Probe Leads to Removal of UCSD Doctor

Dr. David Sahn has been removed as head of the pediatric cardiology division at UC San Diego Medical Center, following reports that the hospital is being investigated for Medi-Cal fraud and the death of an infant while under the care of an unlicensed physician.

Although hospital spokeswoman Leslie Franz said Tuesday that Sahn “was asked to step aside,” she insisted that the action was not punitive. Sahn was replaced by Dr. Kyung Chung, an associate adjunct professor in the division of pediatric cardiology, who was named acting head of the division.

“This move does not alter Dr. Sahn’s status within the division as a faculty member,” Franz said.

The change was quietly announced to the staff Monday, and became effective the same day, she added.

According to Franz, Dr. Michael Kaback, UCSD chairman of the department of pediatrics, asked Sahn to give up the post.

“In light of the events of the last few months, the (hospital’s) internal review and the state looking at the medical story, based on all this, (Kaback) felt it was in the best interest of the division to appoint a new acting division chief,” Franz added.

The events alluded to by Franz, include a recent revelation that a 3-year-old Tijuana boy, Luis Diego Jimenez, died of a “drug related accident” at the hospital July 10. According to a coroner’s autopsy, the youngster died after he was given a sedative drawn into an oral syringe by Dr. Azucena Murillo.

Murillo, who has an office in Tijuana, is not licensed to practice in the United States. Instead, she worked as a research associate in pediatric cardiology at the hospital. Hospital officials said Murillo gave the syringe to the child’s mother, who administered it to her son.

The little boy, who had a deformed heart, died shortly after being given the sedative by his mother. Officials from the state Board of Medical Quality Assurance said they would investigate Murillo for practicing medicine without a license.

Sahn reportedly attempted to dissuade the boy’s family from allowing an autopsy to be performed by the County Medical Examiner’s office. A spokeswoman for an attorney representing the child’s family said Sahn argued that UCSD Medical Center pathologists were more qualified to do the autopsy.

Dr. Davis M. Ward, assistant dean of clinical affairs at UCSD, was quoted as saying there was nothing improper about Sahn’s request to have the autopsy performed at the hospital.

Last month the division of pediatric cardiology was the center of another controversy, when state officials began investigating reports that medical care for as many as 100 Mexican children who suffered from heart problems was illegally paid for through Medi-Cal funds.

Officials from the state Department of Health Services believe the hospital may have improperly billed the state for at least $1 million. State investigators believe the children were first seen at a Tijuana clinic where UCSD doctors volunteer. Parents of the children were then given letters for U.S. immigration officials certifying that the children would be treated at UCSD without taxpayer expense.

State investigators charged that UCSD officials impeded their investigation by initially blocking attempts to interview staff members and not making key documents available to them. The documents were not made available to investigators until subpoenas were delivered for them.

On Tuesday, spokeswoman Franz said the hospital is conducting its own investigation into the allegations of illegal Medi-Cal billings.

Sahn, who was not implicated in the Medi-Cal investigation, was not available for comment.

Murillo, who was implicated in the death of the Tijuana toddler, is also being investigated by the state for possible Medi-Cal fraud. Another physician, Dr. Lilliam M. Valdea Cruz, and a secretary, Mercedes A. Alvarado, are also under investigation by the state. The three are suspected of coaching the parents of the Mexican children on how to qualify for free care.