Psychiatrist Under Investigation By State Board

As reported on Leesburg Today

The state [of Virginia] Board of Medicine has suspended the license of a local psychiatrist pending an investigation into allegations that he was illegally writing prescriptions for himself and forging the name of a family member with the intent to evade detection.

Dr. David L. Begun confirmed that he is not currently practicing, but he would not discuss the allegations when contacted last week. According to his state profile, Begun operated an office on Wirt Street in Leesburg and has been in practice for 11 years. He has often been used an expert to testify in criminal court cases.

According to an order of summary suspension from the state board, Begun discontinued medical treatment for his own mental health in March 2005 and started to self-prescribe medicine. The document states that on 58 occasions between March 2005 to May 2006, Begun wrote prescriptions for the controlled substances, namely Dexedrine, Dextroamphetamine, Clonazepam and Fluoxetine, in the name of a relative to evade the law.

“In a June 8, 2006, interview with a Department of Health Professions Investigator, Dr. Begun indicated that these prescriptions were filled for his own personal use,” the document states.

When his medical license expired in April, the board alleges he wrote prescriptions for Dexedrine in the name of a family member and filled the prescription for personal use.

A second allegation that Begun routinely failed to respond to several patients who wanted to schedule follow-up appointments or obtain prescription refills led the board to believe the doctor is likely to be a danger to the health and welfare of the patients to whom he provided care.

The document states Begun’s alleged failure to respond to one patient resulted in her being without medications for an extended period of time, and all three of the accusing patients were forced to find new treatment providers. These claims surfaced in 2003.

But, the document states, Begun failed to provide medical records to these physicians upon request.

Begun told the committee reviewing the allegations that his medical records showed he had attempted to contact one of the patients on two to three occasions, but he did not bring the records to the conference.

He also failed to complete required training in medical recordkeeping and office practice management, by the board’s deadline, the document states.

A hearing scheduled for July 21 was cancelled and has been rescheduled for Oct. 19-21. Assistant Attorney General James Schiessmann is representing the office in the case. Reached Tuesday, he said he could not comment on the allegations. He termed the meeting in October as a due process hearing.

William L. Harp, the executive director of the Virginia Board of Medicine, said Begun is not currently permitted to practice. He stressed that Begun has not been found guilty of any of the allegations and that the board is still investigating. Begun is allowed to help any of his patients find a new doctor, Harp said.

Harp said the board’s process starts with offering the doctor 45 days to agree to a formal hearing, at which time the board will discuss the allegations and decide whether to allow the doctor to continue the practice with probation terms, suspend the license or revoke it.