Utah- A Springville fertility specialist's license was suspended after a three-member committee determined he had sexually abused patients and staff members.
The committee decided that Dr. Larry Glen Andrew's continued practice would be "an immediate and significant danger to the public health, safety and welfare."
Andrew temporarily lost his license to practice medicine and also his license to administer and prescribe controlled substances by a Dec. 23 emergency order of the state Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing. Investigations by both Springville police and the DOPL found Andrew had been taking "indecent liberties" with patients and staff members. His alleged activities were deemed to pose an immediate threat, which resulted in the emergency hearing.
"Division investigator W. Don Rogers has interviewed staff members and patients who confirm that Larry Glen Andrew has performed lewd acts upon them, performed lewd acts in their presence and induced them to perform lewd acts upon him, in the course of his practice as an osteopathic physician and surgeon," the DOPL report stated.
A doctor of osteopathy differs from a medical doctor by the type of care given. According to the American Academy of Osteopathy, it is a complete system of care that treats the entire person, not just the symptoms. An osteopathic doctor is a licensed physician.
Peter Stirba, Andrew's attorney, said they were considering the various options and then will decide what action to take. Because the hearing was held with little notice and without either Andrew or Stirba being present, they can request a formal hearing to appeal at any time.
"Obviously these things occur, and the notice is short, to say the least, and there are things we have to understand and know and find out and gather," before deciding what to do, he said.
Springville police Lt. Dave Caron declined to comment on the nature of their investigation, other than to say one is going on.
The DOPL investigation and hearing stemmed from a complaint filed against Andrew, said Clark Caras, spokesman for the Department of Commerce. Other complaints came in while the investigation was ongoing, although he didn't say how many.
"I'll just say that typically in that type of situation there's a ripple effect in terms of people coming forward," he said.
Stirba said in many situations like this one there is the potential for misunderstanding or misinterpreting of the facts.
"This is where we may be," he said.
A recording at Andrew's Springville office informs the caller the office is temporarily closed.
A complaint severe enough to require an emergency hearing is rare for the DOPL; the last time one was held was in August 2004; it was the third since 2003.
If a formal hearing is requested, the DOPL has 20 days or "an appropriate amount of time" to schedule a hearing, Caras said, which will be in front of the physician's review
