Florida Disciplining Docs For Unlicensed Procedures

The Florida Board of Medicine, a division of the state health department, has begun disciplining physicians who are performing cosmetic procedures without sufficient training or who are allowing untrained assistants to do so.

In early August, the Board recommended that a Tampa physician who allowed unlicensed assistants to perform liposuction should have his license suspended for one year, and pay a $50,000 fine.

According to a story in the St. Petersburg Times, the physician was a family practitioner who had taken a 3-day course in cosmetic procedures.  He had been performing liposuction since mid-2009 and had no issues until a complaint from one patient, who alleged that the two unlicensed assistants had performed the procedure, not the physician.

The doctor’s license is suspended immediately, but he has the opportunity to seek a trial with an administrative law judge.

The American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery issued a statement praising the Florida Board for having acted, and said it was the second time recently that the group had disciplined a physician for inadequate training.  “Allowing unlicensed or unqualified personnel to perform this type of surgical procedure is a serious breach of patient safety,” said Dr. Felmont F. Eaves, III, ASAPS president, in a statement.

The Florida Board of Medicine, a division of the state health department, has begun disciplining physicians who are performing cosmetic procedures without sufficient training or who are allowing untrained assistants to do so.

In early August, the Board recommended that a Tampa physician who allowed unlicensed assistants to perform liposuction should have his license suspended for one year, and pay a $50,000 fine.

According to a story in the St. Petersburg Times, the physician was a family practitioner who had taken a 3-day course in cosmetic procedures.  He had been performing liposuction since mid-2009 and had no issues until a complaint from one patient, who alleged that the two unlicensed assistants had performed the procedure, not the physician.

The doctor’s license is suspended immediately, but he has the opportunity to seek a trial with an administrative law judge.

The American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery issued a statement praising the Florida Board for having acted, and said it was the second time recently that the group had disciplined a physician for inadequate training.  “Allowing unlicensed or unqualified personnel to perform this type of surgical procedure is a serious breach of patient safety,” said Dr. Felmont F. Eaves, III, ASAPS president, in a statement.

The Florida Board of Medicine, a division of the state health department, has begun disciplining physicians who are performing cosmetic procedures without sufficient training or who are allowing untrained assistants to do so.

In early August, the Board recommended that a Tampa physician who allowed unlicensed assistants to perform liposuction should have his license suspended for one year, and pay a $50,000 fine.

According to a story in the St. Petersburg Times, the physician was a family practitioner who had taken a 3-day course in cosmetic procedures.  He had been performing liposuction since mid-2009 and had no issues until a complaint from one patient, who alleged that the two unlicensed assistants had performed the procedure, not the physician.

The doctor’s license is suspended immediately, but he has the opportunity to seek a trial with an administrative law judge.

The American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery issued a statement praising the Florida Board for having acted, and said it was the second time recently that the group had disciplined a physician for inadequate training.  “Allowing unlicensed or unqualified personnel to perform this type of surgical procedure is a serious breach of patient safety,” said Dr. Felmont F. Eaves, III, ASAPS president, in a statement.