DES MOINES, IOWA (October 30, 2020) — The Iowa Board of Medicine has taken the following actions:
Richard L Dowell DO, a 54-year-old Iowa-licensed physician who formerly practiced obstetrics and gynecology in Marshalltown, Iowa, and currently practices in Kansas City, Missouri, entered into a Settlement Agreement and Final Order with the Board on October 23, 2020. On December 20, 2019, the Board filed a Statement of Charges against Dr Dowell alleging that he failed to respond to, or comply with, a Board investigation initiated pursuant to Iowa Code section 272C.3 and Iowa Administrative Code rule 653—24.2. The Board alleged that Dr Dowell opted to maintain his patients’ medical records upon the closure of his practice in Marshalltown, Iowa, in September 2018. The Board alleged that several of Dr Dowell’s former patients have been unable to obtain their medical records from Dr Dowell. The Board thereafter initiated an investigation. The Board alleged that Dr Dowell failed to appropriately respond to, or comply with, numerous attempts by the Board’s investigator to contact him, numerous inquiries from the Board’s investigator, and a subpoena issued by the Board. Under the terms of the October 23, 2020, Settlement Agreement and Final Order, the Board issued Dr Dowell a Citation and Warning and ordered him to pay a $7,500 civil penalty. The Board also ordered Dr Dowell to complete a Board-approved record-keeping course and submit a personal statement to the Board describing the steps he has taken to address the Board’s concerns about his record-keeping practices.
Joseph X Latella DO, a 77-year-old Iowa-licensed physician who practices family medicine in Webster City, Iowa, entered into a combined Statement of Charges and Settlement Agreement with the Board on October 23, 2020. On June 20, 2019, Dr Latella pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements relating to health-care matters in the District Court of Iowa. The Board charged Dr Latella with being convicted of a felony in the courts of this state in violation of the laws and rules governing the practice of medicine in Iowa. Under the terms of the October 23, 2020, combined Statement of Charges and Settlement Agreement, the Board issued Dr Latella a Citation and Warning and Dr Latella voluntarily surrendered his Iowa medical license.
Erica N LeClair MD, a 41-year-old Iowa-licensed physician who practices pediatrics in Waterloo, Iowa, entered into a combined Statement of Charges and Settlement Agreement with the Board on October 23, 2020. The Board alleged that Dr LeClair engaged in unprofessional conduct when she inappropriately accessed the medical records of patients who were not under her care while practice medicine in Iowa City, Iowa, from June 2012 to August 2018. Under the terms of the October 23, 2020, combined Statement of Charges and Settlement Agreement, the Board issued Dr LeClair a Citation and Warning and ordered her to pay a $5,000 civil penalty and complete a Board-approved professional-ethics program.
Kang Lu MD, a 42-year-old Iowa-licensed physician who, prior to the suspension of his license, practiced radiology in Massachusetts, entered into a Settlement Agreement with the Iowa Board on October 23, 2020. Dr Lu was disciplined by the Massachusetts Board of Medicine for the following: His conviction in Canada for illegally importing firearms into Quebec, Canada; fraudulently procuring the renewal of his Massachusetts certificate of registration; committing an offense against the laws of Massachusetts; and lacking good moral character and engaging in conduct which undermines the public confidence in the integrity of the medical profession. The Massachusetts Board suspended Dr Lu’s license to practice medicine. As of July 8, 2019, thirteen other states have suspended or revoked Dr Lu’s license to practice medicine in those states. On December 20, 2019, the Iowa Board filed a Statement of Charges against Dr Lu alleging that he was disciplined by the licensing authority of another state and that he engaged in unethical or unprofessional conduct in violation of the laws and rules governing the practice of medicine in Iowa. Under the terms of the October 23, 2020, Settlement Agreement, Dr Lu voluntarily surrendered his Iowa medical license.
Ronald W Schope MD, a 74-year-old Iowa-licensed physician who practiced pulmonary and internal medicine in Dubuque, Iowa, entered into a combined Statement of Charges and Settlement Agreement with the Board on October 23, 2020. The Board alleged that Dr Schope prescribed a controlled substance on one occasion to his wife for a non-acute, non-emergency condition without establishing a physician/patient relationship and maintaining proper documentation in violation of the laws and rules governing the practice of medicine in Iowa. Dr Schope maintains he believed his wife was suffering from a medical emergency for which he prescribed the controlled substance. Under the terms of the October 23, 2020, combined Statement of Charges and Settlement Agreement, the Board issued Dr Schope a Citation and Warning and ordered him to pay a $1,000 civil penalty and complete a Board-approved controlled-substance prescribing course.
Ramesh C Sharma MD, a 76-year-old Iowa-licensed physician who resides in Indiana entered into a Stipulated Order — Voluntary Surrender with the Iowa Board on October 23, 2020. The Iowa Board received information which alleged that Dr Sharma provided substandard care to a patient by failing to diagnose and treat a patient’s stomach ulcer. Dr Sharma disputes and denies any allegations of substandard care. Dr Sharma no longer practices medicine in the state of Iowa, his license is inactive, and he has no intention of practicing in Iowa or under his Iowa medical license. Consequently, and to avoid further time and financial expenditures associated with investigation into the disputed allegation, Dr Sharma voluntarily surrenders his Iowa medical license.
Christopher F Stubbs MD, a 38-year-old Iowa-licensed physician who formerly practiced family medicine in Audubon, Iowa, successfully completed the terms on his Board order on October 27, 2020. On October 27, 2017, Dr Stubbs entered into a combined Statement of Charges and Settlement Agreement with the Board. The Board alleged that Dr Stubbs violated the laws and rules governing the practice of medicine in Iowa when he failed to disclose his attendance at, and termination from, Ross University School of Medicine, Dominica, on applications for the ECFMG Step 2 CK exam, the ECFMG Step 2 CS exam, and his Iowa medical license, and for using misleading information on his online employment biography. Under the terms of the October 27, 2017, combined Statement of Charges and Settlement Agreement, the Board issued Dr Stubbs a Citation and Warning and suspended his Iowa medical license for ten days. The Board also ordered Dr Stubbs to pay a $5,000 civil penalty, complete a Board-approved professional-ethics program, and correct his employment biography. The Board also placed Dr Stubbs on probation for a period of three years subject to Board monitoring. On October 27, 2020, Dr Stubbs successfully completed the terms of the October 27, 2017, combined Statement of Charges and Settlement Agreement, and Dr Stubbs’ Iowa medical license was returned to its full privileges, free and clear of all restrictions.
Jeffrey T Zoelle MD, a 59-year-old Iowa-licensed physician who formerly practiced family medicine in Sioux City and Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, had the terms of his disciplinary Order terminated by the Board on October 23, 2020. On February 2, 2018, Dr Zoelle entered into a combined Statement of Charges and Settlement Agreement with the Board. The Board alleged that Dr Zoelle violated the laws and rules governing the practice of medicine in Iowa when he engaged in sexual misconduct and sexual harassment in Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, between 2011 and January 2016. The Board issued Dr Zoelle a Citation and Warning and ordered him to pay a $5,000 civil penalty. The Board also placed Dr Zoelle on probation for a period of three years subject to Board monitoring. On October 23, 2020, the Board determined that Dr Zoelle has fully complied with the terms of the February 2, 2018, combined Statement of Charges and Settlement Agreement, and voted to terminate the terms of the Order. Therefore, the terms of the February 2, 2018, combined Statement of Charges and Settlement Agreement are terminated and Dr Zoelle’s Iowa medical license is returned to its full privileges, free and clear of all restrictions.
When appropriate, disciplinary actions are reported to The National Practitioner Data Bank, an electronic repository administered by the US Health Resources and Services Administration to track adverse license actions.
CONSUMER COMPLAINTS: Consumers can submit complaints against physicians at https://medicalboard.iowa.gov/consumers/filing-complaint, by calling (515) 281-5847 or mail to 400 SW 8th Street, Suite C, Des Moines, IA 50309.
To view these actions, please visit our Find a Physician page at the link below:
https://eservices.iowa.gov/PublicPortal/Iowa/IBM/licenseQuery/LicenseQuery.jsp?Profession=Physicia
