Pediatrician who let man impersonate doctor reaches settlement with state medical board

A pediatrician accused of allowing a man under her supervision to impersonate a doctor and looking the other way as he treated hundreds of patients has reached a settlement agreement with the Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners and will face no disciplinary action, board members said Friday.

The board unanimously approved an agreement during its Friday meeting with Dr. Carmen Felice Jones, who in turn is expected to drop a Clark County court case she filed earlier this year against members of the board.

Jones, who became medical director of the Las Vegas Health Center in January 2012, allegedly allowed Zeeshan Malik Hoodbhoy to “impersonate a Nevada licensed physician” without a valid license and to prescribe controlled substances without a valid prescriber license, according to the board’s original order of summary suspension.

The board found that Hoodbhoy examined and treated hundreds of patients, using Jones’ U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency registration number to provide prescriptions.

Jones was notified in April 2013 that her license was immediately suspended by the board “based upon its reasonable belief that the health, safety and welfare of the public” was at imminent risk, but the suspension was lifted within two months, according to the board’s website.

The board filed a formal complaint against Jones in June 2013 and an amended complaint about three months later.

“Dr. Jones was rarely, if ever, present at the center; did not see the patients, did not authorize prescriptions for those patients and did not properly supervise Mr. Hoodbhoy’s practice of medicine,” the original suspension order stated.

The order also indicated Jones admitted to medical board staff that she allowed multiple unlicensed individuals to practice at the now-closed center, which was located at 6332 S. Rainbow Blvd., Ste. 120, and a second facility, Agape Health, for which she was the medical director.

She allegedly also admitted to “only seeing the (Agape Health) location one time,” never meeting or treating patients but instead receiving text notifications from staff that prescriptions were needed and calling in the prescriptions.

Jones’ attorney, Jacob L. Hafter, declined to speak with the Review-Journal regarding the case.

Jones pleaded guilty in Clark County’s Eighth Judicial District Court to conspiracy to practice medicine without a license in 2014 and Hoodbhoy pleaded guilty to practicing medicine without a license. The exact terms of their sentences were not immediately available.

During Friday’s meeting, the board’s legal division said Jones allegedly committed actions “under duress” and that she “has learned her lesson.”

The board also discussed concerns from some members Friday that no letter of reprimand would be issued in the case but ultimately determined that the availability of the complaint and settlement agreement online would provide the public with a record of the case.

Jones filed a complaint in federal court in June 2013 alleging the medical board denied her due process when it suspended her license. After that judgment was denied and an unsuccessful appeal attempt, she filed a civil suit against members of the medical board in district court.

In exchange for the board withdrawing and dismissing its complaint, Jones will dismiss the civil lawsuit, the board’s legal staff said, adding the move would “mitigate additional expenses regarding legal matters.”

Contact Pashtana Usufzy at pusufzy@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4563. Find @pashtana_u on Twitter.