LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — An infectious disease doctor 13 investigates exposed as being in hot water with the state has now lost his license.
Dr. Dhaval Shah was charged with malpractice after two patients died in his care. Now, the settlement many have been waiting for has been approved by the board.
In the settlement, the state board just approved, Shah is now only a doctor in title, not in practice. The board also disciplined his physician assistant, but the punishment wasn't as severe.
13 Investigates reported Dr. Shah and his Clinical Infectious Diseases Specialist clinics in May, with an investigation uncovering a trail of devastation the infectious disease specialist created.
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"it's altered everything in my life. I don't feel freedom, you know? And it's really hard to have to depend on other people," said Judy Hoge, a former patient of Dr. Shah.
Hogue suffers from lifelong complications after being treated by Shah, including permanent brain damage. Another patient, Kalie Drew, died while under Shah's care.
Drew's family says no one called her or them to report critical lab results, which posed an imminent danger to her health. And they didn't receive a phone call until a day after she died. Her family is suing the doctor.
"My client's daughter had critical values that were in black and white, and had they been relayed, it could have prevented a death," said attorney Matthew Hoffmann.
Patients spoke out, and so did former colleagues like Dr. Kristi Kaminsky, who worked in wound care at the clinic before she quit in frustration.
"Someone like this should not be practicing medicine, in my opinion," said Kaminsky.
The state agreed, approving this settlement on Wednesday. It revokes Shah's license for at least a year. He can reapply after that, subject to board approval.
The settlement stems from two cases where patients died.
One was the death of a 73-year-old patient. The initial complaint says Shah "failed to ensure appropriate antibiotics were ordered for and given to the patient," along with failing to supervise his physician assistant and failing to keep accurate records.
In another complaint, filed last July, involved a 25-year-old mother. She died after Shah's assistant and business colleague allegedly failed to recognize imaging studies and lab results indicating tuberculosis.
In the end, Shah admitted to one charge of medical malpractice and two charges of failure to maintain adequate records.
"As doctors, we take a Hippocratic oath, and our first thing is not to harm, and I saw too many patients not getting better," said Kaminsky.
Clinton Anderson, a physician assistant to Dr. Shah, also admitted to malpractice and improper record keeping. His settlement agreement with the state provides for a stayed license revocation. So,
Anderson gets to keep practicing medicine as long as he meets conditions of probation. Which he'll be on for up to two years.
Both men must also pay fines and the board's investigative costs - $10,000 for Anderson and more than $23,000 for Shah. They will also receive public letters of reprimand.
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