Medical Disciplinary Actions

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 County physicians and surgeons subject to serious disciplinary actions between Feb. 1 and April 30, according to Medical Board documents. Generally final actions are published only after all appeals are exhausted.

Ighia Aintablian MD, Glendale: Failed to obtain a urine culture, failed to treat patient with antibiotics for a minimum of 72 hours, and failed to document a chest X-ray result for a patient undergoing a caesarean section. Probation with terms and conditions completed 6-4-98. Effective Feb. 13.

Nazar Al-Bussam MD, Downey: Gross negligence in the administration of medically unwarranted aggressive chemotherapy for three patients. Revocation of license stayed, three years’ probation. Effective April 8.

Samy Shoukry Farag MD, Los Angeles: Charged with sexually abusing several patients. No admissions; revocation of license stayed, five years’ probation. Effective April 3.

Fredric C. Flannigan MD, San Marino: Failed to diagnose and follow up on a cancerous breast mass. Revocation of license stayed, one year probation. Effective March 13.

David C. Freeman MD, North Hollywood: Failed to comply with a request by a patient and the Medical Board’s enforcement staff for copies of the patient’s medical records when presented with the patient’s written authorization for release of records to the board. Revocation of license stayed, two years’ probation added to existing five-year probation. Effective April 9.

In Kyo Han MD, Claremont: Convicted of grand theft and presenting false Medi-Cal claims. License revoked. Effective April 9.

Gary F. Hathaway MD, Torrance: Failed to note in patient’s medical record what, if anything, he did to determine the extent of carcinoma after performing a surgical biopsy of a cancerous neck lesion. Revocation of license stayed, two years’ probation. Effective Feb. 19.

Obie John Hicks MD, Los Angeles: Allowed an unlicensed person to treat patients at his clinic, and operated a clinic using a fictitious name without obtaining a permit from the Medical Board. Revocation of license stayed, two years’ probation. Effective Feb. 20.

Harkala Janardhan MD, Los Angeles: Inappropriately touched the breasts of a female patient during an examination. Disciplined via public reprimand.** Effective April 22.

William Ocallaghan Leader MD, Los Angeles: Psychiatrist who inappropriately accompanied a former patient to a restaurant on one or two occasions. Disciplined via public letter of reprimand.* Effective Nov. 20, 1997.

Suzy Melkonian MD, Van Nuys: Failed to disclose on her March 28, 1996, application for licensure in California a 1981 foreign-nation conviction. Disciplined via public reprimand.** Effective Feb. 2.

Dora Mendoza MD, Los Angeles: Failed to disclose in a hospital reapplication that she had four pending civil lawsuits for medical malpractice and that her hospital privileges had been previously suspended. Revocation of license stayed, one year probation. Effective Feb. 23.

James Stephen Novick MD, Glendale: Failed to properly examine and treat a patient who had a history of alcoholism and heart disease, criminal conviction for drunk driving and use of alcohol to the extent that his ability to practice medicine safely was impaired. Revocation of license stayed, three years’ probation. Effective April 2.

Linda Jean Partridge MD, Palmdale: Failed to see or examine a patient with a family history of breast cancer who had a lump in her breast, but instead allowed the patient to be seen by a student nurse practitioner. Made a false entry in the patient’s medical record that prophylactic mastectomy had been discussed when no discussion occurred and she did not even see the patient on the date in question. License revoked. Effective March 12.

Evelyn C. Rivero MD, Los Angeles: Felony criminal conviction for income tax evasion. Revocation of license stayed, three years’ probation. Effective March 12.

Edward G. Shore MD, Sherman Oaks: Charged with improper and inappropriate touching and sexual misconduct with five female patients. No admissions; revocation of license stayed, three years’ probation. Effective April 27.

Leonard H. Stoll MD, Torrance: Failed to maintain adequate and accurate medical records for one patient being treated for obesity. Disciplined via public letter of reprimand.* Effective April 23.

Seymour Martin Stoll MD, Torrance: Failed to maintain adequate and accurate medical records for one patient being treated for obesity. Disciplined via public letter of reprimand.* Effective April 23.

William Tice Vicary MD, Los Angeles: Falsified the medical records of a patient. Revocation of license stayed, three years’ probation. Effective April 10.

* A lesser form of discipline that can be negotiated for minor violations before or after the filing of formal charges (accusations). The licensee is chastised in the form of a letter that becomes a part of his or her public record.

** A public reprimand, another lesser form of discipline, is similar to a public letter of reprimand except that it must be the result of charges that are filed. The reprimand becomes a part of his or her public record.

Source: Medical Board of California, Sacramento.