Wyoming Board of Medicine Suspends Casper Anesthesiologist’s License

An anesthesiologist's license has been suspended by the Wyoming Board of Medicine after a missing vial of fentanyl prompted investigation.

Doctor Jeffrey Christensen was most recently affiliated with Wyoming Surgical Center (WSC) in Casper, located next to Casper Orthopedics, as well as multiple other hospitals. He has been in practice more than 15 years.

On Oct. 25, a nurse with the WSC found a discrepancy in the number of vials of fentanyl from 31 to 30 and verified that Christensen had used the box that day. The surgical center reported the information to the Wyoming Professional Assistance Program (WPAP).

The WPAP told the Wyoming Board of Medicine that on Oct. 26 Christensen disclosed to WPAP's clinical director that he had diverted the vial of fentanyl but didn't use it. In another conversation less than two weeks later he told the director he had used fentanyl a couple of days in June and early August.

On Oct. 30 WPAP wrote to the Board of Medicine that Christensen had received a Level III Non-Compliance, which is required by law to report. At that time, Christensen was asked to provide a nail sample, but did not have enough nail to test.

The WSC suspended Christensen for 60 days and WPAP required him to provide a nail sample on Nov. 13. WPAP also recommended he submit a comprehensive residential evaluation at a treatment facility that specializes in working with physicians before returning to work. Further, they required that Christensen follow all recommendations from that evaluation.

Prior to this incident, Christensen was taking Vivitrol to assist him in sobriety. However, the Board of Medicine posits that he might not have been taking it correctly, which would make a relapse more prominent.

Because of the WPAP's disclosures about Christensen's misleading information and failure to provide a nail sample the second time, the Wyoming Board of Medicine suspended his license on Dec. 5 barring him from practicing medicine in the state of Wyoming. His license will remain suspended unless a contested case hearing reverses the decision. There will be further proceedings for revocation or other Board action as the Wyoming Medical Board deems apropriate.

---

According to the American Addictions Center, the vast majority of anesthesiologists with substance abuse problems are addicted to potent intravenous opioids such as fentanyl. Studies have shown that over 40% of anesthesiologists are enrolled in Physical Health Programs for their drug use, while only 10% are enrolled for alcohol abuse.

The AAC lists close proximity to the drugs as a factor in anesthesiologists' high incidence of drug abuse as well as the highly stressful environment of the job, but also shows evidence that second-hand exposure to aerosolized intravenous anesthetics in the workplace can sensitize the reward pathways in the brain and promote further opioid abuse.

The punitive approach to addiction has long been criticized (see the National Institute on Drug Abuse's take here) as society begins to consider that addiction is a disease that can be successfully treated. On the flip side, others affirm that medical staff using drugs puts patients at severe risk. A single addicted health care worker who resorts to drug diversion can endanger thousands.

Stephen Loyd, a doctor of internal medicine told USA Today. "I worked impaired every day; looking back, it scares me to death, what I could have done. I thought I was doing a pretty good job keeping it hidden. There were signs, behavioral changes. I canceled appointments, my paperwork was behind, I started dressing poorly, doing (hospital) rounds at odd hours. But no one ever reported me."