Montana renews the cancer doctor’s license despite criminal, civil investigations

This story is published by agreement with Propublica. It may not be republished without the express permission of propublica.

At the end of 2020, St. Peter’s Hospital in Helena fired the oncologist, Dr. Thomas C. Weiner, and took the extraordinary step in accusing him of injuring patients. The hospital said that the doctor overcribed narcotics and gave chemotherapy to patients who did not have cancer, among other accusations.

Despite the fact that it was announced by St. Peter that he revoked Weiner’s privileges, the Medical Examination Council and renewed the license in 2021 and 2023. This week, the Council again renewed the license for another two years.

Questions about if Weiner will be allowed to continue practicing intensified drug after a December Propublica investigation exposed a trace of patient injury and at least 10 suspects suspicious of his practice. That investigation that was based on thousands of pages of Judicial registrations And dozens of interviews, detailed how Weiner built a large volume business, which invoiced as much public and private insurance, while many of his patients received unnecessary, dangerous or subordinate care.

Although it is not clear what the Medical Council had in mind before renewing the Weiner license, the investigation published by Propublica and Montana Free Press has attracted the attention of law enforcement. Criminal investigators from the Montana Justice Department have launched an official investigation this month, according to three sources directly involved in this issue.

Weiner denied to mistreat his patients. He did not respond to a comment request regarding the renewal of his license and to the Montana Justice Department.

After Saint Peter dismissed Weiner, he sued the hospital for the wrong termination and defamation. After a four -year legal fight, the Supreme Court of Montana took care of the hospital in a decision This month. wrote the court that the process of reviewing the hospital warehouse that led to Weiner’s dismissal was “reasonable and justified due to the quantity and severity of the improper care of the Weiner patient.”

After dismissing Weiner, the hospital inspected the files of over 2,000 patients who prescribed controlled substances. Judicial records show that the medical reviewers employed by St. Peter have highlighted case From Sharon Dibble, a 75-year-old patient who died shortly after Weiner doubled his morphine prescription. This increase in morphine “led to the respiratory stop and the disappearance of the patient”, concluded a medical expert employed by St. Peter.

The son of Dibble, Tom Stevison, called the Medical Council’s decision to renew Weiner’s “ridiculous” license.

“There is only too much evidence against him, pointing to crimes, to the religious relication of this type,” he said, referring to the hospital’s accusations and to the proposaclica report. “I think it should be held accountable.”

Weiner previously denied the statement that he overwrites patients, including dibble, and was critical for medical review.

In the months after Weiner was fired, thousands of friends and former patients were formed Facebook groups in his support. They raised funds to rent an advertising panel in Helena, who wrote: “We are with Dr. Weiner. “Tuesday, Dayna Schwartz, who led that effort, posted on Facebook,” Doc congratulations to renew your license! “

A spokesman for the State Council of Medical Examiners sent a request for comments on the renewal of the Weiner license to his umbrella agency, the Labor and Industry Department of Montana. An agency spokesman did not answer questions before publishing.

St. Peter did not respond to the comment requests regarding the renewal of the Weiner license.

The Medical Council does not usually issue information on current or past investigations, unless it bases charges of professional conduct. If it happens, a doctor’s license may be suspended or revoked For several reasonsIncluding billing fraud, non -professional prescription practices and failure to properly document the patient’s care.

The criminal investigation, led by the Office of the Attorney General of Montana, comes just a few months after the federal government has been established St. Peter to make false claims when invoiced government health programs for Weiner services. The hospital agreed to pay $ 10.8 million. The hospital said previously It offers quality care and “This situation is isolated for a single doctor, and we remain confident in the exceptional care offered by St. Peter’s medical staff.”

Federal prosecutors also sued Weiner, accusing him of a series of fraudulent practices, including the billing of federal insurance programs for unnecessary treatments or more expensive treatments than were delivered. Weiner denied the accusations and, through lawyers, had moved to reject the case.