Westport Plastic Surgeon, Again, Disciplined by State Medical Board

Westport plastic surgeon Joel Singer has been disciplined by the state Medical Board again, this time for telling a patient that another doctor would only observe rhinoplasty surgery on her, then letting that doctor take part in it, according to a report in the Westport News.

Singer previously had been fined $29,000 for having rusty equipment and poor record-keeping. In August 2014, Singer closed his Center for Ambulatory Surgery after a number of disciplinary actions against the clinic, according to the article from the Connecticut Health I-Team published in the Westport News and other Hearst newspapers.

The plastic surgeon’s license to practice was not suspended by the board, although a hearing panel had recommended a 60-day suspension. Instead, Singer must hire a licensed physician to monitor his medical practice and take courses on record-keeping, informed consent and medical ethics.

Singer’s attorney, Mary Leonhardt, said the penalty was harsh, even “draconian,” and inconsistent with other penalties the board had laid down in other cases, according to the report. Singer’s ability to practice safely and with skill has never been called into question, she said. Singer has previously said he has treated more than 8,000 patients in Connecticut and New York state, with “countless” very pleased with their outcomes. In the latest case, in 2009, the patient was displeased with her surgery, and Singer and Otake operated on her again in 2010.