Friday, May 27, 2011

Mark "Castrate 'Em" Geier's License Suspended - Part 2

On April 27, 2011, as you may recall, Dr. Mark Geier's license to practice medicine in the state of Maryland was suspended (PDF). A hearing was scheduled, and on May 12, the MD Board of Physicians upheld its ruling (PDF). I had noted that in addition to his license in Maryland, Dr. Geier also has licenses in California, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, New Jersey, Virginia and Washington.

Well, another state has just suspended his license.

The Washington state Medical Quality Assurance Commission announced today, May 27, 2011 that, effective immediately, Dr. Geier's license to practice medicine for the state of Washington is suspended. The Statement of Charges lists as the basis for the suspension (bolding in original):

Respondent [Mark Geier] has committed unprofessional conduct in violation of RCW 18.130.180(5), which provides:

RCW 18.130.180 Unprofessional conduct. The following conduct, acts, or conditions constitute unprofessional conduct for any license holder...under [sic] the jurisdiction of this chapter:

(5) Suspension, revocation, or restriction of the individual's license to practice any health care profession by competent authority in any state, federal, or foreign jurisdiction, a certified copy of the order, stipulation, or agreement being conclusive evidence of the revocation, suspension, or restriction.

Dr. Geier has 20 days to respond and request a hearing. Given that Washington state law specifies that physicians whose licenses are suspended in any other state will also have their license suspended in Washington, I don't see him being able to get out of this one.

Taking a brief look at some of the other states in which Dr. Geier holds licenses, I found the following:
  • Florida - 458.331(1)(oo)(5) Being convicted of, or disciplined by a regulatory agency of the Federal Government or a regulatory agency of another state for, any offense that would constitute a violation of this chapter.
  • Hawaii - 453-8 Revocation, suspension, or other disciplinary action by another state or federal
    agency of a license, certificate, or medical privilege for reasons as provided in this
    section.
  • Illinois - 225.25(A)(12) Disciplinary action of another state or jurisdiction against a license or other authorization to practice as a medical doctor...a certified copy of the record of the action taken by the other state or jurisdiction being prima facie evidence thereof.
  • Kentucky - 311.595(17) Had his license to practice medicine or osteopathy in any other state, territory, or foreign nation revoked, suspended, restricted, or limited or has been subjected to other disciplinary action by the licensing authority thereof. This subsection shall not require relitigation of the disciplinary action.
  • Missouri - 334.100(8) Revocation, suspension, restriction, modification, limitation, reprimand, warning, censure, probation or other final disciplinary action against the holder of or applicant for a license or other right to practice any profession regulated by this chapter by another state, territory, federal agency or country, whether or not voluntarily agreed to by the licensee or applicant, including, but not limited to, the denial of licensure, surrender of the license, allowing the license to expire or lapse, or discontinuing or limiting the practice of medicine while subject to an investigation or while actually under investigation by any licensing authority, medical facility, branch of the armed forces of the United States of America, insurance company, court, agency of the state or federal government, or employer.
  • New Jersey - 45:9-19.16a Notwithstanding the provisions of section 8 of P.L.1978, c.73 (C.45:1-21) or any other law to the contrary, in any case in which it receives documentation demonstrating that a physician's authority to engage in the practice of medicine and surgery is revoked or is currently subject to a final or interim order of active suspension or other bar to clinical practice by any other state, agency or authority, the State Board of Medical Examiners shall immediately suspend the physician's license when the action of the other state, agency or authority is grounded on facts that demonstrate that continued practice would endanger or pose a risk to the public health or safety pending a determination of findings by the board. 
  • Virginia (Word document) - 54.1-2915(A) The Board may refuse to admit a candidate to any examination; refuse to issue a certificate or license to any applicant; reprimand any person; place any person on probation for such time as it may designate; suspend any license for a stated period of time or indefinitely; or revoke any license for any of the following acts of unprofessional conduct:
    • (5) Restriction of a license to practice a branch of the healing arts in another state, the District of Columbia, a United States possession or territory, or a foreign jurisdiction.
It appears that all of the other states in which Dr. Geiers is licensed have laws similar to those of Washington, with the exception of California and Indiana. The latter two states may have similar laws, but I was unable to locate the pertinent sections.

In sum, it looks like Dr. Geier is likely to lose his license in every state listed above. Maryland was the first in a line of dominoes to be tipped over.
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