State ad campaign to warn Hispanics about unlicensed doctors

CARSON CITY -- Legislators approved funds Thursday to launch a public relations campaign by the state Health Division to warn Hispanic people of the dangers of using unlicensed medical personnel.

Efforts will be made to reach people, including those who speak only Spanish, through the Spanish language media, but some of the material will be in English. The campaign will concentrate on the Las Vegas and Reno areas.

Although the $47,000 allocated won't go far, state officials attending the Legislature's Interim Finance Committee said it's a start at battling a serious medical problem.

One glaring example of unlicensed doctors hurting people came in April when Elena Caro, 42, of Las Vegas died after cosmetic surgery that was performed in the backroom of a floor tile company. Two Colombians were arrested in connection with her death as they tried to board an airplane at McCarran International Airport.

Ruben Dario Matallana-Galvas and Carmen Olfidia Torres-Sanchez pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in October and received three-year to eight-year sentences in prison.

Marla McDade Williams, deputy administrator of the Health Division, told committee members that her agency will work with law enforcement officials and the Board of Medical Examiners in an effort to take action when they find people posing as doctors or other medical personnel.

They also will seek the assistance of the Hispanic community in reporting unlicensed medical professionals.

"The goal is to bring people (into) a task force and work collectively on what we can do to protect the public," Williams said.

She said later that $47,000 is not a lot of money, but they will do the best they can. Details of the campaign have been not finalized, she added.

During the hearing, state Sen. Mo Denis, D-Las Vegas, said there is a "big problem in the Latino community" of phony doctors treating people. Many "come in on the weekends" only, said Denis, who is Hispanic.

Contacted in Las Vegas, Dr. Annette Teijeiro acknowledged $47,000 was not a lot of money, but said, "It is a start."

"They are recognizing it is a problem," added Teijeiro, a candidate for state Senate District 5.

During the hearing, Sen. Sheila Leslie, D-Reno, said one of her constituents told her that he faced many problems in getting police to act against an unlicensed physician and that his attempts to get help from the Board of Medical Examiners were futile.

"It was amazing to me," said Leslie, who is fluent in Spanish. "I thought it was their job."

She is working to clarify state laws so the medical board takes actions against people impersonating doctors.

Assemblywoman Maggie Carlton, D-Las Vegas, was even more direct.

"The responsibility lies with the medical board," Carlton said. "Who is doing the job of monitoring who is practicing (medicine) out there?"

But three medical board officials said they do not have jurisdiction under the law to go after unlicensed medical personnel. They say their job is regulating licensed physicians.

The medical board executives said they previously served on a task force looking into unlicensed medical doctors and only in recent weeks have pledged to work on a newly formed task force being coordinated by former Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa.

Contact Capital Bureau Chief Ed Vogel at evogel@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901.