Board Fines Doctor for Mistake

Dr. Eva Salamon must pay $5,000 plus expenses, and perform community service.

Wednesday, February 6, 2002

By ROBIN WILLIAMS ADAMS
The Ledger

LAKELAND -- The Florida Board of Medicine imposed a $5,000 fine on Dr. Eva Salamon, a Winter Haven obstetrician, for doing a circumcision on a baby boy without the parents' consent.

She must give a one-hour lecture on wrong-patient surgery, do 20 hours of community service and take five additional hours of continuing education in risk management. She also will pay $889.70 in costs for investigating the situation, an investigation that took place after Winter Haven Hospital filed a serious incident report.

She and the Agency for Health Care Administration, which investigates complaints for the Department of Health, had agreed on those terms in a proposed consent agreement given the Florida Board of Medicine on Friday. The board accepted the consent agreement.

Salamon said she isn't at liberty to talk about the situation, other than to confirm the board's action.

The boy was born at 8:25 a.m. Nov. 25, 2000. The surgery took place at 10:30 a.m. the next day, according to the agency's investigative report.

The Ledger, using incorrect information in a draft complaint from the agency, reported last week that the baby was 2 months old when circumcised.

The hospital's policy at that time was for nursing staff to confirm that a signed consent form was in the patient's chart before a physician did a circumcision, according to the investigative report.

The report said Linda Bradway, the hospital's risk manager, said the staff didn't do that Nov. 26, 2000, but that the policy and procedures were revised afterward to make sure a consent form is present.

It also quoted notes written by Salamon that state: "Circumcision was performed on this infant without a permit. I went to speak to the mother and explained the mistake. Circumcision was uncomplicated."

Robin Williams Adams can be reached at robinwadams99@yahoo.com or 863-802-7558.