High-prescribing Connecticut psychiatrist Gerson Sternstein loses license in state of New York

June 22, 2012

On April 17, 2012 Connecticut psychiatrist Gerson M. Sternstein surrendered his license to practice medicine in the state of the New York to the New York State Department of Health (DoH).

According to the DoH’s Statement of Charges against Sternstein, the state Bureau of Professional Medical Conduct charged Sternstein with failure to maintain a record; gross incompetence; gross negligence and negligence on more than one occasion. These charges were based on conduct for which the Connecticut Medical Examining Board revoked Sternstein’s license in September 2011: Sternstein made inadequate examinations and/or assessments; failed to monitor or monitored inadequately a patient’s responses to treatment, in violation of the standard of care; initiated and/or continued prescriptions of controlled substances in spite of contraindicating laboratory studies; failed to inform, or adequately inform, patients of risks inherent in the prescribed controlled substances; prescribed dangerous and inappropriate combinations of drugs, and prescribed excessive doses of opiates in violation of the standard of care.

Source: Surrender Order, in the Matter of Gerson Marc Sternstein, M.D., CO-10-08-5426-A, BMPC No. 12-74, State of New York Dept. of Health, State Board for Professional Medical Conduct.