Doctor failed to diagnose fatal illnesses, lied on applications

It seems like a safe assumption that if a doctor has passed the MCAT, completed both medical school and residencies and met the other licensing requirements that he or she is qualified to care for patients. Sadly, that is not always the case and patients may receive substandard care in Pittsburgh, PA or any other state in the U.S.

A doctor with a history of incompetence was recently convicted of fraud for lying about his qualifications on licensing and employment applications. He falsely stated that he earned his medical degree in four years, the amount of time it typically takes doctors, when it actually took him nine years. Upon receiving his degree, it took him another seven years to obtain his medical license. He practiced at different hospitals and medical centers in New York and Michigan until his license was finally revoked by the Health Department. During the few short months that the man practiced emergency room medicine at one hospital, complaints were filed regarding his performance; two of which were failure to diagnose fatal illnesses. He was also cited substandard treatment of an additional seven patients. At a New York hospital, the man was accused of gross negligence for his care of five patients. There, he also treated a 5-year-old who later died; a wrongful death suit is now pending in civil court. In the federal criminal justice system, he was sentenced to spend 2 years in prison for his fraudulent actions to obtain employment.

While this particular man never practiced in Pittsburgh, patient care issues can arise in any hospital. Those who believe that have lost a loved one because of a negligent physician or others who received delayed treatment because of a failure to diagnose may want to speak with an attorney regarding your legal options.

Source: Livingston County News, “Former Livingston doctor sentenced for fraud,” Ben Beagle, Oct. 30, 2013.