RI Doctor Found to Have Recklessly Exposed Patients, Staff to Coronavirus - Has License Suspended
GoLocalProv News Team
RI Doctor Found to Have Recklessly Exposed Patients, Staff to Coronavirus - Has License Suspended
According to the twenty-page reports issued by RIDOH, Dr. Anthony Farina — whose primary practice is on Mineral Spring Avenue in North Providence — was an “immediate danger to the public” after the most recent complaints.
After receiving reports that staff were not wearing masks and people in the waiting area were not practicing physical distancing, RIDOH went to inspect the facility on July 2016 and found the office manager and Farina to be “angry, uncooperative, and threatening” — and had to leave.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThe following day, RIDOH issue an immediate compliance order to correct violations, which included employees not wearing face masks, no required logs documenting state-mandated coronavirus environmental cleaning, lack of screening of patients for COVID, and lack of proper physical distancing in the waiting room.
More Complaints Received -- Including Doctor Allegedly Practicing With Coronavirus
Following the compliance order, RIDOH then received additional complaints — including Farina having COVID — yet working in the office anyway. Numerous complaints also alleged Farina had “temper tantrums and rage attacks daily.”
Farina told health officials he had a sinus infection before ultimately testing positive and “isolating properly.” Witnesses testified however that he continued to practice while infected with COVID.
The investigative committee determined Farina “acted recklessly in electing not to receive a COVID-19 test and failing to isolate during the illness for which he was treated on November 25, 2020 and especially after testing positing for COVID-19 on December 4, 2020.”
Farina is entitled to an administrative hearing on the suspension in accordance with RI General Law.