Violations at a Miami surgery center selling Brazilian butt lifts cost a doctor $5,000
A Miami metropolitan area office surgery center that peddles breast jobs, Brazilian butt lifts and other liposuction procedures had enough violations for a $5,026 hit on its former designated physician’s bank account.
That designated physician is Dr. Fernando Lora, the office surgery center is Miami Surgical Center, 5733 NW Seventh St. and this is standard procedure. When enough violations are found for an administrative complaint to be filed against an office surgery center, there’s also usually a complaint filed against the designated physician, the person in charge of making sure everything’s in compliance with state law.
The state complaint against Miami Surgical Center remains pending. Meanwhile, Lora has been fined $4,000; ordered to reimburse the Florida Department of Health $1,026 in investigative and prosecution costs; will get a letter of concern issued against his license; and have to take a five-hour continuing medical education course in risk management and a five hour as well as a five-hour course in laws, rules and ethics.
According to Miami Surgical Center’s Florida Department of Health profile, Lora has been replaced as designated physician by Dr. Amin Atul.
READ MORE: Here’s how to check your Brazilian butt lift or plastic surgery doctor in Florida
Two inspections at Miami Surgical Center, many problems
A June 15, 2021 state inspection found three main violations.
▪ Surgeons removed more than 4,000 ccs of supernatant fat during procedure(s). The Florida Department of Health can revoke the license of an office surgery place that removes more than 1,000 ccs.
▪ “The surgeon did not provide patient(s), in writing, with the name and location of the hospital where the surgeon has privileges or the name and location of the hospital where the surgeon or the facility has a transfer agreement.”
▪ “...surgeon(s) did not have transfer agreements or hospital staff privileges for a licensed hospital within reasonable proximity.”
The Florida Administrative Code says Miami Surgical Center “must have a transfer agreement with a licensed hospital within reasonable proximity” if the surgeon doesn’t have staff privileges at a licensed hospital “within reasonable proximity” to do the same procedure as the one being performed in the office.
Of the doctors listed on Miami Surgical’s website, Atul’s Department of Health profile lists no staff privileges and Dr. Daniel Zeichner’s profile lists privileges at Coral Springs Medical Center. That’s 42 miles away.
A Sept. 10, 2021 re-inspection found problems of a lax staff.
▪ “...multiple uncapped and unlabled multi-dose vials on the anesthesia cart.”
▪ Notification of surgeon hospital privileges forms didn’t have the hospital or an address for the surgeon.
▪ Consent forms didn’t identify anesthesia providers.
▪ Surgical logs were missing.
This settles one of the two administrative complaints that’ll bring Lora before the Board of Medicine. An administrative complaint said he thought he took out an appendix in a 2019 appendectomy at Coral Gables Hospital, but removed only fat.
READ MORE: A Coral Gables Hospital doctor’s mistake had dangerous consequences, state says
