Medical Health
Resume:
Sarz Maxwell MD, FASAM CURRICULUM VITAE: HIGHLIGHTS
***** * ********** ** ********* IL 60041
acqhxj@r.postjobfree.com 312-***-****
Summary of Work Experience
Recent
oConsultant, Chicago Women’s Health Centre, Chicago April 2015 - present
oVolunteer, Camp Hickory, Ingleside IL 2014 - present
oFaculty at Midwest AIDS Treatment & Education Centre (MATEC) 2007 – present
oStaff Psychiatrist for addictions treatment program in New Zealand 2011-2013
Longitudinal
oPart-time solo private practice 1994 – 2011
oAffiliated 1999-present with Chicago Recovery Alliance, a large harm-reduction outreach program serving injecting drug users.
Summary of Publications & Abstracts >35 papers published in peer-reviewed journals and abstracts presented at professional meetings, many introducing novel and unique treatment options
Summary of Presentations & Research Presentations to a broad variety of audiences
Average 20 trainings/year on topics related to mental health & addictions
Summary of Education
1977 - 1980 Bachelor of Science, Biology and Chemistry, Normal IL
1980-1984 Doctor of Medicine, Loyola / Stritch, Maywood IL
1984-1988 Psychiatric Residency at Rush-Pres St Luke’s Hospital, Chicago IL
2012 Certified by American Board of Addiction Medicine
References
John Gylleck Facility Manager, Camp Hickory 815-***-****
Supervisor for my volunteer work at Camp Hickory
Ricardo Rivero MD Director, MATEC, Chicago 312-***-****
Supervisor for MATEC’s Consultant Faculty
Judy Popovitch, NP Nurse Practitioner, CWTC, Chicago 773-***-****
Initiated my contract as Consultant to CWTC
FULL CURRICULUM VITAE Sarz Maxwell MD, FASAM
Chicago, IL Licensed in Illinois from 1985
POSITIONS HELD
April 2015 – present Psychiatric Consultant
Chicago Women’s Health Center
Chicago IL Judy Popovitch NP
2007 - present Consultant Faculty
Midwest AIDS Teaching & Education Center
Chicago IL Ricardo Rivero MD, Director
1999 – present Medical Consultant, Chicago Recovery Alliance
Mobile Harm Reduction Outreach Service providing health
care options to injecting drug users
Chicago IL Dan Bigg CADC, Director
May 2012-Nov 2013 Medical Officer, Alcohol & Other Drug Service
MidCentral District Health Board, New Zealand
Sole psychiatrist for 650 public-sector patients, OST
Palmerston North, NZ
Dr Jerry Varghese, Medical Director, Mental Health
1993 – 2012 Private Practice, Chicago IL
Specializing in dual diagnosis and opiate addictions
2010 – 2012 SBIRT Educator (Screening Brief Intervention & Referral for Treatment)
ACCESS Health Network, Chicago IL
Addictions training for medical, surgical, and OB/GYN residents
2009 -2012 Psychiatric consultant
Connections Homeless Outreach Center
Evanston IL
April – June 2008 Methadone Mentor, Vietnam
Family Health International Volunteer
Assisting initiation of six (6) methadone maintenance clinics
Haiphong & HoChiMinh City, Vietnam
2005 - 2007 Medical Director, Mobile Opiate Substitution Treatment
Chicago IL
Unique mobile methadone treatment program
1999 – 2005 Editorial Board
Heroin Addiction and Related Clinical Problems
Official journal of the European Opiate Addiction
Treatment Association
Icro Maremanni MD, Editor
2000 - 2003 Psychiatric Consultant, Heartland Health Outreach, Chicago IL
Residential engagement program for dually-diagnosed homeless
1994 - 2002 Staff Psychiatrist & Director of Research
Center for Addictive Problems, Chicago IL
Methadone Maintenance Treatment
1996 - 2000 Coordinator for Dual Diagnosis Education
Illinois Dept of Human Services, Office of Mental Health
Providing training for clinical staff at all Illinois State hospitals
1997 - 1998 Staff Psychiatrist
BRASS Foundation Addiction Treatment Centers, Chicago IL
Methadone Maintenance
1994 - 1996 Staff Psychiatrist
Community Counseling Centers of Chicago
ReVia Clinic; Clozaril Clinic
1992 - 1996 Staff Psychiatrist
West Side VA Medical Center (Now Jesse Brown) Chicago IL
Coordinator, Dual Diagnosis Engagement Program
1989 - 1992 Visiting Faculty, Department of Psychology
Conception Seminary College, Conception Abbey
Conception, Missouri
1988-1992 Medical Director, Behavioral Medicine Unit
St Francis Hospital, Maryville, Missouri
Development & direction of a 10-bed psychiatric
inpatient unit in a 60-bed rural hospital
EDUCATION
1977-1980 Illinois State University
Normal, Illinois
Bachelor of Science, Biology and Chemistry
1980-1984 Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine
Maywood, Illinois
Doctor of Medicine
1984-1988 Rush-Presbyterian-St Luke's Medical Center
Department of Psychiatry
Chicago, Illinois
Board Eligible, Psychiatry
1987-1988Chief Resident, Department of Psychiatry
Rush-Presbyterian-St Luke's Medical Center
1996 Certification, American Society of Addiction Medicine
2008 Intensive Mini-Residency Training: HIV & AIDS
Renslow Scherer MD
University of Chicago Infectious Disease Dept
April 2011 “Pain and Addiction: Common Threads”
ASAM Annual Meeting, Washington DC
January 2011 Tavistock Group Relations Conference
“Group Therapy in the Treatment of Addictions”
Chicago IL
2012 Certification, American Board of Addiction Medicine
PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES & HONORS
International Doctors for Healthy Drug Policies
International association of physicians working in harm reduction
2008 - present
College of Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame
In recognition of exemplary achievement
Illinois State University, 2009
Illinois Society of Addiction Medicine
President 2004 – 2006
Newsletter editor 2000 – 2006
American Society of Addiction Medicine
Certified 1997
Honored as a Fellow (FASAM) 2002
ABAM Certified 2012 (ABAM created in 2011)
George Williams Memorial Community Commitment Award
In recognition of harm reduction outreach
Chicago Recovery Alliance, 2002
American Psychiatric Association
Association of Clinicians for the Underserved
PUBLICATIONS AND ABSTRACTS
>three dozen peer-reviewed papers and abstracts presented at professional meetings, many presenting novel and unique treatment options, including:
naloxone distribution to heroin addicts
a mobile methadone program
use of higher-dose methadone
NOTE: Papers I consider seminal are in bold. Abstracts have the inviting conference in bold. Papers published in peer-reviewed journal have the journal name in bold. Book chapters have the book title preceded by “In” in bold.
Maxwell, S. OEND (Overdose Education & Naloxone Distribution): History & Future.
Presented for Swansea Harm Reduction Coalition Swansea, Wales, April 2011
Maxwell, S. Naloxone for prevention of opiate overdose deaths. Presented at International Society of Addiction Medicine 12th Annual Medical-Scientific Conference. Milan, Italy October 2010
Maxwell, S. Harm reduction and 12-step recovery: natural partners. Presented at National Conference on the Addictions, Arlington, VA September 2010
Bigg, D, and S Maxwell, with Greg Scott PhD, producer. “LIVE!” A film to train active heroin users in the use of naloxone for opiate overdose. Copyright Sawbuck Productions, 2010.
Maxwell, S. Naloxone distribution: Changing a community, one life at a time. Presented at 5th European Association for Addiction Therapy, Ljubljana Slovenia, October 2009
Maxwell, S, D Bigg, and K Stanczykiewicz. Optimizing Response to Methadone Treatment through Direct Physician Involvement and Integration of Harm Reduction Measures. Symposium panel, International Harm Reduction Conference, Glasgow Scotland, October 2007.
Maxwell, S, D Bigg, and K Stanczykiewicz. Mobile methadone: Facilitating Engagement through Integrating MMT with a Spectrum of Harm Reduction Strategies. Presented at Annual Conference for American Society of Addiction Medicine in Miami FL, April 2007
Maxwell, S, D Bigg, K Stanczykiewicz, and S Carlberg-Racich. Prescribing naloxone to actively-injecting heroin users: a program to reduce opiate overdose death. Journal of Addictive Diseases 25(3), 2006.
Maxwell, S, and D Bigg. Prescribing naloxone to actively-injecting heroin users: a program to reduce opiate overdose death. Symposium panel, International Harm Reduction Conference, Belfast, Ireland, March 2005.
Bigg, D, and S Maxwell, with Michael Simborg, producer. “Naloxone” A film to train active heroin users in the recognition and reversal of opiate overdose. Copyright Wandereye Productions, 2004.
Shinderman, MS, S Maxwell, M Brawand-Amey, KP Golay, P Baumann, and C Eap. Cytochrome P4503A4 metabolic activity, methadone blood concentrations, and methadone doses. Drug & Alcohol Depend. 69(2): 205-211, 2003.
Maxwell, S, MS Shinderman, A Miner, and A Bennet. Correlation between hepatitis C serostatus and methadone dose requirement in 1,163 methadone-maintained patients. Heroin Addict & Rel Clin Prob 4(2): 5-8, 2002.
Maxwell, S, and MS Shinderman. Optimizing long-term response to methadone maintenance treatment: a 152-week followup using higher-dose methadone. J Addict Dis, 21(3):1-12, 2002.
Maxwell, S. Care of people with dual disabilities in the mental health system: education vs. attitude rehabilitation. Psychiatric Rehab Skills 5(1):197-215, 2001.
Maxwell, S, and MS Shinderman. Naltrexone in the Treatment of Dually-diagnosed Patients. J Addict Dis 19(3):61-69, 2000.
Leavitt, SB, MS Shinderman, S Maxwell, CB Eap, and P Paris. When enough is not enough: new perspectives on optimal methadone maintenance dose. Mt Sinai J Med 67(5&6):404-411, 2000.
Maxwell, S & MS Shinderman. Long-term outcome of patients treated with higher-dose methadone: a 152-week followup report. Presented at the 4th European Substitution Therapies Conference, Valenzano Castle, Subbiano-Arezzo, Italy, EU, May 2000.
Maxwell, S & MS Shinderman. Hepatitis C in methadone maintained patients: epidemiology and clinical issues. Presented at the 4th European Substitution Therapies Conference, Valenzano Castle, Subbiano-Arezzo, Italy, EU, May 2000.
Shinderman, MS & S Maxwell. Sexual dysfunction associated with methadone maintenance: treatment with bromocryptine. Heroin Addiction & Related Clinical Problems 2(1):9-14, 2000.
Maremmani, I, O Zolesi, M Aglietti, G Marini, A Tagliamonte, M Shinderman, and S Maxwell. Methadone dose and retention during treatment of heroin addicts with Axis I psychiatric comorbidity. J Addic Dis 19(2):29-42, 2000.
Shinderman, MS and S Maxwell. Sexual side effects of methadone. Presented at the American Society of Addiction Medicine 45th Medical-Scientific Meeting, NY, NY, April 1999.
Maxwell, S and MS Shinderman. Optimizing response to methadone maintenance treatment: use of high-dose methadone. J Psychoactive Drugs, Vol 31, No 2, Apr-Jun 1999.
Grossman, Linda S, JG Stovall, JK Willer, SG McRae, and S Maxwell. Underdiagnosis of PTSD and substance use disorders in hospitalized female veterans. Treatment of Mental Illness & Substance Abuse, Lisa B. Dixon, Ed, American Psychiatric Press, 1999.
Center for Substance Abuse Treatment; Treatment Improvement Protocols. TIP # 28, Use of Naltrexone in Alcohol Use Disorders. 1998.
Maxwell, S, & MS Shinderman. Clinical Management of Patients Requiring High Dose Methadone. Presented at the American Methadone Treatment Association Annual Meeting, April 1998, Chicago IL.
Grossman, Linda S, JK Willer, NS Miller, JG Stovall, SG McRae, and S Maxwell. Temporal Patterns of Veterans' Psychiatric Service Utilization, Disability Payments, and Cocaine Use. J Psychoactive Drugs, 29(3):285-290, 1997.
Maxwell, S, & MS Shinderman. Clinical Management of Patients Requiring High Dose Methadone. Presented at the American Society of Addiction Medicine Medical-Scientific Conference, April 1997, San Diego CA.
Maxwell, S, & MS Shinderman. Naltrexone in the Treatment of Dually-Diagnosed Patients. Presented at the American Society of Addiction Medicine Medical-Scientific Conference, April 1997, San Diego CA.
Bailey, LG, S Maxwell and M Brandabur. Substance Abuse as a Risk Factor for Tardive Dyskinesia: a Retrospective Study of 1027 Veterans. Psychopharmacology Bulletin, Vol 33 No 1 pp177-181, 1997.
Grossman, Linda S, JG Stovall, JK Willer, SG McRae, and S Maxwell. Do Clinicians Underdiagnose PTSD and Substance Abuse in Hospitalized Female Veterans? Psychiatric Services, Vol 48 No 3 pp393-394, 1997.
Maxwell, S, LG Bailey, and M Brandabur. Substance Abuse as a Risk Factor for Tardive Dyskinesia. Presented at NCDEU 36th Annual Meeting, Boca Raton FL, May 1996
Grossman, Linda S, JG Stovall, JK Willer, SG McRae, and S Maxwell. Temporal Patterns Psychiatric Service Utilization, Disability Payments, and Cocaine Use. Presented at Psichiatria d'Urgenza. Perche?, IV International Congress on Emergency Psychiatry, Via del'Arsenale, 22, Italy, 18 October 1995.
Maxwell, S, JK Willer, JG Stovall, SG McRae, and LS Grossman. Women Veterans in Inpatient Psychiatric Care. Presented at the 147th Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association, Miami FL, May 1995.
Stovall, JG, LS Grossman, SG McRae, JK Willer, and S Maxwell. ER Service Use by Addicts Receiving Disability. Presented at the 147th Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association, Miami FL, May 1995.
Willer, JK, S Maxwell, LS Grossman, R Nelson, JG Stovall, SG McRae, and R Rodriguez. Women Veterans in Outpatient and Inpatient Psychiatric Care. Presented at HSR&D Service 13th Annual Meeting, February 1995.
Maxwell, S. Gynecohomophobia: Female Homosexuality Overlooked (letter). Am J Psych, 152:6, June 1995.
Cavanaugh, JL, and S Maxwell. The Expert Witness in Malpractice Litigation. In Hospital and Medical Law and Practice, Miles J Zaremski and Louis S Goldstein, Eds. Callahan and Company Publishers, 1991.
Busch, KA, and S Maxwell. Somatic Treatment of Psychiatric Symptoms in HIV Dementia. In Behavioral Aspects of AIDS and Other Sexually Transmitted Diseases, David G Ostrow, Ed. Plenum Publishing Corporation, 1990.
Maxwell, S, WS Scheftner, HA Kessler, and KA Busch. Manic Syndrome Associated with Zidovudine Treatment (letter). JAMA, 259:23, June 17, 1988.
Contributing Editor, Suicide Research Digest, David C Clark, Ed. Vol II, No 2, April 1988.
Wilkinson, BJ, S Maxwell, and SM Schaus. Classification and Characteristics of Coagulase-Negative, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococci. J Clin Micro, 12:2, Aug 1980.
RESEARCH AND PRESENTATIONS (NOTE: Presentations list significantly abridged after 5 years)
Harm Reduction & 12-Step Recovery: Natural Partners.
October 2014 IL Association of AIDS Nurses
Midwest AIDS Training & Education Center, Chicago IL
October 2014 HIV Breakfast Club
Midwest AIDS Training & Education Center, Chicago IL
August 2014 Grand Rounds, Department of Medicine
Illinois Masonic Hospital, Chicago IL
July 2014 Heartland Health Alliance
Chicago IL
July 2013: Keynote Speaker, Annual Harm Reduction Conference
AIDS Foundation of Chicago
Triple Challenge: HIV+, Psychiatric Illness & Addiction, sponsored by Midwest AIDS Training & Education Center, Chicago IL.
June 2014 HIV Physicians
Chicago IL
March 2014 HIV Physicians
Alsip, IL
March 2014 American Nurses in AIDS Care
Chicago IL
April 2014 CORE Center (Comprehensive HIV Treatment Center) Chicago IL
August 2011 Grand Rounds, Dept of Medicine
Illinois Masonic Hospital, Chicago IL
August 2011 CORE Center (Comprehensive HIV Treatment Center) Chicago IL
Managing Comorbid Addiction & Pain, DASA-Sponsored Training. Presented to staff of DASA-funded addictions treatment programs:
April 2014 Chicago IL
May 2014 Mount Vernon IL
June 2014 Springfield IL
New Zealand:
July 2013: Anxiety & Mood Disorders in General Practice
MidCentral District Health Board, Palmerston North, NZ
June 2013: One Molecule Ahead of the Law: “Legal Highs”
Medical Grand Rounds, Palmerston North Hospital, NZ
May 2013: Anxiety & Mood Disorders in General Practice
MidCentral District Health Board, Palmerston North, NZ
May 2013: Overdose Education & Naloxone Distribution
West Coast District Health Board, Greymouth, NZ
February 2013: Mental Health in General Medical Practice
MidCentral District Health Board, Levin, NZ
November 2012: Mental Health in General Practice
MidCentral District Health Board, Palmerston North, NZ
September 2012: Suboxone: A New Alternative for Opiate Substitution Treatment
Medical Grand Rounds, Palmerston North Hospital, NZ
August 2012: Role of the Chemist [Pharmacist] in Suboxone Treatment
MidCentral District Health Board, Palmerston North, NZ
Faculty, Cook County Hospital, Chicago IL: 4-week Addictions elective rotation
Family Practice Residency Program
April 2006; April 2007; May 2014
Overdose Education & Naloxone Distribution
October 2010 Australian Needle Exchange / Harm Reduction Conference, Melbourne, Australia
January 2010 Train – the – Trainers AIDS Foundation of Chicago
July 2009 Train – the – Trainers University of Chicago
October 2008 Train – the – Trainers
University of Illinois, Chicago IL
March 2006 Dept of Psychiatry Residents & Fellows
Northwestern Hospital, Chicago IL
May 2004 Developing a System for Distributing Naloxone to Actively-Injecting Heroin Addicts, Baltimore MD
June 2004 National Conference, Healthcare for the Homeless, New Orleans LA
June, 2003 Mendocino Co Department of Public Health
Ukiah, California
Buprenorphine Qualifying Courses
June 2005 Faculty, buprenorphine qualifying course
Sponsored by ISAM / ASAM, Peter Friedman MD, course director
Chicago IL
June 2004 Review, Buprenorphine grant proposals
US DHHS Health Resources and Services Administration
Washington DC
September 2004 Lifesaving Interventions for Injecting Drug Users: Safer injection, overdose prevention, buprenorphine treatment”
National TASC conference, Washington DC
September 2003 Faculty, Buprenorphine Training Course
Sponsored by WISAM / ASAM, David Fiellin MD, Course Director
Milwaukee WI
March 2002 Faculty, Buprenorphine Qualifying Course
Sponsored by ISAM / ASAM, David Fiellin MD, Course Director
Chicago IL
November 2001 Faculty, Buprenorphine Qualifying Course
Sponsored by ISAM / ASAM, David Fiellin MD, Course Director
Chicago IL
SBIRT: Screening, Brief Intervention & Referral to Treatment
Addictions training for residents in surgery and internal medicine
St Francis Hospital, Evanston IL, December 2010
Addictions training for attending physicians
Kewaunee Hospital, Kewaunee IL, November 2010
Steering Committee Systems Change Subcommittee
Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT)
Chicago IL, Jan 2005 - – Dec 2007
Genessee County Mental Health Center, Flint, Michigan: Full-day symposia
January 2010 Infectious Diseases in MISA patients: STDs
August 2009 Neurophysiology & Psychopharmacology of Stimulant Addiction
May 2009 Neurophysiology & Psychopharmacology of Alcohol & Tobacco Addiction
August 2008 Neurophysiology & Psychopharmacology of Comorbid States II
June 2008 Neurophysiology & Psychopharmacology of Comorbid States I
Other Presentations
September 2014 Harm Reduction in Medical Care
‘Harm Reduction in the House’ Annual Conference
Heartland Health Alliance, Chicago IL
November 2010 Role of harm reduction in medical care
First- and Second-year medical students
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
North Chicago IL
August 2007 Consultation & Debriefing Meeting on the Response to
Fentanyl-Related Overdoses & Deaths: Lessons for
Dealing with Future Outbreaks
Washington DC
November 2006 “History of AIDS -- Death & Hope: 1990 – 1999”
AIDS Foundation of Chicago – World AIDS Week
Art Institute of Chicago
July 2006 “Exercise in Frustration: Outreach to opiate-addicted patients in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina”
Presented at International Harm Reduction Conference Vancouver, Canada
September 2005 Trip in mobile methadone van to assist opiate-addicted refugees
in the areas impacted by Hurricane Katrina
Sponsored by International Center for Advancement of Addictions Treatment
1998 -2000 Investigator, “Influence of cytochrome P4502D6 genotype, cytochrome P4503A4 activity, and plasma methadone enantiomer concentration on methadone maintenance treatment.”
Center for Addictive Problems, Chicago IL
Unite de Biochimie et Psychopharmacologie Clinique,
Prilly-Lausanne, Switzerland
1995-1996 Principal Investigator: “Clinical Management of Patients Treated with ReViaTM for Alcohol Dependency” DuPont Pharma, Sponsor
Community Counselling Centers of Chicago
1993-1994 Research Coordinator & Co-Investigator
"A double-blind, placebo-controlled, Haldol-referenced study of the safety and efficacy of two doses of sertindole in schizophrenic patients" Abbott Laboratories, Sponsor
West Side VA Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois
1992-1993 Research Coordinator & Co-Investigator
"A double-blind, placebo-controlled, Haldol-referenced study of the safety and efficacy of sertindole in schizophrenic patients"
and "An open-label assessment of the long-term safety of sertindole in the treatment of schizophrenic patients"
Abbott Labs, Sponsor
West Side VA Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois
1986 - 1988 Co-Investigator, "Fluoxetine versus amitriptyline
in depressed adult patients" Dista-Lilly, Sponsor
Rush-Presbyterian-St Luke's Medical Center
Chicago, Illinois
1985 - 1986 Preparation & Production of film:
"Emergency Room Triage of Difficult Psychiatric Patients"
Copyright 1985, Department of Psychiatry
Rush-Presbyterian-St Luke's Medical Center
SARZ MAXWELL MD
ADDICTION PSYCHIATRIST
Biosketch
Dr. Maxwell graduated from Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine in 1984, and completed her psychiatric residency training at Rush Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Hospital from 1984 through 1988, during the early years of the AIDS epidemic in Chicago. This may have been prophetic for the remainder of her career has involved patients at high risk for HIV infection, from gay men to injecting drug users.
Dr. Maxwell was fortunate to have her medical education paid by one of the last scholarships from the National Health Corps, and discharged her scholarship obligation by spending four years practicing in rural northwest Missouri. The experience was intriguing: she was the only psychiatrist for a 100-mile radius in an area where people still practice snake handling. For[= contrast, she taught psychology in a Catholic seminary located at the Conception Abbey Benedictine Monastery, and recorded educational broadcasts for the local National Public Radio station.
In 1992 she returned to Chicago and began developing her clinical and research interests in addictive disorders. Dr. Maxwell has worked at many different facilities, including Veterans Administration hospitals, methadone clinics, homeless shelters, addictions treatment programs, and community mental health centers. She has always been drawn towards the patients whom no one else wants: mentally ill substance abusers, adults disordered by childhood trauma, HIV-positive patients, and heroin addicts.
In 1999 Dr Maxwell began volunteer work with Chicago Recovery Alliance, a needle exchange and harm reduction outreach program. She helped CRA institute the first major program in the world to distribute naloxone, an antidote for heroin overdose, directly to heroin addicts. Today OEND ( Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution) is practiced worldwide, with >5.000 lives saved in Chicago alone. OEND is endorsed by most major medical societies, including WHO, AMA, ASAM; even DEA and ONDCP.
Dr. Maxwell enjoys providing public education to either lay or professional audiences; she lectures and writes extensively about clinical aspects of harm reduction, addiction and dual diagnosis. In 2008 she volunteered for 6 weeks with Family Health International and the World Health Organization to assist Vietnam and Cambodia in starting methadone maintenance programs.
In 2011 Dr Maxwell moved to New Zealand and spent almost two years practicing addiction psychiatry there. New Zealand is a tiny country with almost no homeless or street addict population. This is an advantage for New Zealand, but not for an addiction psychiatrist who missed the raw cutting-edge of practice on the streets. In late 2013 she returned to the US to resume service to the underserved populations she’s always loved.
DISCLOSURE of Current Issues with DEA & IDFPR
My Illinois medical license is currently active under a two-year Consent Order with the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation (IDFPR). This Order originated from my interactions with the Chicago office of DEA, as described below.
In my Suboxone practice (active since 2001) I required that my patients allow no physician but me to prescribe any controlled substance. This clinical contract became more relevant and necessary as the epidemic of prescription opiates in the mid-2000’s brought me patients with chronic pain who were misusing their prescription opiates and seeking Suboxone treatment. With these patients I continued to require that they not receive prescriptions for opiates from any physician but me. In a handful of cases (<ten) I prescribed opiates (in addition to Suboxone) to manage the patients’ ongoing well-established and –documented severe chronic pain.
I was first contacted by DEA in 2009 and received periodic visits at my Chicago practice during 2009-2011. The investigator, Ms Angelia Young, maintained that only physicians holding Board Certification in Pain Medicine are qualified to treat pain. I countered that an addictionist is uniquely qualified to treat pain in addicted patients. Ms Young conceded that I had violated no statutes and had been in compliance with the law in my care of Suboxone patients. It was my understanding that we agreed to disagree (with the caveat that I could expect frequent visits from DEA.)
In May 2012 I accepted a position in New Zealand, a long-time dream of mine. I made arrangements for a US address and point of contact to retain my US licensure while working abroad. I remained in New Zealand, practicing addiction psychiatry, from May 2012 through October 2013. In January 2013 I made my routine DEA renewal application online, using my US address.
When I returned to the US in October 2013 I received an email from Ms Young at the Chicago DEA office saying she had terminated my renewal application in January; she invited me to withdraw all requests for continued DEA registration. I was unwilling to do this, and I retained Ms Lillian Walanka, a Chicago attorney, to assist me in restoring my DEA certification.
Five weeks later, in December 2013, I received a Complaint from IDFPR; Ms Walanka tells me that DEA has no mechanism to discipline physicians who are innocent of legal malfeasance, so they commonly utilize the resources of State licensing boards to provide additional discipline.
In October 2014 I agreed to a two-year Consent Order with IDFPR requiring that I work under the supervision of another physician who can provide quarterly reports to IDFPR regarding my clinical performance, particularly in regards to prescription of controlled substances.
I met with DEA on 10 February 2015; at that time Ms Walanka and I hoped we could draft a Memorandum of Agreement under which my DEA registration could be restored, thus allowing me to seek employment. We were told, however, in a classic Catch-22 maneuver, that a DEA registration could not be issued until I had an established practice address, at which time I can make my application for DEA registration. From there, it routinely takes 6-8 weeks for the application to be processed.
Under normal circumstances a physician needs DEA certification to apply for a job. I am in the ridiculous position of requiring a job in order to apply for DEA certification. I currently seek an employer who appreciates my unique talents and experience sufficiently to hire me, which will provide the practice address I require to submit my application for renewal of DEA certification.
The employer who does this can expect, in addition to my not-insubstantial qualifications, the sincere gratitude of a person trapped in an untenable position.
Documentary evidence relating to these situations is available upon request.
REFERENCES
Ricardo Rivero MD MPH Supervisor since 2007
Executive Director, Midwest AIDS Training & Education Centre (MATEC)
1640 W. Roosevelt Road, Suite 511, M/C 779
Chicago, IL 60608-1316
acqhxj@r.postjobfree.com
J Wesley Cook DO Colleague for ~10 yr
2001 W Addison Practice Monitor for IDFPR
Chicago IL 60613
http://drjwesleycook.com
Dr Bradley S Wainer DO Colleague since ~1995
Primary Care Associates
6840 W Windsor Ave
Berwyn, IL 60402
708-***-**** (Office)
www.pricare.org
Ed Stellon MA Supervisor at HHO, 2000-2003
Executive Director, Heartland Health Outreach
acqhxj@r.postjobfree.com
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