Four anesthesiologists are making headlines this month — facing issues ranging from license revocation and dismissed lawsuits to wrongful death allegations and criminal charges.
1. Anna Bowling, MD, an anesthesiologist currently on probation for drug use in the workplace, is facing potential license revocation. On April 3, the California Medical Board filed a complaint alleging multiple probation violations. These include failing to complete required drug and alcohol testing on two occasions in 2024 — including once in January — neglecting to ensure her workplace monitor submitted mandatory reports, and failing to provide a required fluid sample in May 2023.
2. A federal judge has dismissed an antitrust lawsuit filed by Long Island Anesthesiologists, based in Rocky Point, N.Y., against UnitedHealthcare and MultiPlan. The group alleged the companies conspired to slash reimbursement rates by more than 80% following the implementation of the No Surprises Act in January 2022. The suit claimed that MultiPlan, acting on behalf of UnitedHealthcare, used repricing technology and aggressive negotiating tactics to pressure providers into accepting reduced payments.
3. A jury in St. Louis ruled in favor of Chesterfield, Mo.-based St. Luke’s Hospital and anesthesiologist Lisa Nadeau, DO, in a wrongful death lawsuit. The suit was brought by the family of a patient who suffered a traumatic brain injury and later died following surgery in April 2023. The plaintiffs alleged Dr. Nadeau failed to recognize and treat the patient after they stopped breathing for 11 minutes and accused her of falsifying medical records. The jury ultimately rejected these claims.
4. Gerhardt Konig, MD, an anesthesiologist affiliated with Maui Memorial Medical Center, has been charged with second-degree attempted murder. Honolulu police allege that Dr. Konig attempted to kill his wife during a hike on March 24 by pushing her off a trail and striking her multiple times in the head with a rock. Authorities responded to the scene at a Honolulu state park following reports of the attack.
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