Doctor suspended over fake services
The disciplinary council of the Quebec College of Physicians suspended a Montreal doctor for six months and fined him $10,000 for prescribing medication irresponsibly and writing fake medical notes for students at his downtown clinic.
Dr. Raymond Rezaie pleaded guilty to evaluating patients inadequately and then prescribing medication without justification for insomnia, alcohol and drug addiction, depression and social anxiety.
The College investigated 13 cases, mostly Cégep de Maisonneuve students, who were given diagnoses of major depression and anxiety disorders. In some of these cases, Rezaie’s medical files showed clinical notes for procedures he did not do, for example, measure blood pressure and pulse.
Investigator Isabelle Amyot found the physician contravened the profession’s code of ethics by summarily issuing diagnoses and prescriptions without first evaluating his patients, not for physical ailments or for mental distress.
He also handed out medical notes, for a fee of $65, to students who sought his services to drop one or several school courses. The diagnosis for each of the students is the same — an incapacity that started in mid- October 2015, although the medical examinations took place in December 2015, and ended in January 2016.
Amyot started her investigation when someone informed the College that several students had their classloads lifted with the help of medical notes from a single physician. She got the students’ medical files and found Rezaie had billed the provincial insurance health board, the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ), for complete examinations that he didn’t do.
Also, one person Rezaie treated was actually an undercover investigator posing as a college student who wanted a medical note to be excused from class. Rezaie gave her a diagnosis of major depression, generalized anxiety and adjustment disorder.
The council’s decision made public Thursday found that Rezaie’s actions were premeditated, and he showed no remorse or regret.
He demonstrated a lack of integrity, the council said.
“His patient assessment and medical notes were false, serious diagnoses of mental health issues were false, the RAMQ fee claims were false, and his medical certificates for educational institutions were incorrect since they were not supported by true diagnoses.”
This isn’t the first time Rezaie has appeared before the College’s disciplinary council. In 2016, the College upheld its decision against Rezaie in connection with 31 botched circumcisions.