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Doctor Must Close Practice For 1 Year

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By TODD LESKANIC, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 20, 2007

NEW PORT RICHEY - A local doctor accused of running a prescription "pill mill" has been ordered to close his practice for one year.

Satyanarayana Korabathina pleaded guilty Monday to eight counts of violating the Prescribing Practitioners Act, a felony, and two counts of petty theft.

He was sentenced to five years' probation and ordered to complete 200 hours of community service in the first year.

Korabathina, 56, cannot practice medicine for the first year and is restricted from prescribing controlled substances for five years. Circuit Judge Thane Covert told Korabathina he must close his practice within 30 days.

Korabathina, of 3341 Crescent Oaks Blvd. in Tarpon Springs, could not be reached for comment. In an interview with investigators in 2006, he denied any wrongdoing.

Covert withheld adjudication on the charges, meaning Korabathina will not be a convicted felon if he successfully completes his probation.

"He practiced for 19 years before this, and he's never had any formal disciplinary proceedings against him," said defense attorney Todd Foster. "This is the first time he's had anything to do with the criminal justice system. He's grateful for the opportunity to prove he can once again work as a doctor helping people."

Assistant State Attorney Mary Handsel said the state Board of Medicine is planning a hearing to review the status of Korabathina's medical license.

The state suspended his license shortly after his arrest in February 2006 but later issued a temporary license. Under that license, Korabathina was allowed to see patients but couldn't prescribe controlled substances.

Undercover investigators who visited Korabathina's offices in New Port Richey and Hudson in 2005 and 2006 found they only had to ask and the doctor would write them prescriptions for potent medications such as oxycodone and hydrocodone, opiate-based painkillers, and alprazolam, an anti-anxiety drug.

According to court documents, the investigators who posed as patients weren't examined or asked for their medical records. None was required to see Korabathina for follow-up tests or exams, the documents state. One investigator reported he was written prescriptions for hydrocodone even though he didn't mention being in pain.

"He was allowing people to get as much medication as they wanted without proper diagnosis and treatment," Handsel said outside the courtroom.

Tracy Parsons, a former employee who worked with Korabathina in 2005, told investigators the doctor would see between 80 and 120 patients a day. Some of those patients were willing to wait as long as four hours to see the doctor, Parsons said.

Korabathina told at least one of the undercover officers that he believed he was prescribing to an addict. Investigators have said they think a majority of Korabathina's patients were painkiller addicts.

Reporter Todd Leskanic can be reached at (727) 815-1084 or tleskanic@tampatrib.com.

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