Medical board reprimands psychiatrist Ali Ebrahimi over excessive prescribing

November 27, 2013

The Minnesota Board of Medical Practice disciplined Minneapolis doctor Ali Ebrahimi following a board meeting earlier this month, the agency announced.

Ebrahimi, a psychiatrist who practices with Associated Clinic of Psychology in Brooklyn Center and Minneapolis, offers psychiatric evaluations and medication management, according to his biography.

The board received a complaint in July 2011 that Ebrahimi inappropriately prescribed drugs to a patient with a history of alcohol and chemical abuse, according to the stipulation and order. The complaint accused him of prescribing medicine for the patient’s chronic pain without recognizing the patient’s behaviors.

An investigation by the Attorney General’s Office found several cases in which Ebrahimi authorized “excessive quantities of controlled substances” based on patients’ claims of pain or other symptoms. In those cases, he failed to document objective clinical reasons for why the medicine was needed and an overall health plan, as well as failing to address collateral health concerns.

He also failed to monitor the efficacy of the medicine, monitor patients’ compliance, conduct pill counts, listen to warnings from other health care providers and recognize his patients’ drug-seeking behaviors.

In addition, he didn’t maintain adequate records. Investigators found at least 41 occasions when he prescribed a medication without documenting it in the clinic record.

The board found Ebrahimi guilty of “unethical and unprofessional conduct; improper management of medical records; inappropriate prescribing practices.”

It added the following conditions to Ebrahimi’s license:

“He is reprimanded;

“He shall read the Model Policy for pain control published by the Federation of State Medical Boards and Responsible Opioid Prescribing, A Clinician's Guide, 2nd Edition, by Scott M. Fishman, M.D.;

“He shall complete, within one year, the following pre-approved courses: Chemical dependency awareness, Boundaries.

“Six months following successful completion of the pre-approved courses, he shall undergo an audit of his prescribing practices;

“Before prescribing a Schedule II-IV drug, he shall check the Minnesota Prescription Monitoring Program;

“He shall develop, and submit for Committee approval, a written protocol for the management and tracking of controlled substance prescriptions;

“He shall develop, and submit for Committee approval, a narcotics agreement to be used with all chronic pain patients;

“He shall pay a civil penalty of $6575.60;

“This Stipulation and Order will remain in effect for a minimum of one year.  At the end of this period, he may petition for reinstatement of an unconditional license.  Upon hearing the petition, the Board may continue, modify or remove the conditions set out herein.

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