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 Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura County physicians who were subject to serious disciplinary actions, in one case effective last June; all others took effect between Aug. 1 and Nov. 30, 2002, according to Medical Board documents. Generally, final actions are published only after all appeals are exhausted.
Dr. James Melvin Adams, Los Angeles: Convicted for possession of alcohol, possession of a controlled substance, drug paraphernalia and retail theft; convicted later for careless and reckless driving. License issued with five years' probation attached. Effective Aug. 6.
Dr. Fred E. Aengst, Santa Ana: Committed repeated negligent acts in the care and treatment of a patient by diagnosing a saddle nose deformity where none existed; failing to seek appropriate consultation with another physician after performing the same surgical procedure on the patient six times; creating an ear deformity that required additional surgery; repeated injections of cortisone into a place of compromised blood flow; and failing to apply well-documented biological concepts of wound healing. Revocation of license stayed, five years' probation. Effective Aug. 12.
Dr. Eugene William Albright Jr., Riverside: Committed gross negligence for his failure to supervise his physician assistant. Revocation of license stayed, five years' probation. Effective Oct. 7.
Dr. Abasali Koorosh Amir-Jahed, Beverly Hills: Charged with gross negligence, repeated negligent acts, incompetence, insurance fraud, false statements in documents, alteration of medical records, employing runners, cappers or steerers (recruiting patients by offering a person a fee or discount to reduce their own medical bills in return for every person referred), and dishonesty or corruption for performing cosmetic surgeries on patients but billing them as medically necessary procedures, and for failing to adequately document the surgeries. No admissions; revocation of license stayed, 10 years' probation. Effective Sept. 9.
Dr. Alberto Aranibar-Zerpa, Beverly Hills: Committed acts of gross negligence, repeated negligent acts, excessive prescribing and treatment in the diagnoses, care and treatment of five children with seizures when he prescribed anticonvulsants without medical justification. Revocation of license stayed, five years' probation. Effective Oct. 11.
