Category Archives: Professional Licensing Cases
Health Care – Should Your Doctor Decide?
In years past, a doctor had the authority and power to decide what treatment and/or modality was appropriate. Each health care provider chose the remedy, relief &/or intervention based upon the following: (1) a specific diagnosis; (2) a tentative diagnosis [provisional]; &/or (3) a differential diagnosis [generally, that which relates to multiple conditions or causes … Read More
New Legislation Would Expand Practice Powers for Pharmacists
The proposed legislation is intended to fill the gap in the number of physicians who are available to care for and treat the burgeoning amount patients in California. Whether as a result of Obama care &/or the growing population of older citizens, there is pressure on the government to broaden the scope of practice … Read More
New legislation would help fight prescription drug abuse
The abuse of prescription drugs is a growing problem. Three bills, which still need to be signed by Governor Jerry Brown, will help to prosecute doctors who prescribe pills recklessly. One bill, for example, will require coroners to report death by overdoses on prescription drugs to the medical board, who then can connect those to … Read More
Elder abuse is rarely investigated
Elder abuse and sexual assault are rarely investigated at assisted living homes in California. There are about 12,000 complaints each year, but members of law enforcement have referred only 82 to state prosecutors as cases since 2002. This raises serious issues concerning the integrity of the Department of Social Services and their regulatory system. At the … Read More
Day care closed after 2-year-old sickened by marijuana
Roubena Hartounian was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment and neglect at her day-care center, Bina’s Family Child Care, after a 2-year-old under her care was hospitalized for being under the influence of marijuana. City officials discovered that the residential day-care had no power, and there were rat droppings scattered inside. The police turned away … Read More
CA Supreme Court ruled that unlicensed school employees can give insulin injections
Commentary by Sam Spital, California State Board License and Criminal Defense Attorney It strains credulity to believe the Supreme Court declared that California law permits unlicensed employees to give insulin injections, albeit pursuant to a doctor’s order. It is a slippery slope and this opens the door to even more situations in which the training and … Read More
Proposal would give benefits to same-sex military spouses
A new proposal could give housing, health care, and other benefits to same-sex spouses of military members by the end of August. The department would also give up to 10 days of leave to personnel so they could travel to a state where they could legally marry. It is fortunate that the military is now … Read More
California officials review rehab centers after reports of fraud
Officials in California are conducting a statewide review of drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers after reports of fraud surfaced. CNN and The Center for Investigative Reporting released joints reports stating that some rehab clinics have billed the state for patients who don’t show up, or for patients with no substance abuse problems. It is distressing when … Read More
Four child welfare workers will be fired after death of boy
Los Angeles county officials say that four child welfare workers were negligent and guilty of many missteps in a case involving an 8-year-old boy named Gabriel Fernandez. As a result of their lapses, the boy died. The four workers have received letters informing them that they will be fired. Fernandez died in May. He was … Read More
Nevada state psychiatric hospital to lose accreditation
A Nevada state psychiatric hospital is being stripped of its accreditation, but is choosing not to appeal. It seems a conundrum here: The hospital loses its accreditation and that means they will not be paid by the government, patients will have to be released, transferred to another facility if available and/or others will not be admitted until they … Read More