Board Disciplines "Telemed" Psychiatrist Claudia Rodriguez-Galvis for Medical Malpractice

March 11, 2019

On February 27, 2019, the Florida Board of Medicine issued a Letter of Concern against psychiatrist Claudia Y. Rodriguez-Galvis.

The Board’s document states that this disciplinary action was based on an incident which occurred on or about March 27, 2013, in which a 44-year-old female patient was hospitalized at Henderson Behavioral Heath in Fort Lauderdale after being involuntarily detained under the state’s mental health act.

Personnel at the facility contacted Rodriguez-Galvis, a “telemedicine” psychiatrist, for medication orders.

The document states that Rodriguez-Galvis called back one hour later and ordered that the patient be given 200mg of the antipsychotic drug Seroquel at bedtime, among other medication orders.

Shortly after Henderson staff administered the Seroquel, the patient experienced an episode of syncope (temporary loss of consciousness due to sudden drop in blood pressure and insufficient blood flow to the brain). The patient fell forward, unconscious, and sustained lacerations to her face and a broken jaw.

The Board’s document also states that the dosage that Rodriguez-Galvis ordered was four times greater than the prevailing standard for an initial dose of Seroquel.

The Board found that Galvin thus committed medical malpractice, as defined by Florida law.

The Board additionally fined Rodriguez-Galvis $2,000 and ordered her to pay $4,478.23 for the Board’s costs of investigation and prosecution.

Source: Final Order, Department of Health vs. Claudia Yasmin Rodriguez-Galvis, M.D., DOH Case No. 2016-10672, License No. ME0100686, State of Florida Board of Medicine, February 27, 2019.