Allegations of wrongful death and medical malpractice have led state regulators to suspend the license of a Connecticut psychiatrist. The state Department of Public Health and the Medical Examining Board will soon decide if psychiatrist Gerson Sternstein will have his licensed revoked and be fined $50,000. He has been practicing psychiatry for more than 20 years, but in 2007 and 2009 he “grossly overprescribed narcotics to drug-addicted patients at his office,” the board said.
The medical board found that he prescribed opioids, narcotics, and tranquilizers in high doses and in fatal combinations. Patient exams and assessments were inadequate, even when patient drug abuse was evident. Connecticut law states that opioid analgesics can only be used for legitimate medical reasons; inappropriate prescribing and use of them can lead to drug abuse and harm patients and the society.
Instead of addressing his patient’s psychiatric needs, two lawsuits against the doctor allege that he led group sessions where addicts would get prescriptions refilled and trade stories of making money off drugs they were reselling. One male patient in his care died after taking Oxycontin, methadone and the anti-psychotic drug Seroquel. He was given 480 milligrams of methadone per day, whereas the recommended dose is five to 30 milligrams, and 480 milligrams of Oxycontin daily, which has a recommended dose of 20 to 160 milligrams. A female patient died of an anti-depressant overdose. Both patients were in their mid 20s to early 30s when they passed away.
Adult mental illness, when left unchecked, can lead to serious concerns. “We know that mental illness is an important public health problem in itself and is also associated with chronic medical diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and cancer,” said Dr. Ileana Arias, principle deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “The report’s findings indicate that we need to expand surveillance activities that monitor levels of mental illness in the United States in order to strengthen our prevention efforts.”
These patients are at a higher risk of alcohol and substance abuse, and definitely need the expertise of qualified medical professionals to get them back on the path to health. When individuals or their loved ones are dealing with a wrongful death due to a physician or health care professional’s negligence or carelessness, they need to seek prompt legal action.
Alexandra Reed writes for Connecticut personal injury law firm, Stratton Faxon. Contact Stratton Faxon to speak with a Connecticut accident lawyer about your personal injury, wrongful death, or Connecticut malpractice case. To learn more, visit Strattonfaxon.com.
