During their courses of normal duty, Pennsylvania psychiatrists often treat patients who, for one reason or other, benefit from taking prescription drugs. It is no secret that controlled substances are often highly addictive, which is why doctor supervision is so important to patient safety. A licensing board in another state says a psychiatrist failed in his obligation to carefully oversee patients for whom he had prescribed such drugs.
The doctor in question worked at a private practice on Saturdays in his community. The Office of the Attorney General in that state has announced that the doctor is one of two licensed professionals who are being suspended. For the next two years, this doctor’s patients will have to seek treatment elsewhere, as he has been forbidden to practice or prescribed controlled substances during that time.
The psychiatrist has also been permanently barred from practicing by himself. The allegations against him state that he failed to properly screen his patients or to establish medical need when prescribing drugs. Many of his patients reportedly became dependent on opioids, and the doctor is also accused of failing to monitor their conditions.
When a Pennsylvania licensing board suspends a psychiatrist’s, nurse’s or physician’s practicing privileges, it typically has immediate and far-reaching negative consequences in that person’s life. Personal reputation is a critical factor when it comes to a successful medical career. The sooner a suspended professional is able to present a strong defense, the better, which is why most people seek legal support when their professional behavior has been called into question.