Doctor from Paris, Texas, suspended by state after complaining of 'military satellites,' but can still practice in Florida

A Texas doctor who said he was “being harassed by military satellites” can no longer practice here but remains in good standing in Florida.

The Texas Medical Board sustained the suspension of Rick Alan Szumlas’ medical license in a public hearing last week, after finding that he was suffering from mental illness and that his continuing to practice would threaten public welfare. Szumlas, of Paris, Texas, had left voicemail messages at the board and sent letters to police complaining about the satellites and saying that “aliens were invading his head,” according to an investigation by the board.

Szumlas lists a Texas address for his Florida certification and on various doctor search Web sites. But he also lists a practice in Milton, Fla., and affiliations with six hospitals in the Bradenton area, south of Tampa. Szumlas, a cardiovascular specialist, is also licensed to practice in Illinois and has an expired license in Oklahoma.

According to state licensing records, Szumlas practiced at the Paris Regional Medical Center. In an e-mail, Szumlas said he was not currently practicing, and is “attempting to follow the medical board’s recommendations at this time.”

Most states rely on news accounts and a Texas-based national clearinghouse, the Federation of State Medical Boards, to ensure incompetent doctors cannot slide from one state to the other with a trail of sanctions and suspensions behind them.

“All states feed us their disciplinary data, and we have a data bank that it is entered into,” said Drew Carlson, a spokesman for the Federation of State Medical Boards. “If someone is licensed in several states, we will notify those states of any action.”

The federation has a database that the public can search for a $10 fee.

The Florida Department of Health, which polices state doctors, said in an email that doctors are required to report any disciplinary action in another state, but “it appears from the information available at this time that the practitioner may not have advised the Department of discipline taken in another state.”

Regardless, a disciplinary referral or reported action from the federation doesn’t guarantee a sanction in another state, Carlson said.

“We have no control over each state board,” he said. “They will have their own process.”

Indeed, a doctor can hold a license and practice in Florida while being suspended in another state, Department of Health spokeswoman Jennifer Hirst said. And even if he is being investigated for alleged trouble someplace else, he can still practice without the public knowing. 

“We can neither confirm or deny the existence of a non-public compliant until 10 days after a probable cause is found,” Hirst said by e-mail. “Therefore, if you wanted to inquiry as to whether or not the Department was in the process of reviewing a complaint on this particular doctor, we could not confirm or deny it until 10 days after probable cause is found.” 

The Texas Medical Board receives and takes action on sanctions against doctors in other states, said Leigh Hopper, an agency spokeswoman. News reports, referrals and other means bring misconduct or errant behavior to the board’s attention.

Szumlas’ Texas license was suspended March 18. He will next meet with authorities in a private hearing called an informal settlement conference in which both parties will attempt to resolve his case.

In Florida, though, patients searching Szumlas will find a doctor with a clean record.

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Contact Steve Miller at 832-303-9420 or stevemiller@texaswatchdog.org.

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