Doctor in prior scandal cooperating in fake prescription probe

By his count, Las Vegas neurosurgeon John Thalgott has seen thousands of people with bad backs come through his doors at the Center for Diseases & Surgery of the Spine.

There's no telling whether the Drug Enforcement Administration agents strained themselves hauling the "stacks" of phony painkiller prescriptions into Thalgott's Rancho Drive office recently as part of their ongoing investigation. But from the sound of things, they might have.

While denying any personal knowledge of wrongdoing, Thalgott acknowledged Tuesday that a former employee is caught up in the DEA investigation. In the pile of forged prescriptions were some for Metro Lt. Steve Menger, a Thalgott patient who has been relieved of duty with pay pending the outcome of an investigation.

"This is the worst thing that's ever happened to me," Thalgott said.

Not to split hairs, but I think the sordid investigation of local lawyers and doctors accused of manipulating personal injury cases might be worse. Thalgott was a key government witness in the federal case against attorney Noel Gage, who was accused of conspiring to fix a case involving client Melodie Simon. She was paralyzed after being treated by Thalgott and Dr. Mark Kabins. Although a mistrial was declared, Gage later pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and received probation.

Thalgott admitted he wanted to avoid being sued by Simon. He was never charged, but he eventually agreed to give Simon $1.5 million to settle any claims. Kabins pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony and paid $3.5 million in restitution.

Thalgott quietly returned to his 25-year medical practice in which he has authored textbooks, invented medical devices and lectured around the world.

Maybe Thalgott should have gone to law school. He has needed legal advice quite a bit.

According to his medical center website, Crystal Lovelady was in charge of prescription refill requests. The surgeon said Tuesday that Lovelady was a "trusted employee" who was "like family" and acted as his "right hand" around the office for approximately 16 years. But it appears the left hand didn't know what the right hand was up to.

"Her grandmother was my first office manager," Thalgott said. "I've known her since she was 3. We had no, no idea, zero, until the DEA walked into our office with stacks of forged prescriptions, and they were so good I didn't recognize them (as fakes). I had to look twice at them. Needless to say, we were taken aback and devastated by this."

As a stranger to the inner workings of a busy medical practice, I thought it made sense the licensed physician on duty would know whether his patients were receiving more potentially addicting painkillers than normal. Not so, the doctor said, reminding me he currently treats between 6,000 and 7,000 patients.

Beyond that, prescription refills were solely Lovelady's responsibility, he said.

Maybe I need to have my ears checked, but that sounds a little like a bus rolling over a formerly trusted assistant. Thalgott insists he was blindsided by the prescription drug probe.

The DEA and Metro continue to investigate without commenting publicly. Police sources recently acknowledged one of their own is under investigation but have downplayed the amount of painkillers in question.

Thalgott attorney George Kelesis said, "From our perspective, nobody has told us the number of pills."

Resolving the issue is essential for Thalgott, who has a medical license and a lucrative practice to protect.

"We've done everything we could to help them (the DEA) in the investigation, as well as Metro and the federal government," he said, adding that his office follows a set of protocols for prescription refills, which often involve potentially addictive medication such as Oxycontin, Lortab and Vicodin.

Something tells me Thalgott has started watching the flow of prescriptions more closely than ever.

John L. Smith's column appears Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. E-mail him at Smith@reviewjournal.com or call (702) 383-0295. He also blogs at lvrj.com/blogs/smith.