Surgeon Receives Prison Sentence for Health Care Fraud

On March 7, 2014, New York orthopedic surgeon Spyros Panos was sentenced to four and a half years in federal prison for committing the crime of health care fraud. The sentence is accompanied by a fine of $250,000.00 as well as a requirement that Panos pay another five million dollars of restitution to the government. Panos has also been stripped of all of his medical licenses.  During his case, Panos admitted that he falsified insurance claims for many of the surgeries that he performed, including those that were submitted to insurance providers, such as Medicare.  Altogether, many insurance providers paid millions of dollars of excess payments to Panos and his medical practice.

While the fraudulent actions that resulted in the criminal case against Spyros Panos were reprehensible, the things that he did to his patients were far worse. He faked surgeries, performed unnecessary surgeries, and made many errors during procedures as well.  The total number of botched or faked surgeries which were performed by Panos is estimated to number in the thousands, and there are currently more than two hundred and sixty civil cases that have been filed against him.

The stories of the victims of Panos’s actions are heartbreaking. One woman, who worked as a receptionist in the medical center where Panos practiced, had surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff. After the surgery, her pain did not go away. Panos prescribed medication and physical therapy, but the pain persisted. Eventually, he suggested a second surgery, and she went under the knife again. After the second surgery, her pain was worse. She got a second opinion, and also had a third doctor take a look at her injury. She was shocked and appalled when the third doctor discovered the cause of her continued suffering. Panos had never actually operated on her shoulder. This woman’s story is just one example of the many lives that have been impacted by the fraudulent actions of a man whom they had entrusted with their care.

Botched surgeries are fairly easy to identify, as they cause the victims pain, disfigurement, or other consequences which would not have accompanied a successful surgery. Fake surgeries are much harder to detect. They can sometimes be spotted by doctors who take a close look at the patient’s file to see what was allegedly done, and compare that to what they see when they examine the patient. When things don’t add up, it is possible that the surgery never took place.

Fortunately, faked surgeries are rare and are becoming even more so. Some hospitals have safeguards in place which make it difficult, or even impossible for surgeries to be faked. One example is hospital procedures which require photographic documentation of each step of a procedure. More and more hospitals are implementing procedures like this in order to protect their patients. If you plan to have surgery, it is a good idea to check the policies and procedures at the hospital where your surgery will be performed to see whether they contain any safeguards for patients.

If you or someone that you love has been injured by a botched, faked, or unnecessary surgery, you need knowledgeable counsel and compassionate support. The experienced Memphis Medical Malpractice Attorneys at Bailey & Greer, PLLC will evaluate your case, answer all of your questions, and sit down with you to help you determine the best way to proceed.  We believe that health care professionals must be held responsible for the harm that they cause the patients who have entrusted them with their care and treatment. Please call our office today, at 901-680-9777 to schedule a time to discuss your case.  At Bailey & Greer, PLLC, we are small enough to care, big enough to fight, and experienced enough to win.

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