Despite three rulings against it, the Maryland Board of Physicians has
filed an appeal challenging a court's decision in favor of psychiatrist Harold
Eist, M.D., who has been battling the board for more than four years.
In early March a circuit court judge in Montgomery County, Md., said the
board did not have valid grounds for issuing a fine and reprimand against the
former APA president and ordered it to rescind both of the punishments
(Psychiatric News, April 7).
The case centered on the medical board's actions following its demand that
Eist turn over psychiatric records of a mother and her children whom he was
treating. The mother and the children's father were engaged in a bitter
custody fight, and the father had accused Eist of malpractice in treating his
family. He filed a complaint with the medical board, which ordered Eist to
turn over the records.
In previous rulings an administrative law judge and the circuit court had
ruled against the board, with the judge in the March decision questioning
whether the board's refusal to reverse its sanctions was evidence that it was"
out to get Dr. Eist."
Despite the judge's harsh condemnation of its actions, the medical board
filed an appeal on April 12, though by late last month it had not submitted a
brief describing the grounds on which it is basing its appeal. ▪