Leaders of the Crow Tribe in Montana are calling for the removal of Dr. A. Scott Devous, clinical director at the Indian Health Service hospital on the reservation, after learning that he had been convicted of drug distribution charges 27 years ago in Wyoming, as reported by ABCMontana.com on Sept. 10.
Devous received his license to practice in Montana in 1989, but his Wyoming license was relinquished in 1983, just before he was indicted on federal drug charges, ABCMontana.com said. He had been found guilty of abusing Demerol and passing the drug to a girlfriend.
I can't believe this "Doctor" was not investigated thoroughly. After one simple click on the internet, I found numerous articles on this man practicing pseudo-medicine. Here is one of the many articles found:
ReplyDeletehttp://quackfiles.blogspot.com/2005/05/procedure-to-melt-fat-just-dud-suit.html
Was the tribal council or goverance's decision to request Dr. Devous' removal. Who are the tribal leaders. Was the decision for the removal solely based on the doctor's drug charges 27 years ago or his current medical performance? Physicians are very difficult to find and/or replace in the vastly rural areas. If his license to practice was reinstated in the 80's and if this physician has practiced in other areas without incident and is performing in an efficient manner in the healing arena, he should be allowed to continue to practice. I would put the blame on the U.S. Indian Health for their less-than-thorough background check on Dr. Devous. Also Dr. Devous harmed himself and not his patients and more importantly has paid the price for his none-violent crime. Our reservations need good physicians and not saints.
ReplyDeleteI agree. "Let he who has not sinned cast the first stone"
ReplyDeletejust a tribe asserting its treaty rights on health care for their members
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