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         1        BEFORE THE NEVADA STATE BOARD OF MEDICAL EXAMINERS

 

         2                             --oOo--

 

         3  

 

         4  

            

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         6  

            

         7  

            

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         9  

            

        10                                

 

        11                                

 

        12                                

 

        13                    TRANSCRIPT OF PROCEEDINGS

 

        14                             MEETING

 

        15                       September 7th, 2002

 

        16                           Reno, Nevada

 

        17  

 

        18  

 

        19  

 

        20  

 

        21  

 

        22  

 

        23  

            

        24  

            

        25   Reported by:                  STEPHANIE KOETTING, CCR #207

                                           Computer-aided Transcription

 

 

 

                         DISCOVERY REPORTING  (775) 329-3500


 

 

 

 

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         1    DATED: At Reno, Nevada, Saturday, September 7th, 8:30 a.m.

 

         2                             --oOo--

 

         3  

 

         4             DR. HUG-ENGLISH:  We'll call this continuation of

 

         5   the Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners back to order. 

 

         6   And we left off, we got such a lot accomplished last night,

 

         7   so I think we will go back to agenda item number four,

 

         8   which is consideration of request by Steven Kessinger -- we

 

         9   did four.  I apologize.

 

        10             MR. LESSLY:  Go to nine and let Mike proceed with

 

        11   his report.

 

        12             DR. HUG-ENGLISH:  That's the one.  Okay.  To

 

        13   agenda item number nine, my apologies, and do we have

 

        14   Michael?

 

        15             MR. GARCIA:  Yes, good morning.  Actually, as a

 

        16   representative of our committee, we do not have a formal

 

        17   report at this time.  The agenda items we worked on were

 

        18   basically handled by Steven and you all met yesterday

 

        19   afternoon.  I might ask were the programs approved and were

 

        20   the lists approved that we submitted?

 

        21             DR. HUG-ENGLISH:  Yes.

 

        22             MR. GARCIA:  Wonderful.  I'll return to our

 

        23   constituency with our report.

 

        24             DR. HUG-ENGLISH:  I think the only other item

 

        25   under number nine was the investigative report.

 

 

 

 

                         DISCOVERY REPORTING  (775) 329-3500


 

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         1             DR. STEWART:  We had a small meeting this morning

 

         2   and what we did will appear on the next -- pass around the

 

         3   list of closed cases, people we reviewed.  And I think

 

         4   there are three or four that we have more work to do.  And

 

         5   then we will have a telephone conference to decide what's

 

         6   going to be there.  There was some cases that we really

 

         7   looked at and we looked at and decided that we could not

 

         8   file, we didn't have the ability to get someone to come

 

         9   testify, so we closed that.

 

        10             DR. HUG-ENGLISH:  What does that mean? 

 

        11             DR. STEWART:  It's a he said, she said kind of

 

        12   issue and the he is somewhere in the eastern part of the

 

        13   United States and will not respond to the investigator's

 

        14   request.  On the 7th of August, we had a meeting in Las

 

        15   Vegas.  The cases that are listed there, close to two and a

 

        16   half pages, we did all in August.  So far we've had two

 

        17   meetings in an attempt to get through the really mammoth

 

        18   workload that we're getting now.

 

        19             DR. HUG-ENGLISH:  Okay.  The list of cases that

 

        20   have been closed is circulated and I want to thank the IC

 

        21   for all their work.  It truly is a tremendous amount of

 

        22   time and effort to be on that committee and go through

 

        23   those cases.  So thank you all for all of your time and

 

        24   effort on those.

 

        25             And I guess we'll wait until this circulates for

 

 

 

 

                         DISCOVERY REPORTING  (775) 329-3500


 

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         1   approval till everyone has seen it.  After people have had

 

         2   a chance to look at it, let me know, and I'll need a

 

         3   motion.

 

         4             DR. MONTOYA:  While we're at a lull here,

 

         5   something that the three of us on the investigative

 

         6   committee, and we were talking last night, is that maybe if

 

         7   our legal counsel could come up with some other remedies

 

         8   that we could use to let doctors know we're thinking about

 

 

         9   them instead of just -- instead of having to file on

 

        10   everybody.  Something that doesn't raise up to a level

 

        11   where we want to jerk their ticket.

 

        12             MR. LESSLY:  A serious Christmas card.

 

        13             DR. MONTOYA:  Something like that:  Oh, you're

 

        14   busted.  We think there has to be some way that all the

 

        15   minds in this room can come up with something.

 

        16             MR. LESSLY:  We can do it and I don't think the

 

        17   legislature would approve it.  There's a great deal of

 

        18   emphasis on everything being totally open, I think, if we

 

        19   do anything in the form of disciplinary action or criticism

 

        20   or whatever.

 

        21             DR. BAEPLER:  It may be that we can discover that

 

        22   we could be totally open.  In talking to people in the

 

        23   meeting in San Diego and couple of things I read in the

 

        24   federation, there are some states that have a range of

 

        25   options.  New York, which I wouldn't want to model after,

 

 

 

 

                         DISCOVERY REPORTING  (775) 329-3500


 

 

 

 

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         1   has a whole range of options.  I wonder if we could select

 

         2   how you pick them.  Half a dozen states that have a pretty

 

         3   good system just to see what some other states are doing or

 

         4   an idea or two in there that we can incorporate.

 

         5             MR. LESSLY:  It takes a statutory change.

 

         6             DR. BAEPLER:  Takes a statutory.  It always

 

         7   reaches the point, everybody on the investigative committee

 

         8   always reaches a point of frustration.  It's not bad enough

 

         9   to jerk a license.  We don't know what to do, we generally

 

        10   punt, which means call them in.

 

        11             MS. JONES:  We used to send a letter which we

 

        12   can't do anymore.

 

        13             DR. BAEPLER:  And so the sense of frustration

 

        14   occurs that at just about every meeting, I wish we had a

 

        15   couple of options.  And maybe there are no options.  That

 

        16   may be the answer.

 

        17             MR. LEGARZA:  Thinking out loud, there may be

 

        18   something that the legislature may buy, perhaps, and maybe

 

        19   I'll tell you that I'll look at it, if you want me to, I'll

 

        20   be glad to look at it in the other states where maybe

 

        21   there's something we can enter into by way of some sort of

 

        22   stipulation that would allow us to do something, but I

 

        23   think that would still have to be probably some sort of a

 

        24   public document.

 

        25             DR. BAEPLER:  I don't think we object to that.  I

 

 

 

 

                         DISCOVERY REPORTING  (775) 329-3500


 

 

 

 

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         1   don't think that that should hang us up from having more

 

         2   options.

 

         3             MS. BIBLE:  You have the doctors respond to the

 

         4   complaints?

 

         5             MR. LEGARZA:  Uh-huh.

 

         6             MS. BIBLE:  Do you then ever bring those doctors

 

         7   before you?

 

         8             MR. LEGARZA:  Of course.

 

         9             MR. LESSLY:  Sure.

 

        10             MS. BIBLE:  When you bring them before you, at

 

        11   that time, do you decide at that -- do you know at that

 

        12   particular time where you're going with the complaint?

 

        13             MR. LEGARZA:  Uh-huh.

 

        14             MS. BIBLE:  You have them come in and talk with

 

        15   you.  What about like exit interviews with doctors?

 

        16             MR. LEGARZA:  What do you mean "exit interviews"? 

 

        17             MS. BIBLE:  Have them come back in to tell them

 

        18   what the results of the complaint is and it's not that

 

        19   there's not enough evidence, you would just tell them that

 

        20   we are not going to proceed on this because we don't have

 

        21   the evidence to make our case, but this is a very serious.

 

        22             DR. BAEPLER:  We probably have to meet for three

 

        23   days when you look at the numbers and it's a little bit

 

        24   one-sided, whereas we frequently interview the doctors, we

 

        25   never interview the complainant.  So we're always getting

 

 

 

 

                         DISCOVERY REPORTING  (775) 329-3500


 

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         1   the one side.  I don't know if you've brought a complainant

 

         2   in to have them fully explain the case.  We kind of neglect

 

         3   these people.

 

         4             DR. STEWART:  The worry that I think we have by

 

         5   giving them a closed door yelling and screaming don't do

 

         6   that again is that it -- that's the private reprimand that

 

         7   the psychologist got.

 

         8             MR. LESSLY:  You can't get a reprimand until you

 

         9   determine that there's something wrong.  It's not wrong

 

        10   unless it violates the medical practice act.

 

        11             DR. MONTOYA:  Some people are just right there on

 

        12   the edge that you want to tell them, say, look, whatever

 

        13   you're doing, quit it.

 

        14             DR. STEWART:  Quit doing it.  Think about it.

 

        15             DR. HUG-ENGLISH:  Like a letter of concern.

 

        16             DR. MONTOYA:  Want to send out a letter of

 

        17   concern without saying that, because that seems to be a bad

 

        18   word.

 

        19             MR. LESSLY:  We can't do it unless the

 

        20   legislature approves it.

 

        21             MS. BIBLE:  Can't you do a letter, not a

 

        22   reprimand.  You say, this is on the line and we cannot find

 

        23   this on the evidence.

 

        24             MR. LESSLY:  I believe it's your own office that

 

        25   says we can't do that.

 

 

 

 

                         DISCOVERY REPORTING  (775) 329-3500


 

 

 

 

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         1             MS. BIBLE:  Do you think it's still a reprimand,

 

         2   if you say the reasons I'm not going forward is because

 

         3   we're not going forward is on the line.

 

         4             MR. LESSLY:  It would have to not rise to the

 

         5   level of violation.  You can't give them a letter of

 

         6   concern unless there's been a violation.

 

         7             MS. BIBLE:  Not a letter of concern telling them

 

         8   we are not going to take action and the reason we're not

 

         9   taking action is because the evidence that we have obtained

 

        10   we do not believe that we could support our case.

 

        11             MR. LEGARZA:  Why are you writing the letter if

 

        12   you don't have a case against the doctor.  You better leave

 

        13   him alone.

 

        14             MS. BIBLE:  The letter would say it's still a

 

        15   concern, we're not proceeding.

 

        16             MR. LEGARZA:  If it's not a violation of the

 

        17   medical practice act, you leave him alone.

 

        18             DR. BAEPLER:  You reach the point in the

 

        19   committee where it does not violate the medical practice

 

        20   act in the strictest concerns.  We can see the thing

 

        21   heading in that direction.

 

        22             MR. LEGARZA:  Maybe you can put more grounds for

 

        23   disciplinary action that may not be as heinous.  But then I

 

        24   think there's still a point where you may or may not have

 

        25   to file a formal complaint.  How do you get around that? 

 

 

 

 

                         DISCOVERY REPORTING  (775) 329-3500


 

 

 

 

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         1             DR. BAEPLER:  If it rises to that level, we'll do

 

         2   it.

 

         3             MR. LESSLY:  You want to add rudeness is the

 

         4   grounds of rudeness, would take care of a lot of your

 

         5   problems.

 

         6             MS. BIBLE:  But in your complaint, when you file

 

         7   a complaint, you can also indicate the type of action you

 

         8   want to take.  You're not going to revoke, we specifically

 

         9   want to fine or we specifically want you to take CME, so

 

        10   when it's out in the public, the public knows what your

 

        11   concern is.

 

        12             DR. BAEPLER:  And it puts it in the perspective.

 

        13             DR. ANJUM:  It might be more satisfying to the

 

        14   person who is complaining that some action, even though

 

        15   it's not strictest, the person who is complaining might

 

        16   have a better feeling and that will make us feel like we're

 

        17   doing something for them.

 

        18             DR. HUG-ENGLISH:  I'm gathering that the board is

 

        19   indicating that we would like Dick to look at some other

 

        20   possibility.

 

        21             MR. LEGARZA:  Thank you.

 

        22             DR. HUG-ENGLISH:  Is that what I'm hearing?  And

 

        23   you can offer that in December.

 

        24             MR. LEGARZA:  I'm sure if we are lucky enough to

 

        25   get some sort of proposal, for the legislature or two, and

 

 

 

 

                         DISCOVERY REPORTING  (775) 329-3500


 

 

 

 

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         1   that all the board members will join us in Carson City when

 

         2   we propose it.

 

         3             MR. LESSLY:  As a matter of fact, I think they

 

         4   really ought to propose it.  They need to stand in front of

 

         5   the existing proposed legislation.

 

         6             DR. BAEPLER:  You go to the legislature, you open

 

         7   up that issue, and, my God, you have no idea what might

 

         8   come out.

 

         9             MR. LESSLY:  Wise comment.

 

        10             DR. HUG-ENGLISH:  We'll have a follow-up to this,

 

        11   then, in December and look into it a little bit.  I think

 

        12   it is good to look at what some other states are doing,

 

        13   perhaps, and whether there's some other options out there

 

        14   that would be easy to introduce.

 

        15             MS. KIRCH:  If we have to bring more forward,

 

        16   like Charlotte suggested, maybe a little more information

 

        17   in the complaint saying, you know, this is a lesser type

 

        18   thing and then if it's public we do whatever we have to do,

 

        19   whether it's a letter of concern, or following up.

 

        20             DR. HUG-ENGLISH:  Are we ready to start our

 

        21   appearances?  I think we'll move to agenda item number 12

 

        22   and we do have quite a few appearances today.  The first

 

        23   one is Brad Manny.  This is in open session.  And Dr. Anjum

 

        24   is selected to ask those questions.  So is there anything

 

        25   that we want to discuss or are you ready to bring him in?

 

 

 

 

                         DISCOVERY REPORTING  (775) 329-3500


 

 

 

 

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         1             DR. ANJUM:  I want to briefly talk about this. 

 

         2   Do we go in the closed session before that? 

 

         3             No?  The only concern the gentleman being out of

 

         4   practice since '99.

 

         5             MR. LESSLY:  That's it.  That's all.

 

         6             DR. ANJUM:  Early '99 or late or whatever.  He's

 

         7   in urology practice, been doing it for 20 years.  I don't

 

         8   think you can forget it.

 

         9             MR. LESSLY:  We would have given him a license

 

        10   administratively, between Mr. Legarza and Dr. Stewart,

 

        11   except he's been out of practice.

 

        12             DR. ANJUM:  Anybody have any comments on that

 

        13   issue? 

 

        14             DR. BAEPLER:  No.

 

        15             DR. HUG-ENGLISH:  Let's bring him in.

 

        16             DR. MONTOYA:  He went to one of the finest

 

        17   medical schools in the United States.

 

        18             MS. KIRCH:  I wonder which one that was?

 

        19             DR. HUG-ENGLISH:  Dr. Manny, welcome.  Have a

 

        20   seat.

 

        21             DR. MANNY:  Here?

 

        22             DR. BAEPLER:  Sure.

 

        23             DR. HUG-ENGLISH:  Welcome to the board.  And I'm

 

        24   Cheryl Hug-English.  We know each other.  These are other

 

        25   members of the board and attorneys and staff and we've

 

 

 

 

                         DISCOVERY REPORTING  (775) 329-3500


 

 

 

 

                                                                    12

 

         1   invited you here to ask a few questions about your wanting

 

         2   to reactivated the license.  And Dr. Anjum was going to

 

         3   start it off.

 

         4             DR. ANJUM:  Hi.  How are you?

 

         5             DR. MANNY:  Good.

 

         6             DR. ANJUM:  We've reviewed your questions.  The

 

         7   only thing is you haven't practiced since 1999, early part

 

         8   of 1999.

 

         9             DR. MANNY:  We left Reno in June of '99.

 

        10             DR. ANJUM:  And you've done your CME and medical

 

        11   ethics.  You haven't forgotten those things in those years?

 

        12             DR. MANNY:  No.  Actually spent the last few days

 

        13   in the operating room with my old group going around

 

        14   familiarizing myself.

 

        15             DR. ANJUM:  I don't have any further questions.

 

        16             DR. HUG-ENGLISH:  Are you planning to come back

 

        17   to Reno?

 

        18             DR. MANNY:  I don't know.  Not right at this

 

        19   moment.  My daughter's a senior in high school in Tucson

 

        20   and she is loath to leave.  Actually, my plan is to do

 

        21   locum tenens work until she gets out of high school and I'm

 

 

        22   in the middle of a divorce right now, so I have custody of

 

        23   both kids so I can't really leave.

 

        24             DR. HUG-ENGLISH:  Anybody have any questions?

 

        25             DR. MONTOYA:  I move we grant his license.

 

 

 

 

                         DISCOVERY REPORTING  (775) 329-3500


 

 

 

 

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         1             MS. KIRCH:  Second.

 

         2             DR. HUG-ENGLISH:  There's a motion to change Dr.

 

         3   Manny's status from retired to active.  Any further

 

         4   discussion?

 

         5             All in favor?

 

         6             Opposed?

 

         7             Chair votes in favor of the motion and the motion

 

         8   carries, so you -- your license will be reactivated and you

 

         9   probably need to call the office at the first part of the

 

        10   week and make sure that all the paper work is working. 

 

        11   Welcome back.

 

        12             Okay.  Our next one is Dr. Richnak and this one

 

        13   is in closed session.  So I need a motion to go into closed

 

        14   session.

 

        15   (Board proceeded in closed session for the rest of the

 

        16   day.)

 

        17                             --oOo--

 

        18             I, Stephanie Koetting, CCR #207, do hereby

 

        19   certify that the foregoing transcript, consisting of pages

 

        20   1 through 13, is true and correct to the best of my

 

        21   knowledge, skill and ability.

 

        22             DATED: This 7th day of October, 2002.

 

        23             _________________________________

                       STEPHANIE KOETTING, CCR #207

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