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News Release — July 22, 2004
MEDICAL BOARD OF CALIFORNIA
July 22, 2004
Medical Board Accusation Leads to Surrender
of Beverly Hills Physician's Medical License
SACRAMENTO—Facing a formal Accusation of wrongdoing by the Medical Board of California, Beverly Hills physician Russell Scott Hitt, M.D., signed an agreement to surrender his license to practice medicine in California. The surrender became effective July 20, 2004.
The Medical Board accused Hitt of: sexual misconduct; gross negligence; repeated negligent acts; incompetence; and dishonest and corrupt acts. Hitt admitted to touching two patients in an inappropriate and sexual manner in July and August of 2000. In addition, in August 1999, Hitt was arrested for performing a lewd act in a public restroom at the Beverly Center Mall in the presence of two undercover officers. In lieu of having formal charges filed against him, Hitt took and successfully completed the Los Angeles City Attorney's "Alternative Prosecution Program" in November 1999.
On March 22, 2004, the board revoked Hitt's medical license; however, the revocation was stayed and he was placed on probation for seven years with certain terms and conditions which included 60 days' actual suspension from practicing medicine. Other terms and conditions required that Hitt, within 60 days of the effective date of the decision: take and pass an ethics course; take and pass a professional boundaries program; undergo and complete a psychiatric evaluation; submit to the board the name(s) and qualifications of a board-certified psychiatrist or psychologist with at least five years of postgraduate experience in the diagnosis and treatment of emotional and mental disorders. During probation, Hitt was required to have a third-party chaperone present while consulting, examining or treating patients and to submit to the board for approval the name(s) of persons who would act as a third-party chaperone. Hitt also was required to obey all federal, state and local laws, all rules governing the practice of medicine in California, and remain in full compliance with any court-ordered criminal probation, payments and orders.
On May 10, 2004, Hitt was arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department for illegal possession of a controlled substance. When board probation investigators contacted him about the new charges, Hitt surrendered his medical license.
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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.caldocinfo.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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