The New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners (the "Board") has taken the following actions in January 2009. This information is a summary prepared by the Board Administrative Office staff. Copies of the Orders can be found at www.njmedicalboard.gov under the right-hand pull down menu, "Board Activities," "Monthly Summaries." Requests for certified, true copies should be made in writing directed to William V. Roeder, Executive Director, P.O. Box 183, Trenton, New Jersey 08625.
DENDRINOS, George A., M.D. 
License #MA067899
Dendrinos Medical Associates
P.O. Box 2268
Vineland, NJ 08362
Ross Univ/Univ of Dominica, 1995
SUPPLEMENTAL ORDER filed January 15, 2009. This matter was reopened to the Board for consideration of the amount of costs to be assessed upon Dr. Dendrinos, which was specifically reserved at the time an Order was entered by the Board, both to afford the Attorney General (the "AG") an opportunity to make a cost application and to allow Dr. Dendrinos to submit written objections to any items sought to be recovered by the AG. Pursuant to the Final Order Granting Summary Decision to the State entered April 17, 2008 and effective March 14, 2008, the AG was directed to file an application for costs and attorney's fees no later than March 14, 2008, and Dr. Dendrinos' opposition was due fifteen days thereafter. Upon review of the submissions made by both parties, the Board concluded as announced on the record in the open session of the Board meeting on July 9, 2008, Dr. Dendrinos will be required to pay costs in the amount of $21,614.44. The AG submitted a timely certification detailing all costs sought on March 13, 2008. The Board has received and reviewed the submissions of both parties. Dr. Dendrinos Letter Brief of July 2, 2008, was submitted out of time detailing his objections to the AG's certification of costs. The Board considered this matter at it's regularly scheduled meeting on July 9, 2008, and found the AG may be awarded the attorney's fees assessed, all transcript fees, court reporter costs and the cost of investigation. The Board ordered that within thirty days of the date of the Order, Dr. Dendrinos must pay costs incurred by the State in the amount of $21,614.44. In the event the costs are not timely satisfied a Certificate of Debt will be filed. EFFECTIVE DATE: January 15, 2009.
FRASER, Keith E. M.D.
License #MA053154
134 Evergreen Place 3rd Floor
East Orange, New Jersey 07018
University of Penn Sch of Med, 1982
National Boards
THIS IS A NON DISCIPLINARY ORDER
CONSENT ORDER Filed January 15, 2009: The matter was opened to the Board upon receipt of information that on December 9, 2008, Dr. Fraser was indicted in the Superior Court of New Jersey for the aggravated criminal sexual contact of C.G. a patient, at his medical office. The indictment consisted of criminal sexual contact upon C.G. as defined by N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2 ( c), by committing one or more acts of sexual contact upon C.G. by using force, but where C.G. did not sustain severe personal injury, contrary to the provisions of N.J.S.A. 2C14-3(b). Dr. Fraser entered a general denial of the charges. Dr. Fraser consented and agreed to each and every term of this Consent Order, and the Board found the within disposition to be adequately protective of the public health, safety and welfare. The Board ordered and Dr. Fraser agreed that within five days of the filing of this Order and in writing, to notify the Executive Director of the Medical Board of his office hours. Dr. Fraser will inform the Executive Director of the Board within twenty-four hours and in writing, of any changes in such office hours; he will not have any patient encounters whatsoever in his office at any time other than the office hours provided to the Board; he will have a chaperone present whenever he encounters female patients for any reason whatsoever and the chaperone will remain present throughout the encounters; and he will provide to the Board the name, home address, telephone number, type of license and license number of the proposed chaperone, who must be approved in advance by the Board. The Board expressly reserves the right to seek to vacate this Order in the event Dr. Fraser commits a material violation of any terms of this Order; pleas guilty to any offense and/or is convicted of any charges in the Indictment; enters into a Pretrial Intervention Program as the result of the Indictment; or if he engaged in, or after the entry of this Order engages in, conduct that violates any regulation or statute governing the practice of medicine and surgery in New Jersey. EFFECTIVE DATE: January 15, 2009.
ICOCHEA, Rosendo D., M.D.
License # Pending
236 Slocum Way
Fort Lee, NJ 07024
Univ of Hawaii, John A. Burns Sch of Med, 1976
Appl - International
CONSENT ORDER TO CEASE AND DESIST filed January 13, 2009. This matter was opened to the Board upon receipt of information pertaining to Dr. Icochea practicing medicine in New Jersey without a New Jersey medical license. Dr. Icochea is a medical doctor in New York. On February 27, 2008, Dr. Icochea appeared before the Preliminary Evaluation Committee of the Board and testified under oath that on or about January 2006, he maintained a medical office in West New York, New Jersey where he performed medical evaluations and treatment; that he issued orders, wrote prescriptions and performed other medical services requiring a New Jersey license, without a New Jersey license and that he practiced medicine without malpractice insurance and without a New Jersey license from January 2006 until at least June 2008. Dr. Icochea further testified that he had applied for a New Jersey license, however, no record of such an application had been received at the New Jersey Board office. Since Dr. Icochea's testimony in February 2008, he has continued to practice medicine in New Jersey without a license. Dr. Icochea's conduct constituted violations of the Board's statutes and regulations, thereby forming a basis for the imposition of discipline. The New Jersey Board ordered and Dr. Icochea agreed to be admonished for his practice of medicine and surgery in New Jersey without a valid New Jersey medical license. Dr. Icochea also agreed to immediately cease and desist from the the practice of medicine in New Jersey and close his office in West New York, New Jersey and not open another medical office in New Jersey unless and until he has a valid license. Dr. Icochea is to pay penalties in the amount of $10,000.00 within thirty days of the filing of this Order. EFFECTIVE DATE: January 13, 2009.
SCHMIERER, Michael A., D.P.M.
License #MD000952
3 Hospital Plaza, Ste. 314
Old Bridge, NJ 08857-3096
New York Coll of Podiatric Med, 1972
National Boards
CONSENT ORDER OF SUSPENSION filed January 5, 2009. This matter was opened to the Board upon notification that on August 7, 2008, in the District Court of New Jersey, Dr. Schmierer waived prosecution by Indictment and pled guilty to a one count charging him with conspiracy to obstruct a Federal audit. According to the Federal Information, Dr. Schmierer is a principal of Advantage Foot and Ankle Centers and both him and Advantage were approved Medicare providers. In late September 2003, the Medicare Program requested the medical records of twenty-five Advantage patients as part of a Medicare audit to determine if Advantage was engaging in upcoding in its billing for these patients. As part of the alleged conspiracy to obstruct this audit, on or about September 25, 2003, Dr. Schmierer and other as yet unidentified individuals, rewrote patient notes in seven of these twenty-five audited patient files to increase the amount of information about the patients' condition and treatment in an apparent attempt to support Advantage's billing where the original medical notes either were insufficient to support a reimbursable Medicare claim or demonstrated that the services actually provided were not reimbursable or were reimbursable at a lower rate than claimed. Dr. Schmierer, through his counsel, acknowledged that his conduct, as set forth in the Federal Information, constituted the use or employment of dishonesty, deception, or misrepresentation; professional misconduct; commission of a crime involving moral turpitude relating adversely to the practice of podiatry; and/or a violation of the Board's record keeping regulation, and therefore subjected him to discipline by the Board. The Board ordered and Dr. Schmierer agreed effective February 1, 2009, that his license to practice podiatry will be suspended for three (3) years, the first six (6) months of said suspension will be served as an active suspension, with the remaining thirty (30) months stayed and to be served as probation. Dr. Schmierer must enroll in and demonstrate successful completion of Board-approved courses in medical ethics and record keeping, with written verification of successful completion of each said course no later than July 31, 2009; he is to pay penalty in the amount of $ 5,000.00 and cost in the amount of $339.55, said total amount of $5,339.55 must be paid within thirty (30) days of the entry of this Order by the Board; and on February 1, 2009, Dr. Schmierer must return his original New Jersey podiatry license, biennial registration cards, his State CDS registration, and notify the DEA of the entry of this Order. EFFECTIVE DATE: February 1, 2009.
SIMPSON, Thomas E., M.D.
License #MA042441
124 West 32nd Street
Bayonne, NJ 07002-1902
New York University, 1976
National Boards
CONSENT ORDER OF REPRIMAND filed January 20, 2009. This matter was opened to the Board upon receipt of information alleging Dr. Simpson failed to diagnose and treat a bowel obstruction during his surgical care of patient S.C., which resulted in the patient's death. Dr. Simpson submitted a written response and testified before the Preliminary Evaluation Committee of the Board on March 3, 2004, concerning his care of S.C. Dr. Simpson's testimony revealed he was called in for a surgical consultation following S.C.'s gynecological surgery. Dr. Simpson further explained that although x-rays revealed a possible small bowel obstruction which was being monitored, he hesitated to re-operate at that juncture since he contends that it was not in the patient's best interests in light of the patient's clinical progress and recent surgery. A detailed review of the hospital records and Dr. Simpson's written and oral responses under oath raised concerns about his medical management of patient S.C. The Board noted that the delay in surgical intervention is understandable and warranted when there is doubt concerning the diagnosis, especially following a recent surgical procedure. Nonetheless, the Board found Dr. Simpson neglected the laboratory signs of bowel obstruction, including an elevated BUN, a drop in urine output and excessive nasogastric-tube discharge and relied instead on clinical signs such as flatus, bowel movements and the patient being ambulatory. The Board ordered, and Dr. Simpson agreed to be reprimanded for his conduct described herein. Dr. Simpson must pay penalties in the amount of $5,000.00 and costs in the amount of $712.50. EFFECTIVE DATE: January 20, 2009.
C. Samuel Verghese
Unlicensed
421 North Otter Branch Drive
Glendora, New Jersey 08029-1617
CONSENT ORDER TO CEASE AND DESIST filed January 15, 2009. This matter was opened to the Board upon receipt of information that C. Samuel Verghese was holding himself out as a Medical Doctor and practicing alternative medicine in New Jersey, in violation of N.J.S.A. 45:9. Mr. Verghese does not hold a license to practice medicine and surgery. The Board found the within disposition adequately protective of the public health, safety, and welfare, and Mr. Verghese waiving any right to a hearing in this matter, and being desirous of resolving this matter without the need for further formal proceedings, the Board ordered Mr. Verghese to immediately cease and desist from engaging in conduct that may be construed by a reasonable person as holding himself out to the public as a medical doctor and/or a doctor of alternative medicine. Mr. Verghese must immediately cease and desist from using the initials "M.D." and/or "M.D. (A.M.)" after his name. Mr. Verghese shall not represent he has credentials, background, experience or expertise in the fields of medicine or alternative medicine to any New Jersey Consumer. Mr. Verghese has agreed that if he violates any provision of this Consent Order, the Board may file an injunctive action against him in the Superior Court of New Jersey seeking monetary penalties and injunctive relief against him. This Order will serve as an acknowledgment by Mr. Verghese that he does not hold a license to practice medicine and surgery or alternative medicine and may not offer to practice or so practice in New Jersey. EFFECTIVE DATE: January 14, 2009.
BOARD OF MEDICAL EXAMINERS
William V. Roeder
Executive Director
