Just two months after Dr. Patrick Corrick's chiropractic license was fully reinstated, Corrick assaulted employees at the African Assistance Program, attempting to choke one of them, according to a new disciplinary action issued by the Minnesota Chiropractic Examiners Board.

The board suspended Corrick's license for two years earlier this month, but stayed that decision as long as he participates in psychotherapy and substance monitoring. He was given a five-year probationary license as part of the agreement.

This isn't Corrick's first time facing disciplinary action. In 2001, the board revoked his license for paying "runners" to bring new patients involved in auto accidents into his office. According to the 2001 order, Corrick, who was practicing in Brooklyn Park, attempted to defraud no-fault insurance policies by submitting false and deceptive billing statements.

Five years after the license was revoked, the board gave Corrick a five-year probationary license. After complying with the terms of his probation, including anger management training, Corrick received an unconditional license in August 2011.

In November of that year, Corrick went into the office of the African Assistance Program in Brooklyn Park and accused its employees of encouraging patients to leave his care and go somewhere else. Dr. Larry Spicer, president of the Minnesota Chiropractic Examiners Board, said the state allowed Corrick to continue practicing because the new allegations were "a different set of circumstances."

"Dr. Corrick was the subject of a court order in the past, but he presented evidence that he had been rehabilitated," Spicer said.

In its most recent investigation, the board noted the assault on the employees at the African Assistance Program, but also found problems with Corrick's billing practices. The order says Corrick failed to keep written chiropractic records justifying course of treatment and some records were "false, illegible and/or nonsensical, at times using incorrect personal pronouns," an indicator of "copy and paste" record keeping.

Corrick's record keeping was an issue back in 2001 when the board found Corrick "generated identical letters about dozens of different patients, with identical findings about range of motion of the patient and symptoms."

Spicer said in their most recent investigation that there was not enough evidence to prove that Corrick may be engaging in insurance fraud.

Corrick's attorney Michael Padden said he would not comment on the specific issues of the investigation but said Corrick will comply "100 percent with the decision of the board." Corrick's office is now operating in Crystal, under the name Corrick Chiropractic.

"Throughout his entire career, he's been an exemplary chiropractor," Padden said. "There were some disputes about the allegations, and he has accepted the decision and has paid the fine and will comply with the stipulation."

Corrick pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in Hennepin County District Court last March in the assault.

Spicer said the board has to take into consideration the state's criminal rehabilitation act when deciding if doctors who have committed repeated offenses should be allowed to practice.

The state's policy is "to encourage and contribute to the rehabilitation of criminal offenders and to assist them in the resumption of the responsibilities of citizenship."

"A license, once issued, is a property right and there has to be substantial due process. It can't just be taken away capriciously," Spicer said. "A doctor or nurse has a property right to that license."

Alejandra Matos • 612-673-4028