Arkansas board reinstates license for doctor who admitted diverting painkillers for own use

Drug tests, therapy part of regimen

A doctor who admitted diverting painkillers for his own use can return to practicing medicine but will have to follow a treatment and monitoring plan set by the Arkansas Medical Foundation, the Arkansas State Medical Board decided Thursday.

The board had suspended Chet Crawford's Arkansas medical license in March, after being notified that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs had terminated Crawford's medical staff membership and clinical privileges.

Crawford, who completed his residency in Arkansas, said Thursday that he had been working at a VA clinic in Modesto, Calif., at the time.

According to a Medical Board order, Crawford told an investigator with the VA's Office of Inspector General that he had twice written oxycodone prescriptions for patients with the intention of later retrieving the drugs, either by intercepting a UPS package or visiting the patient at home.

In one instance, he prescribed 90 oxycodone tablets for a patient who denied having any pain, according to the order.

Crawford, 37, said Thursday that he started taking prescribed pain medication after he was diagnosed with Crohn's disease while he was in his 20s and completing his residency at a University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences clinic in Fayetteville.

Eventually, "things got out of control," he said. He said he tried to stop taking the medication after moving to California but "didn't do well with it."

"I'm in full acceptance of everything that I've done wrong," Crawford, who now lives in Texas, told the board. "I apologize to the board and for causing any embarrassment that I have to our field."

Bradley Diner, the foundation's medical director, said Crawford completed a 90-day treatment program and agreed to follow the foundation's recommendations, including submitting to drug testing, undergoing therapy and attending meetings.

After finding that Crawford violated the state's Medical Practices Act, the board revoked his license but suspended the revocation on the condition that he submit to monitoring by the board and foundation for five years and pay $472.52 to reimburse the board for the cost of its investigation.

Any plans by Crawford to return to practicing medicine will be subject to the foundation's review and approval, Diner said.

Metro on 10/06/2017

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