State Suspends License of Physician Assistant

A physician assistant was placed on three years’ probation and had his license suspended for 60 days for misconduct, including offering free medical services to patients who were later billed, according to the state Department of Consumer Affairs.

Earlier this month, the department’s Physician Assistant Examining Committee disclosed the decision against Aliakbar Alavi, 69, a physician assistant at Comprehensive Medical Center in Encino. Alavi, who lives in Reseda, was issued a physician assistant license in 1988.

From October 1989 to August 1990, Alavi called prospective patients, offering them medical examinations at the center at no cost, according to the committee’s written decision.

The decision listed complaints from six patients accusing the center of using fraudulent and deceptive statements regarding costs of the examinations. Patients were billed for additional services without being told beforehand that they would be charged.

When reached Tuesday, Alavi said, “I was not involved in the billing. I was just working there.”

In January 1990, a patient accused center physicians of diagnosing and charting conditions that did not exist, such as chronic bronchitis, committee records said. That patient then underwent unnecessary diagnostic procedures, such as carotid artery tests, arterial testing of lower and upper extremities and an electrocardiogram, the records said.

On Sept. 4, Alavi was placed on probation and his license was suspended. The committee also ordered Alavi to reimburse the cost of the investigation.

Alavi said that he can begin working again as a physician assistant on Nov. 11 and he plans to return to Comprehensive Medical Center. However, the committee ruled that Alavi must be monitored by an approved supervising physician and complete a clinical training program and an ethics course.