Press Release

College issues consensual reprimand to Dr. Richard Baron Stern of Kentville

Halifax, March 20, 2006 -- On February 21, 2006 Dr. Richard Stern of Kentville , Nova Scotia consented to a reprimand issued by Investigation Committee “A” of the College.

The consent reprimand arose from a complaint filed by the family members of patient X, who had been admitted to an intensive care unit of a hospital. With respect to the conduct of Dr. Stern in his care of patient X, Investigation Committee “A” determined that a reprimand was due to the following:

1. With respect to a morning visit made by Dr. Stern to patient X, Dr. Stern failed to document this visit;
   
   
2. With respect to a subsequent visit by Dr. Stern to patient X, Dr. Stern failed to appropriately document this visit and in particular to include his findings and his plans for the patient;
   
   
3. For a three hour period, Dr. Stern failed to document any interaction with patient X;
   
   
4. Between the hours of 0815 to 1105 he failed to attend on a timely basis to patient X; and
   
   
5. Despite patient X's symptoms of critically low blood pressure and low urinary output, there was no evidence of a fluid challenge by Dr. Stern to address these symptoms and no use of invasive monitoring such as central venous pressure monitoring, arterial cannulation, or pulmonary artery catheter.

The Committee's decision constitutes a finding of professional misconduct/professional incompetence that will be entered on Dr. Stern's formal discipline record.

A copy of Dr. Stern's reprimand is available at: www.cpsns.ns.ca/reprimands/stern.pdf or by contacting the College.

-30-

A description of the sanctions available to the College's Investigation Committees is available at: http://www.cpsns.ns.ca/publications/investigations-faq.html#11

Contact:
Bruce Thorne
Manager, Policy and Communications
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia
Suite 5005, 7071 Bayers Rd.
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3L 2C2

Phone: (902) 421-2212
Cell: (902) 499-6403
Toll-free in Nova Scotia: 1-877-282-7767
E-mail: bthorne@cpsns.ns.ca