BEFORE THE NORTH CAROLINA MEDICAL BOARD In re: ) ) NOTICE OF CHARGES Matthew Block, M.D., ) AND ALLEGATIONS; ) NOTICE OF HEARING Respondent. ) The North Carolina Medical Board (hereafter Board) has preferred and does hereby prefer the following charges and allegations: 1. The Board is a body duly organized under the laws of North Carolina and is the proper party to bring this proceeding under the authority granted it in Article 1 of Chapter 90 of the North Carolina General Statutes. 2. Matthew Block, M.D. (hereafter Dr. Block), is a physician licensed by the Board on or about April 26, 2001, to practice medicine and surgery, license number 200100308. 3. During the times relevant herein, Dr. Block practiced medicine in Mt. Laurinburg, North Carolina. 4. Patient A is a family member of Dr. Block. Patient A suffers from serious health ailments such as alcohol abuse, bipolar disorder, chronic kidney disease, bulimia and anorexia. Since becoming licensed by the Board in 2001, Dr. Block has treated and prescribed to Patient A. During this time, Dr. Block has authorized over one hundred (100) prescriptions for Patient A. Notice of Charges Matthew Block, M.D. Page 1 of 6
Many of the prescriptions were for controlled substances such as Ambien (zolpidem tartrate), Valium (diazepam), Xanax (alprazolam), and Klonopin (clonazapem). None of the prescriptions for Patient A were documented in any patient chart. 5. Patients B, C, D, E and F are employees or former employees of Dr. Block. For all of the above patients, Dr. Smith authorized prescriptions. Many of the prescriptions were for controlled substances. 6. Patients B and C are employees of Dr. Block. For these patients, Dr. Block prescribed many of the same drugs that he prescribed to Patient A, Dr. Block s family member. Dr. Block did keep brief office notes on Patients B and C but failed to document many of the prescriptions he had authorized to these two patients. 7. Patient C admitted that she diverted drugs to Patient A; however, she denies that this diversion occurred with the knowledge of Dr. Block. 8. Patient D is a former employee. Dr. Block called in a prescription in the name of Patient D for the purpose of Patient D diverting those drugs to Patient A. On May 1, 2007, Dr. Block called in a prescription for Valium for Patient D. Patient D did not need Valium nor did Patient D intend to take Valium for any medical reason. Patient D picked up the Valium at the pharmacy and took the drugs to Patient A. The cost of the Valium Notice of Charges Matthew Block, M.D. Page 2 of 6
prescription was charged to Dr. Block s office account. On two occasions Dr. Block prescribed phentermine to Patient D. Dr. Block prescribed phentermine, an appetite suppressant diet medication, to Patient D without performing a physical examination, creating a patient chart for Patient D or documenting the prescriptions in any manner. 9. Patient E is a former employee of Dr. Block. Dr. Block prescribed several medications to Patient E without keeping a chart. Dr. Block prescribed phentermine to Patient E without documenting the prescription in any manner. 10. Patient F is an employee of Dr. Block. Dr. Block prescribed phentermine to Patient F without documenting the prescription in any manner. 11. Dr. Block failed to supervise his office staff properly and delegated medical tasks to non-licensed individuals. Patient E, a former office worker who is not a licensed or certified health care worker, performed International Normalized Ratio(INR) blood tests, and according to the results of the INR, Patient E would make dosage changes/adjustments to the patients Coumadin (sodium warfarin) prescriptions. Coumadin is an anti-coagulant medication that helps thin the blood for a variety of cardiac conditions. 12. Dr. Block admitted that Patient E performed INR tests but denied that he gave permission to Patient E to make adjustments to Notice of Charges Matthew Block, M.D. Page 3 of 6
patients Coumadin doses. Dr. Block did admit that he gave permission to his licensed practical nurse (LPN) could make adjustments to patients Coumadin doses. 13. As evidenced by the conduct described above, Dr. Block committed unprofessional conduct, including, but not limited to, departure from, or the failure to conform to, the standards of acceptable and prevailing medical practice, or the ethics of the medical profession, irrespective of whether a patient is injured thereby, within the meaning of N.C. Gen. Stat. 90-14(a)(6), and grounds exist under that section of the North Carolina General Statutes for the Board to annul, suspend, revoke, or limit his license to practice medicine and surgery issued by the Board or deny any application he might make in the future. NOTICE TO DR. BLOCK Pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. 90-14.2, it is hereby ordered that a hearing on the foregoing Notice of Charges and Allegations will be held before the Board, or a panel thereof, at 8:00 a.m., on Wednesday, August 20, 2008, or as soon thereafter as the Board may hear it, at the offices of the Board, 1203 Front Street, Raleigh, North Carolina, to continue until completed. The hearing will be held pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. 150B-40, 41, and 42, and N.C. Gen. Stat. 90-14.2, 14.4, 14.5, and 14.6. You may appear personally and through counsel, may cross-examine witnesses and Notice of Charges Matthew Block, M.D. Page 4 of 6
present evidence in your own behalf. You may, if you desire, file written answers to the charges and complaints preferred against you within 30 days after the service of this notice. The identities of Patients A through F and the date and place of treatment of these patients are being withheld from public disclosure pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. 90-8. However, this information will be provided to you upon your request. Pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. 150B-40(c)(5), it is further ordered that the parties shall arrange a pre-hearing conference at which they shall prepare and sign a stipulation on pre-hearing conference substantially in the form attached hereto. The prehearing stipulation shall be submitted to the undersigned no later than seven days prior to the hearing date. The right to be present during the hearing of this case, including any such right conferred or implied by N.C. Gen. Stat. 150B-40(d), shall be deemed waived by a party or his counsel by voluntary absence from the Board s office at a time when it is known that proceedings, including deliberations, are being conducted, or are about to be conducted. In such event the proceedings, including additional proceedings after the Board has Notice of Charges Matthew Block, M.D. Page 5 of 6
retired to deliberate, may go forward without waiting for the arrival or return of counsel or a party. This the 9th day of July, 2008. NORTH CAROLINA MEDICAL BOARD By: Janelle A. Rhyne, M.D. President Notice of Charges Matthew Block, M.D. Page 6 of 6