Medical Board Prohibits Psychiatrist Matthew Stubblefield from Solo Practice

December 10, 2018

On November 19th, the California Medical Board issued a Decision on Palo Alto psychiatrist Matthew S. Stubblefield, placing him on probation for five years and prohibiting him from solo practice, among other things.

This disciplinary action is related to Stubblefield’s treatment of three patients, to whom he prescribed clearly excessive amounts of dangerous drugs; prescribed stimulant medication without medical indication, failed to maintain adequate medical records, and committed gross negligence and repeated acts of negligence, according to the Board's order.

The terms of the Board’s Decision include the following: within 60 days of the issuance of this Decision, Stubblefield is required to either establish a practice with another physician or find work in a practice with other physicians; he must have his practice monitored by a board-approved practice monitor; he must enroll in a clinical competence assessment program; and successfully complete an ethics course, a medical record keeping course, a prescribing practices course, and others.

The Board’s Decision was originally set to become effective on November 9^th but Stubblefield’s attorney filed a Petition for Reconsideration of the Board’s Decision. The Board stayed its Decision for 10 days but ultimately denied the Petition. The Order became effective November 19^th.  

Source: Decision in the Matter of the Accusation against Matthew Sinclair Stubblefield, M.D., Physician’s and Surgeon’s Certificate No. G 72442, Case No. 800-2016-019765, Medical Board of California, November 19, 2018.