The state medical commission announced Friday it has suspended the license of a Seattle doctor who runs eight pain-treatment centers in Washington, including Vancouver Pain Centers in east Vancouver.
While the news release noted that the action against Dr. Frank D. Li “impacts eight clinics throughout Washington,” there was no immediate indication whether the Vancouver center would be affected.
Staffers at the clinic in Cascade Park said Friday morning that they hadn’t heard about the disciplinary action until they were contacted by a reporter. The clinic is not closing, and the staff had not been notified Friday morning that it would be closing, said a representative, who declined to give her name.
Julie Graham, a spokeswoman for the Washington Department of Health, said that the disciplinary action was against Li, not the eight-clinic network.
“The action is against a specific provider, not a facility,” Graham said.
However, Li’s suspension might lead to other actions that could affect up to 25,000 patients around the state. According to the news release, Li has an active “core provider” agreement in Washington to see Medicaid patients.
The state’s Health Care Authority expects to terminate his core provider agreement after the Medical Commission’s action suspending his license.
This means that other providers will not be able to bill Apple Health for Medicaid services provided in his clinics. They can reapply for participation, but will not be able to bill for services unless a new application is accepted.
“This action may limit patients’ access to care,” according to the Department of Health news release.
According to charging documents, “Li consistently provided treatment that was an extreme departure from the standard of care, exposing patients of Seattle Pain Centers to risks of harm for opioid addiction, diversion, and overdose.”
The medical commission also alleges that Li specifically sought Medicaid-enrolled patients with the intent to bill the maximum allowable amount by requiring unnecessary testing and procedures.
According to the statement of charges, the state’s Medical Quality Assurance Commission investigated the treatment of 18 patients who died between 2010 and 2015. Sixteen death certificates listed acute drug intoxication as a cause or likely contributing cause of death; the other two patients “had multiple serious health condition that SPC disregarded during opiate therapy.”
Li must respond within 20 days; if he does, a show-cause hearing must be held within 14 days to determine if the summary suspension will remain in effect throughout the formal hearing process.
