The state of New York placed Dr. Allan Serviss, medical director of surgical services at O'Connor Hospital in Delhi, on a two-year period of probation Friday.
The Department of Health Board for Professional Medical Conduct charged Serviss with professional misconduct for practicing medicine with gross negligence, negligence, gross incompetence and incompetence.
According to the allegations:
ä Serviss treated a patient at Delaware Valley Hospital in Walton on March 29, 2000, and failed to adequately evaluate the patient's condition, manage the care or clear the patient's cervical spine. He then inappropriately discharged the patient from the emergency department.
ä Serviss treated a patient at the Health and Wellness Clinic in Harpursville on Sept. 8, 2004 and at The Hospital in Sidney from Oct. 27 through Oct. 30, 2004. He failed to identify the location of a mass, failed to design and implement an adequate treatment plan and failed to mark an endoscopically identified lesion or utilize an alternate procedure.
ä Serviss treated a patient at the Family Health Center in Walton from Feb. 1 to Feb. 21, 2001. He failed to identify a common bile duct injury during a cholecystectomy, inadequately evaluated and managed the patient post-operatively and inappropriately discharged the patient from the hospital.
Karen Huxtable, Bassett Healthcare public relations manager, said Friday that Serviss's practice location is O'Connor Hospital, but he is employed by Bassett Healthcare. O'Connor is affiliated with Bassett.
"We are aware of the action by the Office of Professional Medical Conduct regarding events that took place prior to Dr. Serviss coming to Bassett," Huxtable said in a media release. "Since joining Bassett in 2005, Dr. Serviss has satisfactorily met the standards of performance required by this organization and continues in his role as an attending surgeon."
Serviss issued a prepared statement in which he said, "The allegations in this action arise from two cases, from 2001 and 2004, in the context of thousands of procedures performed and patients cared for during an unblemished 38-year career. I would note that I agreed not to contest the allegations but did not admit to negligence."
According to the information issued by the Health Department, Serviss' license to practice medicine was suspended for two years, but the suspension was stayed to become a two-year period of probation.
Dotti Kruppo, DVH spokeswoman, said she was not familiar with the cases cited by the state and was not aware that any action was pending against Serviss.
For more information, visit http://w3.health.state.ny.us/opmc/factions.nsf.
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