This story is part of a major investigation by 鶹ý and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel into physicians who had public actions against their licenses in one state, but are able to practice elsewhere with "clean" licenses.
Dermatologist Dmitry Khasak, MD, began his career in New York in 1993, and got his license in New Jersey in 1996.
In 2012, New Jersey launched an investigation following a patient complaint about unsanitary conditions. He operated offices in both New York and New Jersey.
, inspectors visited his Jersey City office and found plenty of evidence: floors and walls "spotted with red stains," vials of expired drugs, boxes full of medications and supplies stacked in a waiting room.
"Although a variety of dermatology procedures were regularly performed," investigators found in the September 2012 inspection, "the last pickup from a registered medical waste disposal company was dated July 2012."
Medical assistants were not certified as sterilization technicians, and a freezer full of medications had wet, frozen and torn medication boxes.
There were problems that went beyond merely questionable cleanliness. Medical assistants were preparing saline injections, even though they weren't trained to do so. Pre-drawn syringes weren't labeled or dated. Physicians who weren't specialists in dermatology were doing botox treatments, biopsies, acne surgery and removing skin growths.
Khasak signed off on at least one procedure he did not perform -- "at the presumptively higher fee," the inspection reported.
In Oct. 2013, the New Jersey Medical Board reprimanded Khasak, making him take a course on recordkeeping and pay $1,100 in penalties.
A document indicated that the event would have been reported to the National Practitioner Data Bank, as any reprimand fits the criteria for reporting. It was also reported to the Federation of State Medical Boards, which lists an unspecified action in New Jersey on .
But New York, where he also has a license and office, has never taken any public action against him. Reached via email, staff would not say whether they were aware of Khasak's problems in New Jersey.
"The Department cannot confirm or deny the existence of an Office of Professional Medical Conduct (OPMC) investigation of a physician, unless and until charges are served, or a public action is taken by the state medical board, which is consistent with public health law," Erin Silk wrote in an email.
Khasak didn't return multiple calls or emails seeking comment.