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ORTHOPEDICS
Louisiana neurologist
allegedly defrauded
government of nearly $1.7M
By Angie Stewart
L
ouisiana neurologist Anil Prasad, MD, was charged
with conspiring to dispense controlled substances
and commit healthcare fraud, according to the
Department of Justice.
From 2016 to 2018, Dr. Prasad allegedly pre-signed
prescriptions for controlled substances, including oxy-
codone, for patients he didn't personally examine.
The prescriptions Dr. Prasad signed without examining
patients to determine medical necessity cost Medicaid
about $1.1 million and cost Medicare nearly $594,000.
Dr. Prasad also allegedly pre-signed prescriptions for
controlled substances while he was travelling abroad.
Two nurse practitioners and the owner of the clinic
where he worked are listed as co-conspirators in the
indictment, but they're all unnamed.
Authorities said Dr. Prasad was aware that some pa-
tients paid for the unnecessary prescriptions using their
Medicare Part D and Medicaid benefits. n
Orthopedic surgeon gets 5
months in federal prison
for illegal hydrocodone
pill distribution: 4 notes
By Laura Dyrda
A
n orthopedic surgeon that pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy
aer illegally distributing hydrocodone last year has been sen-
tenced to federal prison, according to a Tulsa World report.
Four things to know:
1. Jeremy omas, DO, an orthopedic surgeon in Claremore, Okla.,
received a sentence of five months in federal prison and eight months of
home confinement, according to the report. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-
lyn McCormick originally requested a 57- to 71-month prison sentence.
2. Dr. omas pleaded guilty to prescribing around 14,000 hydroco-
done pills to alleged co-conspirators, and he admitted to abusing the
substance himself.
3. irteen former patients filed medical negligence lawsuits against
Dr. omas aer his grand jury indictment last year.
4. Since the investigation, Dr. omas has received treatment for drug
addiction. n
Physician Partners of America
brings on 3 more former Laser
Spine Institute surgeons
By Laura Dyrda
T
ampa, Fla.-based Physician Partners of America
welcomed three former Laser Spine Institute
surgeons.
Stefan Prada, MD, Keith Girton, MD, and Brett Menmuir,
MD, all joined Physician Partners of America. The sur-
geons previously practiced with Laser Spine Institute, a
Tampa-based chain of minimally invasive spine surgery-
focused ASCs that closed in March after financial
struggles.
Drs. Prada, Menmuir and Girton will perform spine and
pain management procedures in Florida. Physician
Partners of America previously brought on Laser Spine
Institute surgeon James St. Louis, DO, who has also
become the director of Physician Partners of America's
minimally invasive spine group.
Finally, Physician Partners of America also hired Jennifer
Bowser, DC, a former Laser Spine Institute provider, to
conduct patient consultations. n
Williamson Medical Center,
Bone and Joint Institute of
Tennessee surgeons partner to
open facility — 3 details
By Angie Stewart
T
he Bone and Joint Institute of Tennessee — a part-
nership between Franklin, Tenn.-based Williamson
Medical Center and more than a dozen orthopedic
surgeons — set an opening date for its new facility.
Three details:
1. The 121,252-square-foot facility is expected to open in
Brentwood, Tenn., April 29. It will feature an outpatient surgery
center capable of accommodating 23-hour patient stays.
2. With Darren Harris as CEO, the Bone and Joint Institute
of Tennessee will offer physical therapy, occupational thera-
py and outpatient imaging services at the new building.
3. Many surgeons involved in the project come from the
Vanderbilt Bone & Joint Clinic, which was formed by Nas-
vhille, Tenn.-based Vanderbilt University Medical Center's
2009 acquisition of the Franklin Bone & Joint Clinic. n
