Board reprimands Bend physician

The Oregon Board of Medical Examiners has reprimanded Bend doctor Gilbert B. Lee for prescribing narcotics to a patient with a history of drug abuse.

On July 22, 2000, the patient was admitted to a hospital with respiratory arrest after overdosing on cocaine, barbiturates and opiate narcotics.

Following this overdose, Dr. Lee treated the patient's complaint of chronic headaches with eight tablets of codeine and acetaminophen per day. On August 27, 2000, Dr. Lee noted the need to avoid narcotics in treating the patient, but continued to do so.

The Oregon Board of Medical Examiners polices doctors and some other health professionals by enforcing the Oregon Medical Practices Act.

According to BME documents, starting in September, 2000, Dr. Lee began to treat the patient with injections of Demerol, and instructed the patient's wife on how to inject her husband.

Even after the patient completed treatment at Serenity Lane for drug addiction, Dr. Lee injected the patient with Demerol, wrote prescriptions for zolpidem tartrate (Ambien) and lorazepam (Ativan).

"Licencee's (Dr. Lee) treatment of (patient) reveals a pattern of providing remarkably large quantities of Schedule II narcotics to a known drug abuser," wrote the BME in its stipulated order of discipline of Dr. Lee.

In finding that Dr. Lee had engaged in "unprofessional conduct," the BME determined that Dr. Lee "... was not registered as a dispensing physician ... did not monitor (patient's) compliance with the treatment plan ... underused non-narcotic medications or other therapies."

Dr. Lee also "prescribed the controlled substances identified above for many months without providing ... written notice of the material risks associated with the controlled subtonics he was prescribing..."

Lee waived his right to a hearing and appeal and stipulated that his conduct violated Oregon law.

Because of his actions, Lee was reprimanded, must enroll in an appropriate prescribing workshop within 12 months, must enroll in a course on pain and suffering, must obey all federal, state and local laws and rules governing the practice of medicine, and agreed that if he violates the agreement, he will face discipline.

The order became effective January 16, 2003.