Meyer regains medical license

After a more than six-month suspension, Jefferson City cardiologist Dr. Randall E. Meyer can again practice medicine, but with restrictions.

The Missouri Board of Healing Arts reinstated the physician's license Friday. He can see patients, but is restricted from invasive and interventional cardiology, which includes the placing of stents in patients' hearts.

After receiving complaints, the Board of Healing Arts submitted a motion for the emergency suspension of Meyer and the state Administrative Hearing Commission (AHC) granted the motion Nov. 9.

Every health care professional in the state is licensed and regulated through the Missouri Board of Healing Arts, an agency that is part of the state's Division of Professional Registration.

AHC is a neutral body that receives appeals from decisions of other state agencies. An agency or private person can also submit cases directly to AHC.

In Meyer's case, the Board of Healing Arts submitted to the AHC sworn affidavits from three physicians, alleging improper and excessive stenting by Meyer on six patients. The allegations went as far back as 2006.

Meyer argued for license reinstatement in front of the AHC at a Feb. 4 hearing.

The AHC case closed Feb. 27 and a decision was mailed to Meyer. His 30-day jurisdiction began that same day and the decision was certified by the Board of Healing Arts April 5.

AHC found Meyer negligent for the placing of stents in five patients' coronary arteries that were less than 50 percent blocked.

"He did this repeatedly over a period of at least five years," the commission wrote in its decision. "This meets the definition of repeated negligence, and Meyer is therefore subject to discipline under 334.100.2(5)."

There is no set expiration of the restriction placed on Meyer's license.

Four patients, some not included in the affidavits submitted to the AHC, had filed lawsuits against Meyer within the Circuit Court of Cole County prior to 2013. Two more patients have filed since Jan. 1. They all claim personal injury and malpractice.

Lyle Keith and Ann Judy Dunning of Fulton are plaintiffs in a case filed Nov. 14, 2011, against Meyer, Central Missouri Cardiology and Capital Region Medical Center, where Lyle received care.

The Dunnings are suing on a count of medical negligence for Meyer diagnosing Lyle with heart failure and artery blockage around April 6, 2006, and for Meyer allegedly performing a total of nine unnecessary cardiac stent placements, follow-ups and additional care over the next two years. The plaintiffs received diagnosis from Missouri Heart Center Sept. 26, 2011, that Lyle only had 30 percent blockage in his arteries and that the stents were unnecessary.

The Dunnings also filed counts of fraudulent misrepresentation, negligent misrepresentation, loss of consortium and violation of the Missouri Merchandise Practices Act.

Rebecca Watkins filed a lawsuit on counts of negligence against Meyer, Central Missouri Cardiology and SSM Regional Health Services on Feb. 3, 2012.

Watkins underwent a surgical cardiac procedure performed by Meyer on Feb. 12, 2010. She suffered a complication from the surgery, which required another surgery, performed by Dr. Victor Phillips. After the surgeries, she continued to experience chest pain. Because of continuing chest pain, she was examined again by Meyer at St. Mary's Health Center in Jefferson City, but underwent no surgery. In October 2010, she underwent another cardiac procedure performed by Meyer at Capital Region Medical Center.

Watkins claims in the lawsuit that the cause of the chest pain she suffered from Feb. 12, 2010, through Oct. 12, 2010, was not coronary artery disease.

Patricia Trinklein of Jefferson City filed a lawsuit against Meyer, Central Missouri Cardiology and Capital Region Medical Center Oct. 26 2012, on counts of negligence.

On Nov. 8, 2010, Trinklein underwent surgery performed by Meyer at Capital Region Medical Center. The surgery entailed the placement of two stents in Trinklein's right coronary artery. Around Dec. 2, 2010, Trinklein returned to the hospital, complaining of chest pain. She underwent another surgery performed by Meyer the next day. She returned to the hospital again Jan. 5, 2011, for chest pain, and Meyer recommended she undergo a myocardial profusion.

The results of the myocardial profusion showed her chest pain was not due to coronary artery disease.

Mitchell W. Arnold of Tipton filed a lawsuit against Meyer, Central Missouri Cardiology and SSM Regional Health Services Dec. 7, 2012 on counts of negligence.

Between April 5, 2000, and March 2011, Arnold underwent several cardiac stent placements performed by Meyer at St. Mary's Health Center. Arnold also received all cardiac care from the physician.

Arnold claims all parties involved were negligent with his care and diagnosis. He claims he did not suffer coronary artery disease.

Walter J. Starr of California filed a lawsuit against Meyer and Central Missouri Cardiology Jan. 4, 2013. Capital Region Medical Center has since been dismissed as a defendant in the case.

In January 2011 Starr underwent a cardiac intervention procedure performed by Meyer. The procedure included diagnostic heart catheterization, coronary angiography and other coronary interventions involving the placement of two stents in one coronary artery.

Starr claims the cause of his chest pain in January 2011 was not coronary artery disease, his arteries were not blocked.

Steven L. and Deanna Yoder filed a lawsuit against Meyer and Central Missouri Cardiology March 15, 2013.

The Yoders' case file was in the judge's office Tuesday and therefore wasn't accessible to the News Tribune while the judge was in court. But the case involves personal injury and malpractice.

Meyer has practiced cardiology in Jefferson City for more than 20 years. In 1988 he joined Internal Medicine, Inc. in Jefferson City.

He then founded Central Missouri Cardiology in 1991, and in 2008, he and Dr. Patrick Morello merged the practice with three other Jefferson City cardiologists at 3501-A W. Truman Blvd.

Central Missouri Cardiology is the only practice in Jefferson City that deals with exclusively with cardiology.

The office manager at Central Missouri Cardiology declined comment and said Meyer would not comment for this story. Meyer's attorney, John Roark with Smith Lewis, LLP, didn't return a call to the News Tribune.