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News Release — January 21, 2004
MEDICAL BOARD OF CALIFORNIA
January 21, 2004
Medical Board Accusation Leads to Surrender
of La Jolla Physician's License
SACRAMENTO—Facing a formal Accusation of wrongdoing by the Medical Board of California, La Jolla physician Douglas A. Simay, M.D. has agreed to surrender his license to practice medicine. The stipulated surrender of his medical license was ordered on January 14, 2004 and becomes effective January 21, 2004.
The Medical Board accused Simay of being negligent in his care and treatment of at least six patients. The Board alleged that Simay violated Business and Professions code section 2234 (unprofessional conduct) in that he engaged in extreme departures from the standard of practice by failing to perform or document adequate medical histories and examinations; section 2241 (prescribing to addicts) by prescribing controlled substances to patients who he knew, or should have known, were addicts; section 2266 (failing to maintain adequate records) by failing to maintain a consistent and accurate record of the number of medications he prescribed; and section 725 (excessive prescribing).
In many instances, Simay failed to recognize and respond to clear evidence of addictive behavior exhibited by patients and continued to prescribe large doses of medications despite his acknowledgment that some patients were taking too much. While records showed that some patients were consuming medications at one level, Simay was providing medications in amounts showing that they were actually being consumed greater than two times the dosage prescribed. Often, medications were refilled, yet he failed to record the amounts.
Simay signed a Stipulated Surrender of License and waived his right to a hearing.
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The mission of the Medical Board is to protect healthcare consumers through the proper licensing and regulation of physicians and surgeons and certain allied healthcare professions and through the vigorous, objective enforcement of the Medical Practice Act.
If you have a question or complaint about the healthcare you are receiving, the Board encourages you to visit its Web site at www.medbd.ca.gov or for questions call the Consumer Information Line at (916) 263-2382, or with complaints call (800) 633-2322.
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