Medical Disciplinary Actions

The Medical Board of California licenses physicians and other medical professionals. It also investigates medical complaints and issues disciplinary actions. The most serious penalties include license revocation, suspension and probation.

These are the physicians and surgeons of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties who were subject to serious disciplinary actions between Dec. 1, 2002, and Jan. 31, 2003, according to Medical Board documents. Generally, final actions are published only after all appeals are exhausted.

Dr. James Dwight Elkjer, Gardena: Committed acts of gross negligence, repeated negligence, incompetence, dishonesty or corruption, excessive treatment, insurance fraud, and failed to maintain adequate and accurate medical records in the care and treatment of five patients. Revocation of license stayed, license suspended for 90 days, seven years’ probation. Effective Dec. 18.

Dr. Mark Howard Hyman, Los Angeles: Charged with gross negligence and sexual misconduct for engaging in acts of sexual abuse, sexual misconduct and sexual relations with a patient. No admissions; revocation of license stayed, license suspended for 30 days, five years’ probation. Effective Jan. 13.

Dr. Thambimuttu Jeyaranjan, Los Angeles: Failed to maintain adequate and accurate medical records and committed repeated negligent acts by failing to note a patient’s abnormal kidney function in a consultation report or notes. Revocation of license stayed, two years’ probation. Effective Jan. 17.

Dr. Purnell Alexis Kirkland, Inglewood: Charged with gross negligence, repeated negligent acts, excessive treatment or prescribing, failure to maintain adequate medical records, alteration of medical records, and acts of incompetence by recommending or performing diagnostic arthroscopy and lavage of the knee in three patients. No admissions; disciplined via public letter of reprimand*. Effective Jan. 15.

Dr. Brenda J. Lightfoote-Young, Big Bear Lake: Failed to comply with Medical Board-ordered probation terms and conditions. License revoked. Effective Dec. 5.

Dr. Jules Mark Lusman, Los Angeles: Committed gross negligence, repeated negligent acts, incompetence, excessive prescribing or administration of drugs, dispensing dangerous drugs without a good faith examination and medical indication, prescribing, furnishing or administering dangerous drugs to addicts, failing to maintain records showing the pathology and purpose for prescribing a Schedule II controlled substance, failing to maintain adequate and accurate records related to services provided to patients, failing to maintain required inventory of controlled substances, and failing to maintain a required inventory and records of controlled substances in the care and treatment of eight patients. License revoked. Effective Dec. 6.

Dr. Thomas Keith Mogensen, Colton: Charged with unprofessional conduct, gross negligence, repeated negligent acts, incompetence, excessive treatment, inadequate records, prescribing without indication, and aiding and abetting unlicensed practice by using a fictitious name without having a fictitious-name permit in the care and treatment of eight patients. No admissions; revocation of license stayed, license suspended for 20 days, seven years’ probation. Effective Jan. 6.

Dr. Avinash Madhukar Mondkar, Beverly Hills: Committed acts of gross negligence and incompetence for failing to document the patient’s history, physical examination and diagnostic plan, failing to obtain a hematological evaluation, failing to maintain adequate records, and altering the medical record in the care and treatment of one patient. Revocation of license stayed, three years’ probation. Effective Jan. 16.

Dr. Iradj H. Nazarian, Beverly Hills: Failed to maintain adequate and accurate records in the care and treatment of multiple patients. Revocation of license stayed, license suspended for 30 days, four years’ probation. Effective Dec. 26.

Dr. Francisco I. Rincon, Los Angeles: Committed repeated negligent acts in the care and treatment of an infant with pediatric herpes. Revocation of license stayed, three years’ probation. Effective Jan. 3.

Dr. Paul Rodricks, Sherman Oaks: Disciplined by New York Medical Board for repeated negligence during the provision of anesthesia services to a patient during surgery. Revocation of license stayed, two years’ probation. Effective Dec. 5.

Dr. Howard D. Ross, Los Angeles: Ability to practice medicine safely impaired due to mental illness. Revocation of license stayed, five years’ probation. Effective Jan. 3.

Dr. Manorama Sharma, Fountain Valley: Committed acts of gross negligence, repeated acts of negligence, incompetence, and fraudulent alteration of medical records in the care and treatment of one patient undergoing a laser procedure. Revocation of license stayed, four years’ probation. Effective Jan. 20.

Dr. Patrick Mark Sutton, Pasadena: Failed to maintain adequate medical records in the care and treatment of one patient. Revocation of license stayed, four years’ probation. Effective Dec. 2.

Dr. Jeffrey Howard Weisblatt, Los Angeles: Failed to maintain adequate and accurate records of his care and treatment of a surgery patient under anesthesia. Disciplined via public reprimand.** Effective Dec. 2.

Dr. Louetta Kannenberg Westphal, Beverly Hills: Committed acts of unprofessional conduct, aided and abetted unlicensed practice, committed dishonest or corrupt acts by providing false statements in documents, and violated the fictitious-name permit requirements by entering into an oral agreement to work in a medical clinic for a person she knew was not a licensed physician. Revocation of license stayed, license suspended for 60 days, five years’ probation. Effective Dec. 9.

Dr. Alla Zander, Laguna Hills: Convicted of three charges of petty theft and one commercial burglary. Revocation of license stayed, license suspended for 20 days, five years’ probation. Effective Dec. 20.

*

* A lesser form of discipline that can be negotiated for minor violations before or after the filing of formal charges (accusations). The licensee is chastised in the form of a letter that becomes a part of his or her public record.

** A public reprimand, another lesser form of discipline, is similar to a public letter of reprimand except that it must be the result of charges that are filed. The reprimand becomes a part of his or her public record.

Note: Copies of the public record documents attendant to these cases are available at minimal cost by calling the Medical Board’s Central File Room at (916) 263-2525.

Source: Medical Board of California, Sacramento.

Los Angeles Times