Seattle Times: Pain doctor faces lifetime restrictions

[drusso]

In wake of deaths, Seattle-area pain doctor agrees to face a lifetime of restrictions

“Along with his suspension and lifetime restrictions on his ability to prescribe, Li faces a lifetime prohibition from hiring or directing anyone to prescribe opioids and a 10-year prohibition from owning or leading a pain-management practice, among other limitations. He also must submit to practice reviews by the Medical Commission.“

Should Dr. Li be the test case for Trump’s death penalty for drug dealers?

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[bedrock]

In wake of deaths, Seattle-area pain doctor agrees to face a lifetime of restrictions

“Along with his suspension and lifetime restrictions on his ability to prescribe, Li faces a lifetime prohibition from hiring or directing anyone to prescribe opioids and a 10-year prohibition from owning or leading a pain-management practice, among other limitations. He also must submit to practice reviews by the Medical Commission.“

Should Dr. Li be the test case for Trump’s death penalty for drug dealers?

He should lose his license permanently and get jail time.

 

[deleted185747]

He should lose his license permanently and get jail time.

I disagree with being so harsh. Personally I don’t have enough information, maybe you do though.

 

[FollowTheMoney]

The real question is where do you draw the line? Pain is a subjective experience for people, many patients have legitimate pain and some patients fabricate pain in order to obtain drugs. If you deny pain medication to a legitimate patient, they could potentially sue you for pain and suffering. If you prescribe medication to a patient and they overdose, they can now hold you accountable. This is a catch 22 situation where the only way you will be safe is to run a non-opioid based practice. Pain medicine is getting to be a very dangerous field for practitioners because many are getting prison sentences, being charged with manslaughter, and losing their medical license.

 

[Aether2000]

The number of people that have had medical board actions against them or have been sued due to overprescribing opioids compared with underprescribing opioids is enormous. I am aware of two cases of underprescribing nationwide that resulted in sanctioning of physicians, but thousands of cases where there was overprescribing. If I had to err on the safe side, I would go with the statistics.

 

[hyperalgesia]

In wake of deaths, Seattle-area pain doctor agrees to face a lifetime of restrictions

“Along with his suspension and lifetime restrictions on his ability to prescribe, Li faces a lifetime prohibition from hiring or directing anyone to prescribe opioids and a 10-year prohibition from owning or leading a pain-management practice, among other limitations. He also must submit to practice reviews by the Medical Commission.“

Should Dr. Li be the test case for Trump’s death penalty for drug dealers?

We should eliminate the threat this doc poses to society, which IMO is minimal. Are you afraid of him? Is he a threat to you or your family?

This talk about hanging people in a public square to make an example of them is scary. We should do the least costly thing that removes the threat.

 

[bedrock]

I disagree with being so harsh. Personally I don’t have enough information, maybe you do though.

This guy ran a pill mill. Everyone other pain doc in Seattle knew it.

We should eliminate the threat this doc poses to society, which IMO is minimal. Are you afraid of him? Is he a threat to you or your family?

This talk about hanging people in a public square to make an example of them is scary. We should do the least costly thing that removes the threat.

His threat to society is him with a medical license. He ran an extensive pill mill that led to 16 deaths.

I’d say that this idiot with a medical license is a threat to society.

 

[anbuitachi]

This guy ran a pill mill. Everyone other pain doc in Seattle knew it.

Different fro


His threat to society is him with a medical license. He ran an extensive pill mill that led to 16 deaths.

I’d say that this idiot with a medical license is a threat to society.

if he did run a pill mill, the punishment hes getting is not harsh at all. he probably still end up with a profit.

Though how can 1 doctor open 8 clinics and hire people with barely any experience? It doesn't sound like hes hiring physicians to run the other offices. He's getting random people off the street to see people in those offices?

 

[hyperalgesia]

This guy ran a pill mill. Everyone other pain doc in Seattle knew it.



His threat to society is him with a medical license. He ran an extensive pill mill that led to 16 deaths.

I’d say that this idiot with a medical license is a threat to society.

No argument from me whatsoever to restricting/removing a license if he's misusing it. I was responding to OP about the death penalty.

As far as jail time, in my city last week, a guy attacked a young girl on her lunch break with a box cutter. Slashed her up and almost killed her for no reason. He was a random homeless guy with something like 10 prior convictions including manslaughter. If we are this short on jail cells, please let the doc go with a restricted or no license and put this other guy in and throw away the key.

 

[bedrock]

No argument from me whatsoever to restricting/removing a license if he's misusing it. I was responding to OP about the death penalty.

As far as jail time, in my city last week, a guy attacked a young girl on her lunch break with a box cutter. Slashed her up and almost killed her for no reason. He was a random homeless guy with something like 10 prior convictions including manslaughter. If we are this short on jail cells, please let the doc go with a restricted or no license and put this other guy in and throw away the key.

Agree I’m on the fence re jail time for similar reasons.

But this guy should never be allowed to practice medicine in any capacity ever again.

 

[drusso]

We should do the least costly thing that removes the threat.

Most agree with you...

http://www.heraldnet.com/news/settlement-restricts-practice-of-former-pain-clinic-director/

"He’s also required to take a college-level class and write a paper of at least 2,000 words. The paper must focus on how Li “intends to apply what he learned in his practice, with a specific emphasis on principles of addiction and alternatives to long-term oral opioid therapy,” the settlement says. After completing a required course about controlled substance prescribing within the coming 12 months, the paper must be submitted within three months and include a bibliography."

 

[cowboydoc]

Most agree with you...

http://www.heraldnet.com/news/settlement-restricts-practice-of-former-pain-clinic-director/

"He’s also required to take a college-level class and write a paper of at least 2,000 words. The paper must focus on how Li “intends to apply what he learned in his practice, with a specific emphasis on principles of addiction and alternatives to long-term oral opioid therapy,” the settlement says. After completing a required course about controlled substance prescribing within the coming 12 months, the paper must be submitted within three months and include a bibliography."

Ooh a book report. That'll learn him. Tear up license... Threat neutralized.

 

[gaseous_clay]

I interviewed with this guy during fellowship. Thankfully I went in a different direction.

 

[Ligament]

At one time, he had roughly a 10:1 PA:MD staffing.

 

[drusso]

At one time, he had roughly a 10:1 PA:MD staffing.

Maybe in addition to the book report they make him do a couple work sheets on dividing and multiplying fractions...

 

[EruditeDoc]

I wonder how many patients die from incorrect prescribing of bp meds, insulin, etc from the PCPs...I am guessing not many...

 

[drpainfree]

I'm wondering if and where this guy did his fellowship in pain management

 

[Painted]

UCLA
https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/3151589/Frank-Li-Response.pdf

 

[SeniorWrangler]

It seems a little off that the clinic was shut down abruptly, all of his employees got in trouble, all of the patients had to scramble for care because nobody in the clinic was allowed to continue, and here he is getting off relatively lightly.