melissa Sims, MD
(201202224) Shelby, NC
12/12/2012 MD is issued a temporary
license; Expires 05/31/2013
LONG, Scott David, PA
(000103319) Burlington, NC
01/17/2013 Temporary PA license issued to
expire 07/31/2013
MCANALLEN, Terry Joseph, DO
(200301013) Henderson, NV
01/17/2013 MD's temporary license is
made full and unrestricted.
MOORE, Michael Christopher, DO
(009701826) Cary, NC
01/28/2013 History of alcohol abuse/dependence. MD is issued a temporary li-cense
to expire on 07/31/2013.
MD shall abide by the terms of
his NCPHP contract.
OLIVER, Joseph Andrew, III,
(009501366) Rockwell, NC
01/18/2013 Temporary license issued to
expire 01/31/2014
PARIKH, Himanshu Pravinchandra,
MD (009600671) Cary, NC
11/15/2012 MD's temporary license is
made full and unrestricted.
SMITH, Bryan Dorsey, MD
(200201531) Pinehurst, NC
01/17/2013 MD’s temporary license issued
to expire 01/31/2014
YOUNG, Sarah Wistran, MD
(200801889) West End, NC
01/17/2013 MD's temporary license is
made full and unrestricted.
COURT APPEALS/STAYS
[None]
DISMISSALS
[None]
The NCMB issues non-disciplinary administrative fines in certain cases where incorrect and/or incomplete information on a medical licens-ing
application causes Board staff to spend an inordinate amount of time resolving the issue(s),
Date Reason Amount
12/28/2012 Failed to provide accurate information on NC license application. $500.00
12/28/2012 Provided an incorrect response on application for NC medical license. $1,000.00
12/28/2012 Failed to provide accurate information on NC license application. $500.00
12/28/2012 Failed to provide accurate information on NC license application. $500.00
12/28/2013 Provided an incorrect response on application for NC medical license. $1,000.00
FINES
Three physician members of the NC Medical Board will complete their
second and final terms this year. The independent panel that nominates can-didates
for the Board is now seeking physicians to fill these seats, for terms
beginning Nov. 1. Are you interested in serving the public and the medical
profession in this challenging, dynamic role? Do you know someone who
might be?
Candidates must have an active North Carolina medical license and must be
practicing clinical medicine at least part time. Candidates must have no history
of public discipline for the past 10 years. Candidates should also be aware that
serving on the Board requires a significant commitment of time and possess
both the ability and willingness to dedicate this level of service.
The process established by state law (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-2 and 90-3) re-quires
anyone interested in serving on the Board to apply though the Review
Panel for the NC Medical Board. This body screens applicants, conducts interviews, and makes recommendations to the
Governor, who then makes appointments to the Board. The Medical Board is not involved in the review of applications
or the selection of nominees.
Applications must be submitted by close of business on Monday, July 1. All qualified applicants will be invited to
participate in a face-to-face interview with the Review Panel on August 24 & 25, 2013, at the Hampton Inn & Suites in
Cary, NC.
North Carolina Medical Board
1203 Front Street
Raleigh, NC 27609
Prsrt Std
US Postage
PAID
Permit No. 1486
Raleigh, NC
EXAMINATIONS
Residents Please Note USMLE Information
United States Medical Licensing Examination
Computer-based testing for Step 3 is available on a daily basis. Applications are available on the
Federation of State Medical Board’s Web site at www.fsmb.org.
Special Purpose Examination (SPEX)
The Special Purpose Examination (or SPEX) of the Federation of State Medical Boards of the
United States is available year-round. For additional information, contact the Federation of
State Medical Boards at PO Box 619850, Dallas, TX 75261-9850, or telephone (817) 868-4000.
BOARD ME TING DATES
May 15-17, 2013 (Full Board)
June 20-21, 2013 (Hearings)
July 17-19, 2013 (Full Board)
August 22-23, 2013 (Hearings)
Meeting agendas, minutes and a
full list of meeting dates can be
found on the Board’s website
ncmedboard.org
Visit the Board’s website at www.ncmedboard.org to change your address online. The Board requests all licensees maintain a current
address on file with the Board office. Changes of address should be submitted to the Board within 30 days of a move.
Apply no later than July 1 to serve on the NCMB
Apl y onlin e
Access the Board Member
application online:
www.ncmedboardreviewpanel.com
For more information:
Dave Feild
Administrator for the Review Panel
919-861-4533