CA Medical Board orders public reprimand, discipline for Fresno doctor. Here’s why
A longtime Fresno urologist has been publicly reprimanded and disciplined by the California Medical Board over 2018 allegations of unprofessional conduct against two former female employees, according to the board’s order.
The state’s Medical Board’s disciplinary order against Dr. Narayana Sirman Ambati from May 18 became effective on June 17 at 5 p.m.
Ambati’s office referred questions to his attorney Mike Ball.
The disciplinary action is part of a settlement reached on the 2018 case that led to a “lesser” discipline, according to Ball.
“He continues to deny these allegations or that he has ever done anything improper,” Ball said this week.
Ambati, 81, has been ordered to complete an education course, a professionalism program on ethics, a professional boundaries program and a psychiatric evaluation, according to the order. The educational courses must be completed within 60 days of the disciplinary order’s effective date, and the psychiatric evaluation must be completed within 30 days.
The discipline and public reprimand stem from an Aug. 3, 2018 complaint filed against him by the state’s Medical Board. In the accusation, the Medical Board said two ultrasound technicians claimed Ambati inappropriately touched them during ultrasound prostate procedures on several occasions, stretching over several years, at Urology Associates of Central California Medical Group.
Criticism for discipline
Marian Hollingsworth, a volunteer with the Patient Safety Action Network, said she believes the discipline was not as “severe” as the allegations.
The network keeps a close eye on disciplinary action against doctors by the state’s Medical Board.
“I am concerned that the Medical Board is allowing doctors to agree to lesser violations,” she said this week.
Carlos Villatoro, a spokesman for the state’s Medical Board, said the board takes its duty to protect consumers seriously.
The board must prove with clear and convincing evidence that a violation of the Medical Practice Act took place, he said. A thorough investigation must be carried out in order to avoid having the case be rejected or dismissed.
“The Board’s discipline against Dr. Ambati was tailored around the facts of the case and the evidence gathered during the investigatory process,” he said in an email this week. “The Board took action based upon the evidence that could be proven.”
The Medical Board “avoided the risk of an outright dismissal of the accusation” by reaching the settlement for public reprimand, he said.
Ambati is not admitting to the allegations, Ball said, but he entered into this agreement because it wouldn’t prevent him from continuing to practice and wouldn’t put any restrictions on his license.
Ambati’s license expires on Feb. 28, 2022, according to the state’s Medical Board’s website.
“He’s getting close to retirement,” Ball said. “He just wants to go out and doesn’t want to bring more embarrassment to his peers, patients, colleagues and his family, of course.”
Alleged incidents
According to the 2018 complaint, the incidents allegedly happened during prostate biopsy ultrasounds, which would take place in a dark ultrasound room. Patients are placed on the examination table facing the wall and have their backs to the technician and the doctor.
The alleged victims are identified as Witness A and Witness B. Ambati would allegedly rub against Witness A’s buttocks in a sexual manner during procedures beginning in January 2013 to around Aug. 12, 2014.
The alleged inappropriate conduct with Witness B began in late 2009, and continued through 2014. Ambati would allegedly rub against Witness B’s buttocks, hug her and rub against her breast with the side of his hand, according to the complaint.
The technicians feared retaliation if they came forward with Abmati’s conduct, but eventually reported their complaints to human resources in 2014, according to the complaint.
Ball described the accusations as a “one-time thing where two employees came together and came up with these allegations.” He said there hasn’t been any complaints by patients.
Since August 2014, when the allegations first surfaced to the current time, Ambati has used a chaperone with every female patient, Ball said. The urologist decided to take such action out of an abundance of caution.
The chaperone serves as a witness and “is there to alleviate any possible concern by the board,” Ball said.
Ambati has already completed the professional boundaries program, Ball said. He has enrolled in a September professional ethics program, and his psychiatric evaluation is scheduled for this week.
Ambati’s biography describes him as a founding member of the Urology Associates of Central California. He graduated from medical school in India in 1964, and has been licensed by the California Medical Board since 1984.
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