Area Doctors Disciplined by State Officials

AUSTIN � The Texas Medical Board announced the discipline of more than 40 doctors Thursday. Included in the August 29 disciplinary actions were physicians from Palestine and Jacksonville, according to KETK. The Board and Laurence W. Cunningham, D.O, of Jacksonville entered into an Agreed Order requiring Dr. Cunningham to submit to an evaluation by the Physician Health Program (PHP) and comply with any and all recommendations made by PHP. The Board found Dr. Cunningham admitted his unprofessional conduct and intemperance with alcohol, his summary suspension and subsequent resignation from a hospital, and his arrest for disruptive behavior.

The Board and James Don Jackson, Jr., M.D., of Palestine entered into a Mediated Agreed Order publicly reprimanding Dr. Jackson and requiring Dr. Jackson to have his practice monitored by another physician for eight consecutive monitoring cycles; within one year complete at least 24 hours of CME, divided as follows: eight hours in medical recordkeeping, eight hours in prescribing, and eight hours in ethics; within one year and three attempts pass the Medical Jurisprudence Exam; and pay an administrative penalty of $3,000 within 90 days.

The Board found Dr. Jackson’s medical records were inadequate, and the lack of objective findings indicating the treatment constituted nontherapeutic prescribing; failed to properly supervise a registered nurse who was working under his direction; and failed to cooperate with Board staff by failing to appear at ISCs on April 19, 2013 and June 17, 2013 and by failing to timely respond to Board subpoena.