Blog Articles

Optimal Health of Southern Oregon's HIPAA violation that they fail to acknowledge

Medical records sent for the wrong patient by the clinic. When notified of their mistake, Optimal Health refuses to respond.

Dec 19th, 2022

Aviva Health and Dr. Harry Taylor don't care about patient safety

Letter to Dr. Harry Taylor and Shannon Suhr, NP, at Aviva Health regarding worsening cognition and physical coordination of one of their patients that they seem to over-medicate without proper monitoring.

Oct 7th, 2021

Umpqua Health and Dr. James Hoyne's Unprofessional Conduct

Dr. Hoyne wastes patient's time "investigating" other doctor's practices by grilling them on how they operate, what they charge, and more. Yet he charges the patient's insurance for his time that has nothing to do with true patient care!

Oct 6th, 2021

FDA’s “dentures” are too weak to be effective

The FDA lacks any real “teeth” to do their job.

Mar 22nd, 2020

Oregon PDMP finally updates its’ reporting elements

Per a letter I wrote awhile back, I see that the Oregon PDMP is finally reporting the refills properly per my suggestion.

Mar 20th, 2020

Why do pain agreements when doctors don’t take them seriously . . . except to use against patients.

Pulled out some records to check some things and refreshed myself with something I had been meaning to post earlier but got distracted.

Feb 18th, 2020

NO pain agreements or Material Risk Notices as required by state agencies

I find it amazing that so many clinics, especially pain clinics are ignoring the requirements of having pain agreements and Material Risk Notices with their patients.

Feb 18th, 2020

Oregon Cardiology’s poor record keeping and lousy office management

Here is a letter that I sent to the Office Manager of Oregon Cardiology, located at Peace Health Sacred Heart Medical Center, by fax on 12-10-19.

Jan 7th, 2020

The survey that Mercy Medical Center doesn’t want you to see.

CHI Mercy is so great about spinning the details on anything that they can turn into a big billboard along the highway. Let’s see how they spin this one off too.

Nov 10th, 2019

Is “Aviva” hiding something?

Umpqua Community Health Center (UCHC) recently changed their name under the state business registry. They still kept the one name for legal reasons, but changed the public name to the DBA (doing business as) name of “Aviva.”

Nov 4th, 2019

Home Town Drugs faxing improper identification headings

The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) specifies certain requirements that are to be on all faxed documents.

Oct 29th, 2019

Samaritan Hospital system can’t keep track of their own records?

Patient had EKG testing done last year at Samaritan Lebanon Hospital. This year I ordered another EKG to monitor their condition and specifically wrote on the order form to compare it to last year’s EKG (something that is commonly done).

Oct 28th, 2019

ADAPT of Roseburg fails to train their staff well

Patient went to get records from their office and was told that they would not accept any Release of Information (ROI) form except ADAPT’s. Where did that idea come from?

Oct 24th, 2019

South River Community Health Center wastes patients time with EKG’s

Had a patient go to South River CHC to complete an EKG. They did it back in August. He signed the paperwork to send the results to my office since we ordered it.

Oct 24th, 2019

3 predictions regarding MIPS and Medicare changes

I predict that within the next two to five years we will be seeing two major trends happening within our healthcare system and they will both be the result of the changes Medicare has been making towards the reimbursement system...

Sep 27th, 2019

Dr. Choate and others abandon patients?

It seems that Umpqua Health and it’s clinical and administrative staff have big secrets to hide. First they close their office on Harvard Avenue WITHOUT informing patients . . . no letter, no phone calls, etc.

Sep 26th, 2019

NeuroSpine doctor can’t document accurately?

Dr. Catherine Gallo performed a physical examination during a consult on a patient in December of 2018.

Sep 23rd, 2019

CHI Mercy discrimination

Was contacted by an out-of-state media company called Patient Point that was hired by Mercy to start advertising local physicians on a TV screen located in their ER and south entrance to their hospital.

Sep 23rd, 2019

Study feels PDMP’s are flawed; I couldn’t agree more.

Here is my response to the Pain News Network article entitled: “Study: Prescription Drug Databases Overestimate Opioid Misuse” written by Pat Anson and posted 8-13-19:

Aug 14th, 2019

The up and coming opioid crisis: Buprenorphine!

While everyone deals with the “opioid” crisis, more and more patients are being “converted” to Buprenorphine products (really just another opioid).

Aug 14th, 2019

Response to article posted on Pain News Network 8-10-19

Here’s an opinion I posted on the Pain New Network in response to the article “Are Rx Opioids the Culprits or Scapegoats for Opioid Crisis?” by Dr. Lynn Webster and posted August 10, 2019:

Aug 12th, 2019

Response to Pain News Network article of 8-6-19

Here’s my response to the article “Co-Pay Assistance Programs Fail to Help Uninsured Patients” by Pat Anson and posted on the Pain News Network on August 6, 2019

Aug 12th, 2019

Response to Pain News Network article of 8-8-19

Here’s my response to an article posted on Pain News Network on August 8, 2019 by Pat Anson and titled: “Experts Advise Against It, But Opioids Often Used to Treat Migraine.”

Aug 12th, 2019

Response to Pain News Network article of 7-19-19

Here’s my response to the article by Pat Anson posted July 19, 2019 on the Pain News Network entitled: “Pharmacists and Rx Wholesalers Charged with Drug Trafficking“

Aug 12th, 2019

Canyonville Health and Urgent Care violates HIPAA?

The ongoing clash with this clinic is far from over. They have failed to send us records in a timely manner for years. Now their ploy is to NOT fax records to our office despite the patient’s signed Release of Information form stating they may do so.

Aug 12th, 2019

VA fails to meet standards set by the federal government regarding electronic medical records

Years ago when the federal government started passing laws regarding electronic medical record systems, they demanded integrated communicability between systems at various offices, hospitals, etc.

Aug 12th, 2019

Prior Authorizations — the bane of most medical offices

Prior Authorizations have been used for years by insurance companies and pharmacy benefit mangers (PBM’s) to deny or delay medications, imaging, treatments, surgeries, etc. for their insured patient, their own client.

Aug 12th, 2019

Eugene Neurosurgeon has problems with basic medical terminology?

Saw a patient yesterday for their first visit. I had reviewed their records a week earlier and noted problems.

Aug 9th, 2019

Chronic Pain Patients get discrimination even from regular primary care

Here’s my response to the article “Michigan Opioid Study Discusses Access to Primary Care Clinics for Patients with Chronic Pain” posted on July 14, 2019 by Ed Coghlan on the National Pain Report website.

Jul 17th, 2019

More regarding Chronic Pain Patient discrimination

Here is my second response due to the many responses posted by patients on the article “Michigan Opioid Study Discusses Access to Primary Care Clinics for Patients with Chronic Pain” posted on July 14, 2019 by Ed Coghlan on the National Pain Report website

Jul 17th, 2019

More PDMP violations!

Oregon state law requires that any pharmacy filling controlled substances, categories II – IV, report them to the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (DMP) within 72 hours of dispensing.

Jul 17th, 2019

Arbitrary justice varies from town to town; clear example.

Let’s compare two cases of leaving an infant in the backseat of a hot car in a car seat unattended.

Jun 14th, 2019

My response to recent article on Pain News Network

This article posted 6-14-19: “Why Do Doctors Keep Pushing Invasive Procedures on Me?” — Pain News Network

Jun 14th, 2019

2 local doctors had staff writing own pain med prescriptions for themselves and others!

Two local physicians have been discovered to have staff members that have been writing their own prescriptions by stealing prescriptions pads.

Jun 14th, 2019

Over-medicated hospital employees at Mercy?

Mercy Medical Center recently LOST an EKG that was performed on my patient. In fact they had the WRONG phone number and address for the patient in their computer system, and even noted the patient’s marital status WRONGLY.

Jun 7th, 2019

“Study Finds Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs Ineffective at Curbing Overdoses”

This article appeared on the Pharmacist Steve website on May 6, 2019.

May 10th, 2019

“The Prescription Opioid Crisis Is Over”?

That was the title of the article that appeared May 6, 2019 on the Pain News Network. It was written by Roger Chriss.

May 10th, 2019

Health Net insurance forms out-of-date and designed to fail, all to deny medications

Recently had a patient switch to Health Net. They had been getting their medication for years without problem, but now Health Net says otherwise.

May 10th, 2019

“VA’s billing practices affect everyone”

This was the title of the Public Forum letter published in the News Review on May 5, 2019 and attributed to Mike Berns of Brookings.

May 10th, 2019

Another clinic fails to provide all requested medical records; are they hiding something?

I recently reviewed the records of a new applicant who has been seeing the Salem Clinic.

May 10th, 2019

Albertson’s Sav-on pharmacy STILL making illegal reporting errors and is never held accountable by t

Just in the last few weeks, I had to notify Sav-on, the PDMP, and the Oregon Board of Pharmacy of another eight illegal acts by Sav-on.

May 10th, 2019

Illegal prescribing activity by two different doctors in Roseburg

It has been reported to me by reliable sources that do not wish to get involved with the proper reporting of such crimes that two doctors in Roseburg have had staff members falsifying prescriptions and passing them off in town.

May 10th, 2019

Mercy Medical Center AGAIN FAILS to send important records in a timely manner

Just saw a patient this week who was seen in the Mercy Medical Center ER, then admitted, was in the ICU and saw a mental health specialist before discharge.

May 10th, 2019

Evergreen Family Medicine fails to follow recommended guidelines for pain meds

Reviewed another patient’s records from Evergreen Family Medicine. No controlled substance agreement was on file. No Material Risk Notice was on file. Both of these are strongly recommended by medical organizations and the Oregon Medical Board.

May 6th, 2019

Rite Aid denies cancer patient pain medication in complete ignorance of CDC Guidelines

Pain News Network recently posted this article entitled “Cancer Patient’s Rite Aid Video Goes Viral” on May 3, 2019.

May 5th, 2019

Letter to Oregon PDMP regarding major error

This is the letter I faxed to the PDMP on 4-5-19

Apr 26th, 2019

PDMP response and my response in return

On April 8th, the PDMP responded to my letter. Here is their response

Apr 26th, 2019

Another letter to the PDMP regarding continuing errors

Here’s the letter I faxed to the PDMP on 4-17-19. No response as of this posting from any of the recipients!

Apr 26th, 2019

More “batch” errors from Albertson’s Savon

I had to send three more error reports to Savon, the PDMP, and the Oregon Board of Pharmacy.

Apr 26th, 2019

More Nurse Practitioner fraud at local clinic

After reviewing the records on a patient and discussing the records with the patient in person, it becomes apparent that a Nurse Practitioner at the South River Community Health Center commits fraud on her medical records.

Apr 26th, 2019

South River CHC fails to properly document

Reviewed medical records from the patient’s Physician’s Assistant at South River Community Health Center.

Apr 26th, 2019

UCHC fails again!

Just reviewed the final records on a patient being seen by a doctor at the Umpqua Community Health Center. I had previously reviewed what records they sent and had to ask for additional records that they failed to send as part of the original package.

Apr 26th, 2019

Sad state of medical care in Roseburg, Oregon

Reviewed medical records from multiple providers for a patient applying to my clinic. There are SO MANY things wrong with them, it’s difficult to know where to start, but here goes.

Apr 26th, 2019

Marijuana and Opioids Can Be Helpful for Chronic Pain Patients

Just posted this response to the article entitled “Pain Sufferers May Benefit From Combining Opioids and Marijuana” on the National Pain Report website:

Apr 18th, 2019

NOTICE to the PDMP, the Oregon Board of Pharmcay, and Albertson’s SavOn

Here’s the letter I wrote to the PDMP, SavOn, and the Oregon Board of Pharmacy and faxed to them on 4-17-19. As usual, I doubt much action will occur.

Apr 18th, 2019

Evergreen Family Medicine FAILS to maintain medical records to higher standards

Evergreen Family Medicine has again failed to provide all the appropriate medical records on a patient that they have been treating. Every document signed by the providers is part of the medical record.

Apr 18th, 2019

More NeuroSpine documentation FAILURES

Records from NeuroSpine FAIL to show the pain medications that they are prescribing to a patient in the “Medication” section.

Apr 15th, 2019

NeuroSpine fails to do pain agreements and complete proper documentation

Just reviewed the final records of a patient applying for care.

Apr 15th, 2019

Failure of yet another medical office to properly document chronic opioid treatments for years

Just reviewed over 400 pages of medical records from Sonoma Family Practice out of Sonoma, CA. The two page “Consent form for Controlled Substane Therapy” is NOT signed by the physician and is NOT dated.

Apr 15th, 2019

UCHC continues to LIE and LIE and LIE to patients

There is NO law, neither state or federal, that prevents any physician from prescribing opiate pain medications to patients also using medical marijuana.

Apr 12th, 2019

More failures by clinics to use pain agreements and material risk notices

Major medical associations and state agencies advocate for the use of pain agreements and Material Risk Notices to be completed with chronic pain patients before continuing to prescribe opioid medications long term.

Apr 12th, 2019

FDA finally speaks out against fast opioid tapers

Here’s my response to the recent article “FDA Warns About Fast Opioid Tapers” that appeared on the Pain News Network website on 4-9-19:

Apr 10th, 2019

Government NEVER admits their mistakes!

Here is my response to the recent article entitled “An Open Letter to the CDC Center for Injury Prevention” that Dr. Richard Lawhern posted on the Pain News Network website on 4-9-19:

Apr 10th, 2019

Time = money. Less time = less care. The typical norm in medical care now.

Just posted this comment to the article of “Doctor, Doctor – Are you listening to what she says?” on the National Pain Report website:

Apr 5th, 2019

Another lapse in judgment for Mercy medical staff?

So a Roseburg radiologist, Dr. Diwaker Agarwal, that is on staff at Mercy Medical Center got a warning for “soliciting” prostitution.

Apr 5th, 2019

Oregon’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program has “secret” access to records NOT viewable to...

Oregon’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program has “secret” access to records NOT viewable to prescribers?

Apr 4th, 2019

Another PCP who fails to drug test when prescribing long-term pain medications

Just reviewed records from Dr. Fred Luke Herscher of Sutherlin on one of his past patients.

Apr 4th, 2019

Government funded clinics discriminate against disabled patients

Had an interesting phone call today from South River Community Health Center.

Apr 4th, 2019

Incompetent Alberston’s SavOn staff? Oregon Board of Pharmacy in “collusion”?

Sent four notices out to SavOn pharmacy, the Oregon Board of Pharmacy and the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program today.

Mar 29th, 2019

Another drug lawsuit settled. The cheap and easy way out.

I posted today onto the “Pharmacist Steve” website regarding the article about “Bayer, J&J settle thousands of US Xarelto lawsuits for $775 million.” Here’s a copy of what I had to say:

Mar 27th, 2019

Epidural “hostages”

Just posted this comment on the Pain News Network website regarding their newest article

Mar 26th, 2019

Purdue Pharma’s inconsequential penalty of $270 million

I just read on Fox News that Oklahoma has settled with Purdue Pharma for $270,000,000.

Mar 26th, 2019

UCHC provider makes a compliment?

Usually when I read medical records from our local medical providers, I get sarcasm and disdain from them regarding the fact that I am also seeing their patient and allow them to use medical marijuana with or without opiate medications.

Mar 25th, 2019

Mercy Medical Center fails AGAIN...how typical... and how pathetic that they can’t do their jobs

Mercy Medical Center fails AGAIN . . . how typical . . . and how pathetic that they can’t do their job right

Mar 22nd, 2019

FDA looking into EHR errors?

There are so many errors and fraudulent entries made by numerous providers using Electron Health Record systems that it’s laughable and pathetic at the same time.

Mar 22nd, 2019

Oregon Board of Pharmacy fails again and again.

While the PDMP can be a highly useful tool when it is used by ALL prescribers (NOT required by law, yet!)

Mar 22nd, 2019

Letter to Oregon Board of Pharmacy and others regarding PDMP errors

Re:  Multiple errors on PDMP in violation of state law

Mar 22nd, 2019

Albertsons Sav-On pharmacy in Roseburg violates state PDMP laws

Today I found four mistakes on the PDMP by Alberstons all committed on 2-20-19 and 2-21-19.

Mar 21st, 2019

Evergreen doctor’s arrogance as hospital attending physician is pathetic and heartless

Informed today by a patient, whose husband is in Mercy Medical Center and about to be discharged, that she attempted to find a local nursing home to take him.

Mar 20th, 2019

Even local clinics do not know federal guidelines regarding Buprenorphine for pain versus addiction

Met a new local provider today who works at Evergreen Family Medicine, also otherwise known as Centennial Medical Group East.

Mar 20th, 2019

Douglas County patients medical records violated for the sake of gossip

Any patient who signs the Electronic Medical Record notice that DCIPA and other clinics demand needs to realize that their confidential health history is now available to anyone who has access to that computer system.

Mar 20th, 2019

ADAPT charges doctor for patient’s medical records

Most medical offices commonly share records between providers that are treating mutual patients.

Mar 13th, 2019

My opinion comment on National Pain Report’s article regarding forced tapering by OHP (3-13-19)

The state is just doing what the Umpqua Health Alliance already proved could be done back in the summer of 2013.

Mar 13th, 2019

4 weeks and counting and still no real response from the Oregon legislature

It’s been four weeks since I sent a long detailed letter responding to the recommendation of changes to the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program per the audit conducted by the Secretary of State.

Mar 13th, 2019

Sexual predator payout?

Why is it that those involved with covering up ex-Sen. Jeff Kruse walk away free and clear, just like him?

Mar 8th, 2019

PDMP Failures

Albertson’s Savon is at it again!

Mar 8th, 2019

ADAPT charges for medical records regarding patient treatment; NOT the common standard among clinics

Just got medical records from ADAPT of Roseburg for a patient applying for medical treatment. The patient received treatment from ADAPT.

Mar 6th, 2019

Roseburg VA overprescribes to veterans for years

As reported in the News Review Jan. 12, 2018, “The Roseburg Veterans Affairs Medical Center has the highest rate of opioid prescriptions of any VA in the country, according to a report released Thursday by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.”

Mar 3rd, 2019

Health insurance is a big scam, not unlike the economic bubbles of past

I am not an economist, but I feel that health insurance companies seem to fit into the “economic bubbles” of schemes and more that basically funnel money from one party to another.

Mar 3rd, 2019

PDMP failures pt. 2

Today, 2-28-19, I had 2 controlled substances that failed to show up on the PDMP system after 28 days. Both were filled at Albertson’s Savon on 1-31-19 and are way past the 72 hour state mandated law.

Mar 1st, 2019

An Oregon senator finally responded — admits totally unaware of issue

Senator Shemia Fagan responded on 2-24-19 to my review of the PDMP audit done by the state.

Mar 1st, 2019

WHO ripping off medical providers for coding book fees

The World Health Organization owns the copyright to the ICD-10 codes that are currently used around the world to apply for reimbursement through the various insurance companies.

Mar 1st, 2019

Oregon Board of Chiropractic Examiners FAILS to make their licensees accountable for violations...

Oregon Board of Chiropractic Examiners FAILS to make their licensees accountable for violations of state law

Feb 28th, 2019

Mercy Medical Center AGAIN sends patient’s medical records WITHOUT authorization

Patient hasn’t seen me since June 2016 and had notified us then that they would not be returning due to insurance issues.

Feb 27th, 2019

Pain Specialists of Southern Oregon FAILS to maintain adequate medical records

Medical records reviewed from this office showed that an Opioid Prescribing Agreement (OPA) and a Materials Risk Notice (MRN) were completed by the patient and Dr. Joseph Savino in 2016.

Feb 27th, 2019

PDMP Failures pt. 3

Today had 3 controlled substance prescriptions that FAILED to show up on the PDMP system at 27 days after they were filled — law says they are supposed to be reported within 72 hours!

Feb 27th, 2019

South River Community Health Center double standards for pain

Just reviewed over two years worth of medical records from South River CHC regarding a patient that 3 providers (Skyler Meyer, FNP and Marcy Dean, FNP and Carl Leder, PA) prescribed ongoing opiates to.

Feb 27th, 2019

When are FDA and other government officials going to jail?

Did you see the CBS Sixty Minutes story on the FDA entitled “Did the FDA ignite the opioid epidemic?”

Feb 26th, 2019

Failure of NP’s and PA’s to treat low Vitamin D levels properly

It is truly amazing the number of Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants who fail to treat low Vitamin D levels appropriately.

Feb 26th, 2019

Oregon Rep. Daniel Bonham abuses citizen email

I sent my PDMP review letter with numerous attachments to every member of the Oregon legislature.

Feb 23rd, 2019