Dialogue Volume 10 Issue 2 2014 | Page 52

DISCIPLINE SUMMARIES i)  nappropriate management of a patient’s migraine I with sedatives; j) Inadequate management of anemia;  k)  mproper concurrent prescription of fosinopril and I Altace; l)  mproper prescription of Novahistex for a child of less I than 12 years old; m)  ailure to follow up on an abnormal ultrasound reF sult noting fatty liver and borderline splenomegaly; n)  ailure to follow up on a fasting glucose result at the F diabetic level of 8.3; o)  ailure to record a patient’s asthmatic status in the F Cumulative Patient Profile, and failure to intervene in the contraindicated prescription of beta blockers by a specialist for this patient; and p)  mproper prescription of Celebrex for a hypertensive I patient. Reasons for Penalty Counsel for the College and counsel for the member made a joint submission as to an appropriate penalty and costs order that was accepted by the Committee. An Agreed Statement of Facts on Penalty was filed. Dr. Wassermann’s misconduct involved a large number of patients and he did expose his patients to harm. Patients need access to their health information in a timely manner. The Agreed Statement of Facts indicates that this lack of timely correspondence related to personal problems, which Dr. Wassermann continues to work on improving. The Committee is hopeful that his progress will continue. The chart review of the Registrar’s investigation revealed a failure to maintain the standard of practice in his care and treatment of all the patients under review. In particular, there was substandard record-keeping in all the charts. Dr. Wassermann admitted to a failure to maintain the standard of practice in many areas, including, but not limited to, prescription of medications without adequate documentation of a rationale for same; inappropriate management of migraine and anemia; and inadequate follow-up of abnormal test results. These inadequacies are serious. The Committee found the proposed penalty to be 52 DIALOGUE • Issue 2, 2014 appropriate. The penalty is very stringent with multiple safeguards in the form of quarterly reports by reporting director(s), approved by the College, at each location at which Dr. Wassermann practises. In addition, the penalty includes a six month preceptorship with a College acceptable preceptor, who will conduct monthly reviews of 25 charts a month, followed by a further six months of monthly reviews of 10 charts a month. Additionally, a comprehensive practice assessment will follow the 12 months of preceptorship. Dr. Wassermann will also be subject to the College’s policy on re-entering practice, as he has been out of practice since June 2010. Dr. Wassermann shall abide by any and all recommendations of his reporting director(s), the preceptor(s), the Physician Health Program (PHP), and the assessors. The Committee is reassured that the public will be protected by these safeguards. The penalty includes a public reprimand which will serve to not only express to Dr. Wassermann the Committee’s abhorrence of his misconduct but also relay to the membership at large that such substandard patient care will not be tolerated. The Committee is reassured that these deficiencies occurred at a time when Dr. Wassermann was suffering from significant personal difficulties; he ceased to practise in a timely fashion and engaged in the PHP for assistance. The Committee is pleased with Dr. Wassermann’s involvement and improvement in the PHP and commends him on his commitment to continued health. Other mitigating factors include Dr. Wassermann’s cooperation with the discipline process, his voluntary completion of the Family Practice Review Program and the lack of any previous discipline findings. The Committee has discretion to award costs in cases it finds suitable. The tariff rate proposed assists in indemnifying the College for its costs of a one day hearing. This is an appropriate case for such an order, and the Committee orders Dr. Wassermann to pay $3,650 toward the College’s costs for this one day. Order The Committee ordered and directed that: 1.  r. Wassermann attend before this panel to be repriD manded.