Chariton doctor accused of careless prescriptions
A Chariton doctor could face penalties from Iowa regulators after losing his Illinois license due to allegations that he carelessly prescribed painkilling and weight-loss drugs.
Dr. David Marcowitz, who used to practice in Moline, Ill., was accused of improperly prescribing multiple addictive drugs to a patient from 2008 to 2011, the Iowa Board of Medicine said in an administrative charge released last week.
The licensing board said the doctor continued to do so, "despite learning that the patient and his pregnant girlfriend were injecting the drugs and that the patient was selling the drugs to local drug users, at least three of whom died."
The board said Illinois authorities also accused Marcowitz of providing the weight-loss drug phentermine to members of his office staff without doing proper exams or keeping medical records.
Marcowitz agreed in January to have his Illinois license suspended for 30 days and then put on permanent inactive status, records from that state show.
Marcowitz, 50, now works at the Lucas County Health Center in Chariton. According to the public hospital's website, he started practicing there in 2012 and he specializes in osteopathic manipulation. He is listed as the small hospital's chief of staff.
MORE: Gynecologist accused of inappropriate interactions
The Iowa board said that besides essentially surrendering his Illinois license, Marcowitz agreed to pay a $3,000 fine to that state. An April 16 hearing has been set on the Iowa charge against him.
Marcowitz did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Iowa board also took action in several other cases:
• Dr. Phillip Alscher, 52, of Marshalltown, agreed to pay a $10,000 fine to settle allegations that he falsely billed insurers for face-to-face visits at outpatient kidney-dialysis centers in Algona and Charles City. The board said the incidents happened from 2006 to 2012, when Alscher was based in Mason City. It described his actions as "contrary to honesty, justice or good morals." Besides paying the fine, Alscher agreed to three years probation and to take ethics classes.
• Dr. Jerome Janda, 69, of Cedar Rapids, agreed to pay a $5,000 fine to settle allegations that he carelessly prescribed addictive medications. The board said the family practice physician did not take proper precautions, such as performing thorough assessments of the cause of patients' pain or looking into whether they had histories of drug abuse. Besides paying the fine, Janda agreed to take ethics and record-keeping classes and to abstain from prescribing addictive drugs to treat chronic pain.
• Dr. Gregory Neyman, 43, of Marengo, agreed to pay a $7,500 fine to settle allegations that he had an improper sexual relationship with a patient. Besides paying the fine, Neyman agreed to be placed on indefinite probation and to have a female chaperone present whenever he treats female patients.