Dr. Cathy Donovan, a family practice physician in Onamia, has been reprimanded by the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice for unprofessional and unethical conduct in connection with the death of a child and an infant who was stillborn.
The board found that Donovan improperly prescribed codeine medication for a child with bronchitis in 2006. The child died after she was "inadvertently given an excessive amount of codeine for her cough," according to the board. Donovan reportedly authorized "1 to 2 teaspoons every 4 to 6 hours" for the patient.
An audit of Donovan's practice found frequent failure to document dosage, quantity or duration of treatment for medications. She also frequently failed to properly evaluate her patients, the board said.
In the case of the newborn, the board found that in 2007 Donovan failed three times to properly read a fetal heart monitor on a patient during labor. The infant was stillborn, the board said. Donovan admitted at a board hearing that she should have made a referral for cesarean section "much sooner."
The board reprimanded her, fined her $3,168 and disciplined her. She must take education courses in medical records management, pediatric pharmacology and respiratory diseases, along with an obstetrics review course. She must meet monthly with a supervising physician, the board said. Those conditions will remain for at least two years, the board said.
The board also disciplined Dr. Julie M. Johnson, a family practice physician in St. Cloud, for unprofessional conduct in prescribing a drug for non-medical purposes.
In multiple cases she authorized narcotics for patients without documenting medical reasons for pain medications, the board said. She provided excessive quantities of narcotics and multiple refills for some patients without assessing them for chemical dependency, the board said.
She was reprimanded, disciplined by the board and fined $2,750. She is required to complete chemical-dependency awareness courses, maintain a log of all narcotic prescriptions and practice in a group setting.
