Miami surgeon ignores suspension, keeps operating
Healthcare Auditing Weekly, July 24, 2007
A legal dispute involving a 69-year-old Miami heart surgeon has revealed that he has been suspended from the staff at Cedars Medical Center while the hospital investigates 24 of his cases, which include 'numerous patient deaths,' court filings show, the Miami Herald reports.
Other documents say the surgeon, Alex Zakharia, suffers from memory lapses that have been worsening, and he's been charged in a criminal case with fraud and perjury for allegedly exaggerating his surgical experience.
Zakharia's lawyers insist he has done nothing wrong, and the doctor has challenged his suspension. He continues to work in at least four South Florida hospitals. One week last month, he performed 21 procedures, according to court documents.
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