Area doctors disciplined by state medical board
• The Texas Medical Board's site allows consumers to verify the license status of Texas physicians, access information on registering a complaint and review recent disciplinary actions: http://www.tmb.state.tx.us/
The board that oversees Texas doctors has ordered a McAllen woman to stop practicing medicine without a license, according to information released by the Texas Medical Board.
Three other Rio Grande Valley doctors also recently were disciplined by the board for quality-of-care violations, according to board records.
Jessica Gonzalez, who worked at South Texas Children's Clinic in Alamo, was ordered to cease seeing patients and was prohibited from practicing medicine in Texas, the board's orders state.
Gonzalez held a "physician in training" license until 2006 but currently is not a licensed doctor, nurse or physician assistant in Texas, according to the medical board.
Neither she nor anyone representing of South Texas Children's Clinic could be reached for comment.
According to Texas Medical Board records, others disciplined were:
>> Dr. Jeffrey Brown, a McAllen internal-medicine specialist, for failing to reassess a patient shortly before a "code blue" was called. The board ordered Brown to take eight hours of continuing medical-education courses and pay a $1,000 fee.
>> Dr. Ruben Pechero, a McAllen orthopedic surgeon, for failing to indicate reasons for performing two spinal surgeries and recommending a third. Through mediation, Pechero agreed to take five hours of continuing medical-education courses and pay a $1,000 fee.
>> Dr. Hildebrando Salinas, a McAllen psychiatrist, for failing to thoroughly evaluate a patient on an initial visit. The board ordered Salinas to complete 12 hours of continuing medical-education courses and pay a $1,000 fee.
Brown defended himself Friday, saying: "I made comments to the medical board that I do believe I met the standard of care."
Salinas declined comment Thursday.
Pechero disagrees that the surgeries he performed were unnecessary, said Gus Garcia, the surgeon's administrative manager. As such, Pechero "agreed to disagree" with the board, Garcia said. He noted the two patients who underwent surgery are "doing wonderfully" and are still Pechero's patients.
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Melissa McEver covers health and environment issues for Valley Freedom Newspapers. She is based in Harlingen and you can reach her at (956) 430-6252.
