New York restricts psychiatrist George Soncrant's prescribing of controlled substances

November 10, 2011

On September 16, 2011, the New York State Department of Public Health censured and reprimanded psychiatrist George D. Soncrant and restricted him from prescribing controlled substances for any patient for more than 30 days in a year. This action was taken in response to similar action earlier taken on Soncrant in the state of Wisconsin which, if it had occurred in the state of New York, would have constituted professional misconduct as negligence on more then one occasion.

On October 20, 2010, the Wisconsin Medical Examining Board reprimanded Soncrant relative to his treatment and prescribing to three patients, in which he neglected to, among other things: perform physical examinations, order diagnostic tests, perform drug screens to determine what drugs the patient was taking or contact prior or concurrent health care providers or obtain their records to confirm treatment/drug histories. 

In one case, a patient was concurrently obtaining methadone from both Soncrant and her “former” healthcare provider and had recently been convicted of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud. In another case, another patient was found to visit multiple physicians for prescriptions, visited ERs for drugs, had been jailed on a drug offense at age 15 and was a daily marijuana smoker.

Wisconsin also restricted his prescribing of opioids or opiates to no more than 30 days in any 12-month period for any patient.

Source: Final Decision and Order LS0906053MED in the Matter of the Disciplinary Proceedings Against George D. Soncrant, D.O., Case Nos. 06MED192 and 09MED195, State of Wisconsin Medical Examining Board and Consent Order in the Matter of George Darrel Soncrant, D.O., BPMC No. 11-216, New York State Dept of Health State Board for Professional Medical Conduct.