More Details Revealed in Case of Kentucky Abortion Practitioner’s Malpractice
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
June 26, 2008
Lexington, KY (LifeNews.com) — More details have been revealed in the case of Kentucky abortion practitioner Hamid Sheikh, who recently had his medical license suspended after the state medical board found a host of problems. The investigation of his abortion center came after he was accused of Medicaid fraud on wrongly billing abortions.
Hamid Hussain Sheikh pleaded not guilty in November to charges that he wrongly billed the state for abortions at his business.
Then, as LifeNews.com reported last week, the Kentucky medical licensure board talked with numerous former patients who said he treated them poorly. It also found problems at his center.
More details of the medical board’s investigation and June 5 order to suspend his license show Sheikh’s office had ”medical care standards dramatically out of compliance."
Meanwhile, the investigative officer who interviewed seven patients found ”highly negative experiences, commonly involving a lack of medication and being told by the licensee not to scream during the procedure.“
One patient told investigators that Sheikh ”took no history, vitals, nor did he verify her pregnancy," according to the Lexington Herald Leader newspaper.
”She was given a Valium for the pain … . During the procedure the pain was unbearable and she fought them and kicked over a tray. After the procedure she was given a stained sheet to cover herself with," the state official said.
The Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure has a hearing scheduled for November on whether or not to permanently suspend Sheikh’s license. He’s also closed his abortion center, saying he retired, though he may possibly re-open it if he gets his licensed reinstated.
Former patients also told officials Sheikh didn’t perform ultrasounds prior to abortions, did a vaginal exam without sterile equipment, and several reported dirty clothing or saw blood on the equipment.
Most of the 22 patients interviewed say they didn’t get pain pills or anesthesia prior to the abortion and 8 patients were not required to wait the 24 hours state law requires after getting information about abortion’s risks and alternatives.
The board’s inspection of the Lexington abortion business found medications that had expired and bio-hazardous waste that has not been properly disposed in over 12 weeks.
Sheikh told the station he’s been a physician for 33 years and never had complaints until last year. He denies all of the allegations from state officials and claims the investigator who inspected his abortion center was biased.
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