Department of Professional Regulation v. Koo

28 Fla. Supp. 2d 216
CourtState of Florida Division of Administrative Hearings
DecidedAugust 26, 1987
DocketCase No. 86-1066
StatusPublished

This text of 28 Fla. Supp. 2d 216 (Department of Professional Regulation v. Koo) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering State of Florida Division of Administrative Hearings primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Department of Professional Regulation v. Koo, 28 Fla. Supp. 2d 216 (Fla. Super. Ct. 1987).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

DIANE K. KIESLING, Hearing Officer.

RECOMMENDED ORDER

Pursuant to notice, a hearing was held in this case on June 3, 1987, [217]*217in Jacksonville, Florida, before the Division of Administrative Hearings, by its designated Hearing Officer, Diane K. Kiesling.

The issue is whether Respondent’s license as a physician should be revoked or otherwise penalized for the acts alleged in the Amended Administrative Complaint dated November 19, 1986.

Petitioner presented the testimony of Diane Rabideau and Alexander E. Rosin, M.D., together with fifteen (15) exhibits admitted in evidence. Respondent presented his own testimony. A transcript of the proceedings was filed on July 23, 1987. At the conclusion of the formal hearing, the parties agreed that their proposed orders would be filed no later than thirty (30) days after the filing of the transcript. Petitioner’s proposed order was filed on August 18, 1987. Respondent failed to file a proposed order. All proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law which were timely filed have been considered. A ruling has been made on each proposed finding of fact in the Appendix attached hereto and made a part of this Recommended Order.

FINDINGS OF FACT

1. Dong Hack Koo, M.D., is a licensed physician in the State of Florida, having been issued license number ME 0027494. Koo was so licensed at all times material to the Amended Administrative Complaint.

2. At all times material to this cause, Koo maintained an office at 121 East 8th Street, Jacksonville, Florida 32206.

3. On July 10, 1985, Diane Rabideau, an Investigator for the Department of Professional Regulation, inspected Koo’s offices and found them to be unclean, with evidence of roach eggs present under a sink.

4. Rabideau also found a rectal speculum and two vaginal speculums lying on a sink. Koo told Rabideau that the rectal speculum and the two vaginal speculums had been used. No evidence was presented to indicate how long the speculums had been on the sink. If such instruments are not cleaned quickly and properly following use, there is a high chance of spreading infection to the next patient to use the instrument. Such instruments should be placed in a cleansing solution and scrubbed, then wrapped and sterilized. It is the community practice to clean such instruments as soon as possible after use.

5. According to Dr. Rosin, any physician who performs abortions in an unclean office with instruments lying around that have not been properly cleaned, has practiced below the community standard of care. [218]*218However, no evidence was presented to show that Koo performed abortions under such circumstances.

6. Koo does perform first trimester abortions in his office. It was not disputed that abortions are a medical and surgical procedure which can be dangerous. Emergency situations can arise during abortions and these emergencies require the presence of emergency equipment such as suction and the abilith to start an intravenous medication.

7. Koo does maintain suction equipment and intravenous solutions in his office. However, when possible he immediately transfers emergency patients to another facility.

8. Koo does perform abortions in his office without the presence of an assistant to aid in emergency situations.

9. According to Dr. Rosin, the standard of care in the community requires that an assistant be present during an abortion to assist the physician should an emergency situation arise. Additionally, according to Dr. Rosin, a physician who performs abortions without emergency equipment or without an assistant has failed to practice medicine with that level of care, skill, and treatment recognized by a reasonably prudent similar physician as acceptable under similar conditions and circumstances.

10. When Rabideau visited Koo’s office on July 10, 1985, she obtained a sampling of drugs kept by Koo for dispensing to patients. The sampling revealed that a majority of the drugs had expired. However, no evidence was presented that this is a violation of Florida Statutes.

11. Rabideau also found that Koo maintained a number of Schedule III, IV, and V, controlled substances in his office which he dispensed to patients. In dispensing these controlled substances, Koo used the instructions for use which are printed on the packaging. He also, at times, taped a small piece of paper to the packaging with his telephone number and the name of the patient. Koo did not completely label these controlled substances, which he dispensed, with his name and address, the date of delivery, directions for use, the name of the patient, and a warning concerning the transfer of the substance.

12. Koo maintains no inventory of the scheduled controlled substances which are kept in his offices and dispensed to his patients.

13. On August 6, 1985, Diane Rabideau again visited Koo’s office. While Rabideau waited, a female patient by the name of Mary Green was seen by Koo and left with a prescription. Rabideau then asked Respondent to present the medical records on the patient, Mary Green. [219]*219Koo was unable to present any medical records for the patient which he had just seen and to whom he had just dispensed medication.

14. Koo’s office procedure regarding patient medical records is to record histories and examination result on the patient medical records during the patient’s visit. These medical records are kept in individual folders under the name of each patient. When a patient presents for treatment, the medical records for that patient are pulled and given to the doctor. After each visit, the patient’s medical records are refiled.

15. On or about March 16, 1986, pursuant to a subpoena from the Department of Professional Regulation, Koo provided the original medical records on ten (10) abortion patients.

16. These original medical records were examined by John F. McCarthy, a questioned documents expert for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. McCarthy’s examination by electrostatic detection apparatus revealed that numerous indentations on the records superimposed with information from other records. For example, Exhibit 6 contained indentations from the writing on the fact of Exhibit 10. Further, McCarthy found indentations on Exhibit 6 resulting from the writing on Exhibit 8. Thus, Exhibit 8 was on top of Exhibit 6 when it was prepared. Exhibit 8, however, is dated July 24, 1985, and Exhibit 6 is dated May 29, 1985. McCarthy’s expert opinion is that at the time the various documents were prepared, they were on top of each other. It is therefore fund that Exhibits 1-10, the original medical records on the ten named abortion patients, were not prepared at the time Koo saw the patients, but were instead all prepared at the same time, in response to the subpoena. It therefore must be found that the records were fabricated by Koo in response to the Department’s subpoena.

17. Prior to performing an abortion, a physician needs to verify whether the patient has Rh positive or negative blood type. The physician cannot rely on patients’ representations that the Rh factor is positive or negative, but most obtain independent verification. This is because patients know that if they have Rh negative blood, they must receive a shot which is expensive.

18.

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Related

Davis v. DEPT. OF PROF. REGULATION
457 So. 2d 1074 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1984)
Hunter v. DEPT. OF PROFESSIONAL REG.
458 So. 2d 842 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1984)

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Bluebook (online)
28 Fla. Supp. 2d 216, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/department-of-professional-regulation-v-koo-fladivadminhrg-1987.