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Daily Dose: Finding Out About Fraudulent Doctors

Aired February 23, 2004 - 11:40   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: In today's "Daily Dose," you don't hear about this kind of thing too often, but when you do hear stories about fraudulent doctors, it's enough to scare you.
In our "Daily Dose," our real doctor, our medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, says there is a definite concern, but there are ways that you can protect yourself.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Well, stories like that are frightening and rare, and there are many anecdotal stories of people posing as doctors, being imposter doctors, although no organizing committee, including the American Medical Association, actually keeps track of this sort of thing.

Experts we've talked to say it's very difficult to pose themselves as a doctor, to be an impostor doctor, although it's not unheard of. It has happened before. Cosmetic surgery tends to attract the most of these sorts of doctors more than any other particular field.

Let's take a look at some tips to try and help you if you are concerned about of this. When you go to your doctor's office, check out to make sure that your doctor's license is active. You can just ask your doctor. Sometimes it's posted on the wall, or you can ask the office.

Also, use the American Medical Association Web site. They're going to list all of the doctors in good standing. They're not going to include doctors who are in training, so be careful about that. Go to their Web site as well.

Each state's medical board is probably going to be your most valuable source of information. Each state has their own medical board Web site. They're going to have information on the doctors, as well as any recent sanctions against doctors.

And finally, there are comprehensive doctors' reports out there. Comprehensive doctors' reports usually are for pay, such as HealthGrades.com. That is one that we checked. For 6.95, you can get a full report on your doctor.

Again, doctors practicing medicine with a suspended license is going to be much more common than doctors who are actually impostor doctors. And there are tips for that as well. Again, the state medical board Web site is going to be your best source. They're going to have information on revoked, suspended license, probation, practicing beyond the scope of training, drug and alcohol abuse, sexual misconduct and litigation. Those are all sorts things that you obviously want to know before you see your doctor.

I mentioned cosmetics as being the most concerning. There is a story of a surgeon, a cosmetic surgeon, or at least someone posing as a cosmetic surgeon in South Beach. It turns out a bodybuilder, Mr. Mexico, actually went to this guy for pectoral implants. That's something that bodybuilders do from time to time.

This doctor, this supposed doctor, Reinaldo Silvestre, now known as the butcher of South Beach, actually, in the patient's words, mutilated the patient and gave him women's breast implants instead of pectoral implants. The women's breast implants, incidentally, were size C. That's a little tidbit of information there.

He has been on the loose. He has been charged with aggravated assaulted. No one has been able to find this imposter doctor for about four years.

And cosmetic procedures are attractive to impostor doctors for several different reasons. First of all, less interaction with other doctors. Oftentimes patients are going to pay out of pocket. This is about money for the most part. And finally, it's a more profitable procedure. Doctors have less of a paper trail. They get more money, and then oftentimes they are on the run. So, that's why cosmetic procedures are going to be the most likely to have impostor doctors.

Now, practical tips for you at home. First of all, this is a very rare situation. Most of the doctors you're going to go to, especially in big hospitals, are going to be just fine. But do trust your instincts. If you're concerned about it, starting asking questions. If you're not getting answers to your questions, then you should go to someone else and get a second opinion.

No one usually -- no doctor usually is offended by a second opinion. A lot of doctors encourage it, in fact, especially when it comes to complicated procedures. And do your homework and your research. That's very important. You do your homework and your research when you buy or rent a house. Certainly do it about your doctors, your hospital and your health care as well.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.






Aired February 23, 2004 - 11:40   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: In today's "Daily Dose," you don't hear about this kind of thing too often, but when you do hear stories about fraudulent doctors, it's enough to scare you.
In our "Daily Dose," our real doctor, our medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, says there is a definite concern, but there are ways that you can protect yourself.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Well, stories like that are frightening and rare, and there are many anecdotal stories of people posing as doctors, being imposter doctors, although no organizing committee, including the American Medical Association, actually keeps track of this sort of thing.

Experts we've talked to say it's very difficult to pose themselves as a doctor, to be an impostor doctor, although it's not unheard of. It has happened before. Cosmetic surgery tends to attract the most of these sorts of doctors more than any other particular field.

Let's take a look at some tips to try and help you if you are concerned about of this. When you go to your doctor's office, check out to make sure that your doctor's license is active. You can just ask your doctor. Sometimes it's posted on the wall, or you can ask the office.

Also, use the American Medical Association Web site. They're going to list all of the doctors in good standing. They're not going to include doctors who are in training, so be careful about that. Go to their Web site as well.

Each state's medical board is probably going to be your most valuable source of information. Each state has their own medical board Web site. They're going to have information on the doctors, as well as any recent sanctions against doctors.

And finally, there are comprehensive doctors' reports out there. Comprehensive doctors' reports usually are for pay, such as HealthGrades.com. That is one that we checked. For 6.95, you can get a full report on your doctor.

Again, doctors practicing medicine with a suspended license is going to be much more common than doctors who are actually impostor doctors. And there are tips for that as well. Again, the state medical board Web site is going to be your best source. They're going to have information on revoked, suspended license, probation, practicing beyond the scope of training, drug and alcohol abuse, sexual misconduct and litigation. Those are all sorts things that you obviously want to know before you see your doctor.

I mentioned cosmetics as being the most concerning. There is a story of a surgeon, a cosmetic surgeon, or at least someone posing as a cosmetic surgeon in South Beach. It turns out a bodybuilder, Mr. Mexico, actually went to this guy for pectoral implants. That's something that bodybuilders do from time to time.

This doctor, this supposed doctor, Reinaldo Silvestre, now known as the butcher of South Beach, actually, in the patient's words, mutilated the patient and gave him women's breast implants instead of pectoral implants. The women's breast implants, incidentally, were size C. That's a little tidbit of information there.

He has been on the loose. He has been charged with aggravated assaulted. No one has been able to find this imposter doctor for about four years.

And cosmetic procedures are attractive to impostor doctors for several different reasons. First of all, less interaction with other doctors. Oftentimes patients are going to pay out of pocket. This is about money for the most part. And finally, it's a more profitable procedure. Doctors have less of a paper trail. They get more money, and then oftentimes they are on the run. So, that's why cosmetic procedures are going to be the most likely to have impostor doctors.

Now, practical tips for you at home. First of all, this is a very rare situation. Most of the doctors you're going to go to, especially in big hospitals, are going to be just fine. But do trust your instincts. If you're concerned about it, starting asking questions. If you're not getting answers to your questions, then you should go to someone else and get a second opinion.

No one usually -- no doctor usually is offended by a second opinion. A lot of doctors encourage it, in fact, especially when it comes to complicated procedures. And do your homework and your research. That's very important. You do your homework and your research when you buy or rent a house. Certainly do it about your doctors, your hospital and your health care as well.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.