Podiatry Malpractice Blog : Podiatry Malpractice Lawyer & Attorney : Michael A. Quinn Law Firm : Surgery, Amputation, Podiatric Medicine : New Jersey

A  podiatrist from Scranton, PA,  plead guilty  to taking between $10,000 and $30,000 in Medicare payments for services he did not provide.

Podiatrist Thomas Rittenhouse, DPM, entered a guilty plea to one count of making a false statement in a health care matter. These charge carry up to five years in prison and fines of up to $250,000.

At the plea hearing, the Assistant U.S. Attorney said doctor Rittenhouse had filed claims with Medicare between  2003 and  2008 and was paid for services he never provided to patients.  Dr. Rittenhouse is accused of claiming to have performed "nail avulsions", a procedure in which a toenail is removed, but actually just provided routine foot care.

Although the exact amount has not yet been calculated, Dr. Rittenhouse admitted the amount  was between $10,000 and $30,000, and in likely the doctor will be required to pay back the amount that he had received  through filing the fake claims.

Thomas Rittenhouse, DPM,  remains free while awaiting sentencing in Federal Court which is currently set for May 26.

Source: The Times Tribune - 2-18-09

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A  podiatrist in Shreveport, Louisianna and his office manager turned themselves into the Caddo Correctional Center.

60-year-old Podiatrist  Dale Fazio, D.P.M.,  is being charged with the unlawfull distribution of  controlled substances and 49-year-old Leighton Fazio is also charged with obtaining a controlled substance by fraud.

The arrests stem from an investigation  by the New Orleans Drug Enforcement Agency.

Dr. Fazio is not licensed to dispense controlled substances, he can only write prescriptions for them and can give them by injection, but cannot dispense controlled substances.

 It was learned that approximately 1,500 hydrocodone tablets and 100 codine tablets were ordered under Dr. Fazio's Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) number.

It was learned that the drugs were ordered by Mrs. Fazio and that Dr. Fazio knew about the orders. Investigators also learned that the pills ordered were taken by Mrs. Fazio.  

He surrendered his DEA license. He can still practice medicine.
 

KSLA - 2-19-09

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A  62 year old women  underwent a surgery  by her podiatrist on her ankle in 2004 to remove a cyst. It was performed by a podiatrist. Several weeks later at a post op visit, the defendant had removed the sutures. Plaintiff recalled that the defendant droped the instrument used to remove the sutures on the floor and then continued to use it without cleaning. At a following visit, there were signs of  infection. Shortly thereafter plaintiff was admitted to a hospital with a diagnosis of infection. Plaintiff  underwent a surgery for a skin graft.

Plaintiff alleged that  the surgery was not needed and that the defendant operated in a surgical enviornment and there was  a delay by the defendant in sending her to the hospital.
The podiatrist-defendant contended that the surgery was proper. He also argued that while there was an infection complication,  he responded to it properly and it was managed.

A defense verdict was entered and there was no recovery by the plaintiff.

Experts: David Widom, DPM,  Alan Catanzariti, DPM, Pittsburgh, PA
 

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