ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — An Orange County pain clinic deemed a danger by the state was slapped with emergency restrictions.
The state said FLA Medical Group LLC on Forest City Road operated without the oversight of a doctor for seven weeks.
The clinic is still open but is not seeing patients.
According to the Florida Department of Health, the clinic’s main purpose is to prescribe medication for the treatment of nonmalignant pain.
State law requires facilities to have a designated doctor on staff to make sure patients are getting appropriate levels and types of medications.
But FLA Medical Group’s doctor retired on Dec. 22, records show.
An in emergency restriction order, the state claims the doctor is still listed as the facility’s designated physician, even though he left seven weeks ago.
Because of that, the state said the clinic poses a serious danger to the health, safety and welfare of the general public.
The manager of the clinic said she would not comment until she consulted her attorney.
The Department of Health said it could not comment on the ongoing investigation.
The state could not say if prescriptions were still being written, even without a doctor present.
A hearing on the emergency restriction has not been set.
The state said the clinic cannot see patients until a designated doctor is approved.