Psychiatrist Vadim Baram Surrenders New York Medical License after State Bans Him from Practicing Electroshock

December 11, 2024

On April 29, 2024, St. Louis, MO psychiatrist Vadim Baram surrendered his New York medical license. Previously, on December 23, 2022, the New York State Department of Health (NY DOH) had permanently restricted Baram from practicing electroconvulsive therapy in the state and placed his license on probation for one year.

According to the DOH document, Baram had plans to open a practice in New York and had sought to have the DOH's charges dismissed. However, DOH affirmed its decision.

The New York action was based upon earlier disciplinary action taken by the Missouri State Board of Registration for the Healing Arts (MO Board). On May 13, 2021, the MO Board reprimanded Baram for misconduct, fraud, misrepresentation, dishonesty, and unethical conduct related to “willfully and continually performing inappropriate or unnecessary treatment” related to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) treatments that he delivered to three patients.

The MO Board’s document stated Baram delivered the following:

• 143 shocks to Patient 1 from 2009 to 2013
• 97 shocks to Patient 2 from 2011 to 2013
• 70 shocks to Patient 3 from 2010 to 2011

The MO Board noted that “A physician should decrease or attempt to decrease treatment frequency of maintenance of ECT. The goal is to extend the time between treatments and eventually remove the maintenance treatment. A physician should decrease treatment frequency if cognitive side effects are present.”

Baram failed to reduce the frequency of ECT therapy for Patients 1, 2, or 3.

The MO Board stated that patients should be re-evaluated regularly to determine if treatment should be continued. This must be done “each day, not just over the course of years. Determining whether ECT should continue includes assessing the patient before beginning ECT treatments and after, then again, on every visit. The patient assessment should occur within 24 hours after treatment, usually within 10 minutes. The assessment is one that only the physician does and is not something that the physician can have a nurse do on his or her behalf.”

Baram failed to perform assessments within 24 hours of performing ECT. 

The MO Board noted that the rationale and indications for continuing ECT treatment should be included in the medical records. Baram failed to include information sufficient to justify continuing ECT treatment for Patients 1, 2, and 3. Baram provided no documentation of any plan and frequently any attempt to decrease the frequency of treatments. Baram failed to properly note assessments and did not adequately determine if any cognitive side effects were present after each administration of ECT. 

When documenting his treatment of Patients 1, 2, and 3, Baram copied and pasted repetitive phrases, failed to include relevant information, including side effects, physical examinations, and cognitive assessments, and used nearly identical, non-specific phrases instead of recording new assessments at each patient visit.

Source: Modification Order in the Matter of Vadim Baram, M.D., BPMC No. 24-090, New York State Dept. of Health State Board of Professional Medical Conduct, April 19, 2024 and Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Disciplinary Order, State Board of Registration for the Healing Arts v. Vadim Y. Baram, M.D., Case nos. 2013-003922 and 2014-007312 (AHC Case no. 16-3561), Missouri State Board of Registration for the Healing Arts, May 13, 2021.