- Board of Registration in Medicine
Wakefield — At its meeting on November 22, 2017, the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine took disciplinary action against the medical licenses of Alan S. Rockoff, M.D., Brian Coolbaugh, M.D, Ricardo Rivera, M.D., Vijay Yajnik, MD., Nile L. Albright, M.D., Richard H. Matthews, M.D., Hoang Pham, M.D., and Jorg C. Winterer, M.D.
The medical license of Dr. Brian Coolbaugh was suspended by the Board after he agreed, in a Consent Order, that he had practiced medicine while his ability to do so was impaired by alcohol. The suspension was immediately stayed as Dr. Coolbaugh entered into a Probation Agreement upon his demonstration of eighteen months of sobriety. Dr. Coolbaugh was first licensed in the Commonwealth in 1987. He entered into a Voluntary Agreement Not to Practice on June 17, 2015.
In another Consent Order, the Board also suspended the medical license of Dr. Alan Rockoff after he acknowledged that he had indicated to a patient that no cancer was found in a biopsy when in reality the specimen did not survive processing. Dr. Rockoff’s medical records were also found to be substandard. The suspension was immediately stayed upon Dr. Rockoff’s entry into a Probation Agreement. Dr. Rockoff, who practices medicine in a private office in Brookline, was first licensed to practice medicine in Massachusetts in 1977.
The Board summarily suspended the medical license of Dr. Richard H. Matthews after finding that he poses an immediate and serious threat to the public health, safety and welfare. The Board alleges that Dr. Matthews engaged in conduct that places into question the physician’s competence to practice medicine. Dr. Matthews, who worked as a locum tenens physician, has been licensed to practice medicine in Massachusetts since 2001.
The Board also summarily suspended the medical license of Dr. Hoang Pham after finding that he poses an immediate and serious threat to the public health, safety and welfare. The Board alleges Dr. Pham engaged in substandard care in the treatment of 5 patients. Dr Pham, who was licensed to practice medicine in Massachusetts since 2009, worked principally as a Primary Care Internist at Family Health Center of Worcester until 2016.
The Board also accepted the resignation of the licenses to practice medicine of Dr. Nile L. Albright and Dr. Vijay Yajnik, as well as Dr. Ricardo Rivera’s right to renew his license to practice medicine. Resignation is a disciplinary action that permanently removes a physician from the practice of medicine.
Dr. Albright was first licensed to practice medicine in Massachusetts in 1973. Until 2014, he practiced general surgery and oncology in a private clinical practice.
Dr. Vijay Yajnik has been licensed in the Commonwealth since August, 1999. He practiced medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital until shortly before he entered into a Voluntary Agreement Not to Practice Medicine on February 9, 2017.
Dr. Rivera was first licensed to practice medicine in Massachusetts in 2007. He entered into a Voluntary Agreement Not to Practice Medicine in May, 2014. Dr. Rivera is also licensed to practice medicine in Rhode Island.
The Board also summarily suspended the medical license of Dr. Jorg Winterer after finding that he poses an immediate and serious threat to the public health, safety and welfare. The Board alleges that Dr. Winterer engaged in conduct that undermines the public’s confidence in the integrity of the medical profession. Dr. Winterer, who recently worked as an Emergency Room physician in Phoenix Arizona, has been licensed to practice medicine in Massachusetts since 1989.
The Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine licenses more than 40,000 physicians, osteopaths and acupuncturists. The Board was created in 1894 to protect the public health and safety by setting standards for the practice of medicine and ensuring that doctors who practice in the Commonwealth are appropriately qualified and competent. The Board investigates complaints and determines sanctions. More information is available at www.mass.gov/massmedboard, or you may contact Bridgette Sanders at bridgette.sanders@massmail.state.ma.us