Doctors With Troubled Pasts Are Performing Cosmetic Surgeries Tied To Crippling Pain And Injury

Not agelong aft California surgeon Andrew S. Hsu landed a occupation pinch a cosmetic room concatenation successful Georgia, respective of his patients suffered disfiguring injuries, and moreover his caller employer had doubts astir his competence, tribunal records allege.

Hsu, a board-certified wide surgeon, was 1 of six out-of-state doctors who joined nan Atlanta Goals Aesthetics & Plastic Surgery halfway during nan pandemic. The surgeons received impermanent licenses to believe successful Georgia, which authorities officials granted successful consequence to nan abrupt request for much aesculapian unit to reside nan covid-19 outbreak — moreover though nan halfway specialized successful elective cosmetic surgeries, specified arsenic Brazilian butt lifts, aliases BBLs, and liposuction, paid for successful rate aliases connected credit.

The Atlanta halfway announced its opening successful March 2021 arsenic an description of New York-based Goals Aesthetics & Plastic Surgery, which markets "precision assemblage contouring" for astir a twelve room clinics successful 8 states, promising patients a "dream assemblage successful conscionable 1 visit."

But nan Atlanta center's early days were marred by allegations of substandard diligent care. Court records show that astatine slightest 20 women revenge aesculapian malpractice lawsuits against nan facility, aliases its proprietor and surgeons. Hsu was named arsenic a suspect successful 7 suits revenge against nan Atlanta center, much than immoderate different expert there. An eighth diligent sued Hsu alleging negligence successful an cognition he performed astatine a Goals agency successful New York.

Hsu did not respond to requests for comment. Goals declined to comment. Both person denied immoderate negligence.

Cosmetic room chains crossed nan state are attracting patients by promising "minimally invasive" operations to reshape their bodies aliases get free of stubborn fat — moreover helping put extracurricular financing for group who can't salary up front. Hundreds of thousands of patients are undergoing specified procedures each year, and integrative surgeons tin make much than $500,000 each twelvemonth successful 1 of nan highest-paid specialties successful American medicine.

An investigation by KFF Health News recovered that lawsuits revenge by injured patients person trailed nan industry's growth, successful immoderate cases alleging that surgeons lacked capable training, had histories of malpractice lawsuits, aliases had faced disciplinary action by authorities aesculapian licensing boards — yet crossed into different authorities and kept practicing.

In nan Atlanta lawsuits, Goals has denied immoderate negligence and won dismissal of respective of them because patients had signed papers agreeing to extracurricular arbitration — which requires them to resoluteness disputes privately and extracurricular nan tribunal system.

Yet Goals based on successful a abstracted statement conflict that respective of its Atlanta surgeons, including Hsu, were so prone to problems — either because they lacked capable training aliases had troubled pasts, including investigations by authorities aesculapian licensing boards into misconduct, tribunal records show. One of Hsu's Atlanta patients said successful a abstracted suit that she suffered successful symptom for complete a twelvemonth because a portion of a scalpel was near wrong her assemblage aft a BBL and liposuction.

In a June 2023 tribunal filing successful that statement dispute, Goals blamed nan problems connected a aesculapian staffing patient — Barton Associates, a backstage equity-owned patient successful Massachusetts — it said grounded to do capable inheritance checks connected nan doctors it supplied. Barton denied nan allegations and said it met each position of nan contract.

No nationalist database exists to thief patients study nan afloat believe histories of physicians, including cosmetic surgeons. And patients are mostly near connected their ain to decipher which certificates hanging connected a surgeon's wall, aliases ballyhooed successful web advertising, signify due training and which do not. Disputes among aesculapian specialty groups complete whose members are nan champion qualified to execute cosmetic operations — and present nan champion results — adhd to nan confusion.

No authorities agency tracks injuries aliases different complication rates astatine clinics offering cosmetic room aliases immoderate different type of operations. And successful galore jurisdictions, including Georgia, gaining entree to tribunal records — a imaginable reddish emblem for spotting problems — is laborious and costly.

Charleetra Hornes, 52, who lives successful nan Atlanta suburbs and is suing nan Goals halfway for aesculapian malpractice, said she knew thing of its alleged early troubles and chose nan institution because its advertizing promised "minimal downtime" for betterment and that she would stay awake during nan operation.

She said she paid $6,650 for a "double BBL," successful which fat is suctioned from nan stomach, purified, and injected into nan hips and hips to create what Goals calls a "natural-looking enhancement."

Goals went up pinch her room connected July 2, 2022, moreover though she had tested affirmative for covid that day, according to nan suit. Hornes alleged that 2 days earlier nan room Goals assigned her to surgeon Thomas Shannon, who has worked for Goals successful Georgia and Texas.

Though unit gave her pills to negociate nan discomfort, Hornes said, she suffered "excruciating pain" during nan procedure, according to nan suit.

That night, she spiked a fever that sent her to nan emergency room. She spent 2 weeks successful nan infirmary recovering from injuries, including a "severe pain connected her side," according to nan suit.

"I've been disfigured and burned up, and it's not fair," she said successful an interview.

In June 2024, Hornes sued Shannon, nan Goals center, and Barton Associates, alleging malpractice. On Sept. 2, a Georgia judge dismissed Shannon from nan case, ruling that Hornes grounded to service him pinch nan title successful Texas earlier nan statute of limitations ran out. He did not respond to requests for comment. 

In a abstracted bid issued connected nan aforesaid day, nan judge besides dismissed nan different defendants, citing nan statute of limitations rumor and that Hornes had antecedently signed an arbitration agreement. Some cosmetic room chains and different aesculapian practices inquire patients to motion specified agreements. 

Hornes wishes she had learned much astir nan Atlanta room center, alternatively of accepting what she calls its "flashy" come-ons. "I wish I would person taken it much seriously," she said successful an interview, "because it was life-altering."

Useful tools

KFF Health News identified much than 200 lawsuits revenge against multistate cosmetic room companies, mostly complete nan past 7 years, including cases involving a twelve deaths, utilizing databases of tribunal records.

Lawsuits by themselves don't beryllium wrongdoing. Many cases are settled nether confidential position that support captious specifications nether wraps. Yet aesculapian authorities and astir expert licensing boards respect malpractice cases and settlements arsenic a useful instrumentality for detecting imaginable patterns of substandard wellness attraction that whitethorn harm patients.

Court files show that surgeons who were sued galore times for malpractice — and successful immoderate cases disciplined by authorities aesculapian boards for misconduct — person managed to get hired by cosmetic room chains.

Goals, owned by expert Sergey Voskin, has contracted pinch 8 surgeons pinch 3 aliases much malpractice cases revenge against them, including successful nan Atlanta area, tribunal records allege. Gerald Hickson, founding head of nan Vanderbilt Center for Patient and Professional Advocacy and an master connected aesculapian malpractice issues, called that number of suits a "warning" of imaginable problems, contempt their outcome.

Earlier this year, a Pennsylvania female identified successful tribunal filings arsenic "P.C." sued Goals, Voskin, and surgeon Peter Driscoll, alleging Driscoll came connected committee contempt an "extensive history of malpractice allegations, licensing suspensions and discipline" successful Texas and California, according to aesculapian committee records cited successful nan suit. Companies hiring doctors person fresh entree to nan nonpublic National Practitioner Data Bank, which specifications disciplinary problems successful a doctor's past. But it's not clear from tribunal records whether anybody made these modular inheritance checks. Goals did not respond to a petition for comment.

The suit besides accuses Goals of user fraud for touting its surgeons arsenic "double if not triple committee certified integrative surgeons." According to nan complaint, Driscoll was board-certified by nan American Board of Otolaryngology, a specialty that focuses connected curen and room of caput and cervix areas. Driscoll is nary longer certified successful nan specialty, according to nan American Board of Medical Specialties website.

The female alleges that Driscoll sexually harassed her and made "unwanted and unwelcome intersexual contact" during a BBL process successful June 2022 astatine a Goals agency successful New Jersey. 

According to nan suit, unit members overheard Driscoll watching pornography successful an agency bath aggregate times, but Goals did not terminate him astatine nan time. New Jersey's State Board of Medical Examiners suspended Driscoll's licence successful February 2023 related to nan incident, and nan woman's suit is pending successful national tribunal successful New Jersey. Goals and Voskin person denied nan allegations successful nan suit and revenge a mobility to disregard aliases compel arbitration of nan case. Driscoll, who has not revenge a consequence pinch nan court, could not beryllium reached for comment.

Performance issues not 'disqualifying'

Other cosmetic room chains person faced aggregate malpractice actions targeting surgeons aliases different wellness attraction providers who unit their clinics, tribunal records show.

The surgeon roster astatine Mia Aesthetics, a Miami-based concatenation that operates 13 cosmetic room offices nationwide, lists 4 doctors pinch 3 aliases much malpractice actions since 2020, tribunal records show.

Nearly a twelve injured patients person revenge lawsuits criticizing nan credentials of doctors and caregiver practitioners affiliated pinch Belle Medical, including nan family of a 70-year-old Utah female pinch 5 children who died successful nan car 2 days aft liposuction arsenic her hubby rushed her from location to a hospital, according to tribunal records.

Her hubby alleges he called Belle Medical's agency nan time aft nan process to opportunity his woman was having trouble breathing and bosom palpitations and couldn't locomotion much than a short distance, which nan suit based on were "textbook symptoms of pulmonary embolism, aliases humor clot successful nan lung." According to nan suit, cipher astatine Belle Medical advised nan family to activity contiguous aesculapian care. An autopsy recovered she died from "bilateral pulmonary emboli," according to nan suit.

Backed by Peterson Partners, a Utah backstage equity and finance firm, Belle Medical operates successful Utah, Idaho, and Oklahoma, offering liposuction and different cosmetic surgery. Neither Belle Medical nor Peterson Partners responded to requests for comment. In tribunal filings, Belle Medical has based on that its aesculapian providers are independent contractors who are solely responsible for immoderate procedures they perform.

Private equity-backed Sono Bello, nan largest of nan cosmetic room chains pinch much than 100 locations nationwide, has defended much than a twelve lawsuits alleging nan institution contracted pinch inadequately trained doctors aliases practitioners antecedently disciplined by aesculapian licensing boards. In May 2023, Ohio's aesculapian committee revoked nan licence of a Sono Bello statement surgeon aft 3 of her patients died, 2 of them pursuing procedures astatine a Sono Bello agency successful nan Cleveland area, according to aesculapian committee records.

Robert Centeno, Sono Bello's aesculapian head for nan East region, told KFF Health News that galore surgeons person past capacity issues, which he called "not, successful fact, disqualifying."

"The immense mostly of our colleagues are highly master and committed to their profession," he said successful an interview. "And while location whitethorn beryllium a momentary lapse aliases rumor pinch their practice, astir of our surgeons return those sanctions, return that counseling, that advice, and amended their practices and spell connected to beryllium very, very productive members of nan aesculapian community."

Asked astir malpractice lawsuits revenge against nan company, Centeno said that Sono Bello has "performed complete 300,000 procedures to date," which he described arsenic "more procedures for much patients completed safely than anyone other successful nan industry. It would beryllium earthy and understandable to cognize that astatine immoderate constituent during that process, that a diligent has really sued us," Centeno said.

'Unable to perform'

In early 2020, arsenic nan pandemic slowed business successful New York City, Goals sought to grow to Atlanta — a basking marketplace for its BBLs. In a PR Newswire release, Goals promised patients "amazing contours" and boasted of having "some of nan astir experienced, and aesthetically guardant surgeons successful nan industry." BBLs and liposuction dress up 95% of its business, marketed to mostly Black and Hispanic women, Goals proprietor Voskin testified successful a deposition revenge this twelvemonth successful nan Driscoll case. Many Atlanta patients suing nan institution paid astir $6,000 to $8,000 for their surgeries, tribunal records show.

Goals initially staffed nan Atlanta halfway done Barton Associates. Many hospitals and aesculapian offices trust connected specified firms to find impermanent doctors and different staff. Under nan deal, Barton charged Goals $1,400 for each process and paid astir $600 of that to nan surgeon, according to Goals' tribunal filings.

In 2023, Barton sued Goals successful a Massachusetts court, alleging it was owed $487,000 successful fees. Goals admitted that it "temporarily ceased payment" to Barton. But it fired backmost pinch a counterclaim accusing Barton of failing to cheque nan qualifications and backgrounds of surgeons arsenic required by nan agreement.

Goals named 5 surgeons Barton sent to nan center, including Hsu, and pointed to nan spate of malpractice cases successful Atlanta to bolster its argument.

Goals said it "became instantly apparent" that different surgeon was "fundamentally incapable to execute his duties." The surgeon was "abrasive, vulgar and could not behaviour himself successful accordance pinch reasonable master standards that were expected successful a aesculapian workplace," according to Goals' counterclaim.

A 2nd surgeon Barton presented arsenic "highly skilled" turned retired to person "an extended history of complaints astir his master conduct" successful 2 different states, according to nan counterclaim.

Barton and Goals settled nan lawsuit and counterclaim successful April 2024 nether confidential terms. Barton did not respond to requests for comment. Barton denied Goals' allegations successful earlier tribunal filings and said that it "complied fully" pinch nan position of its statement pinch nan room company.

In its counterclaim, Goals based on that soon aft Hsu joined nan unit successful 2021, it learned he had "multiple issues" successful California and "was astir to suffer his aesculapian licence arsenic a result," according to a tribunal filing.

Goals provided "significant ineligible and different assistance" to support that from happening and Hsu "required important training successful bid to do acceptable activity connected patients," nan institution based on successful tribunal filings.

Seven women revenge malpractice suits successful 2023 alleging they sustained injuries from BBLs and liposuction Hsu performed astatine nan Atlanta agency betwixt mid-February 2021 and nan extremity of June 2021, tribunal records show. Barton, nan staffing firm, besides is simply a suspect successful these cases and has denied wrongdoing. Hsu has denied wrongdoing successful nan cases and sought to enforce arbitration agreements. 

Hsu's emergency Georgia aesculapian license, approved successful January 2021, expired successful April 2022, authorities records show. Hsu is licensed successful New York and California, wherever he has besides worked for Goals.

Two suits impeach Hsu of leaving a portion of metallic wrong nan bodies of women, a calamity diligent information experts judge should ne'er occur.

In 1 Atlanta case, a diligent who alleged she had knowledgeable changeless symptom since her room astatine Goals successful 2021 said she discovered why much than a twelvemonth later erstwhile a thorax X-ray ordered aft a car clang showed a portion of scalpel leaf successful her precocious abdomen, according to her tribunal filings. The action against Hsu and Barton Associates was settled early this year, tribunal records show.

In nan 2nd case, a New Jersey female who had a BBL astatine Goals' Harlem agency successful New York City successful February 2022 alleged she overheard Hsu opportunity successful nan operating room that he had "left thing wrong of her," which turned retired to beryllium a metallic liposuction cannula extremity that had surgery disconnected successful her stomach. A judge dismissed her suit owed to an arbitration clause. She revenge a announcement of appeal, but nan lawsuit was settled successful August.

The California aesculapian board's investigation of Hsu ended successful October 2023 pinch a colony and disciplinary order. The authorities accused him of "repeated negligent acts" successful treating six patients making love to 2016, including 3 group who died. None progressive cosmetic room for illustration his activity astatine Goals.

The committee revoked his licence but stayed nan action and imposed a four-year probation, tacking connected a $24,000 punishment to screen costs of nan investigation. The bid besides required Hsu to find a practitioner to thief oversee his believe and prohibits him from serving connected immoderate on-call sheet for wide surgery. In settling nan case, Hsu did not admit immoderate wrongdoing.

Goals has featured Hsu successful a TikTok video, and boasts connected its website that he is simply a "highly skilled surgical specialist," who provides "top-notch surgical care."

Fellowship training

How overmuch training cosmetic room chains request of surgeons varies, judging by expert work contracts obtained by KFF Health News done tribunal filings. Some contracts simply require that nan expert clasp a valid authorities aesculapian license, while others specify that a expert "represents" that they are qualified to execute cosmetic room and person not been disciplined by licensing boards aliases been deed pinch awesome malpractice awards.

Sono Bello takes a different route. The institution sponsors a six- to eight-week training people for surgeons, which it calls a "fellowship," and posts specifications online.

Sono Bello accepts applicants from much than half a twelve surgical specialties and focuses its training connected liposuction and a type of tummy tuck process called AbEX. 

Court records show that Sono Bello has defended astatine slightest a twelve lawsuits from patients who based on immoderate surgeons lacked capable training aliases had different problems, aliases alleged they were misled by immoderate advertizing that described surgeons who completed nan fellowship arsenic "board certified integrative surgeons."

Sono Bello's credentialing process came nether onslaught successful a 2023 malpractice suit revenge by Shirley Webb, a 79-year-old Nevada female who spent months successful hospitals and rehabilitation attraction recovering from sepsis aft a tummy tuck and liposuction performed by surgeon Charles Kim successful Las Vegas successful December 2022. 

Kim, a colorectal surgeon, took nan Sono Bello fellowship from July 2022 to October 2022, tribunal records show. In a deposition, Kim, who is board-certified successful wide surgery, stated that Sono Bello hired him knowing he had been disciplined by Nevada's authorities aesculapian licensing committee for alleged malpractice successful which a diligent he operated connected died. Kim paid a $4,000 good and received a missive of reprimand successful settling nan aesculapian committee lawsuit without admitting wrongdoing.

Kim besides testified successful nan aesculapian malpractice lawsuit that Sono Bello was alert he had antecedently settled 4 aesculapian malpractice cases, tribunal records show. Christopher Chung, Sono Bello's main aesculapian officer, said nan institution verified that Kim's authorities aesculapian licence and different credentials "were up to day and successful bully standing" earlier it hired him. "We reviewed his surgical log, which elaborate nan voluminous and analyzable surgeries he had performed astatine nan infirmary wherever he was past employed, and received affirmative references from his employer and different surgeons," Chung said successful an emailed statement.

A aesculapian master hired by Webb's ineligible squad opined that Sono Bello's usage of nan word "fellowship" is deceptive because nan programme is not accredited, aliases recognized by immoderate subspecialty certifying board, master society, aliases hospital. A aesculapian fellowship is typically a training programme that lasts astatine slightest a year. "We powerfully disagree pinch nan proposal that our website is misleading. We accurately authorities that our physicians are board-certified surgeons — because they are," Sono Bello spokesperson Mark Firmani said successful response.

In her lawsuit, Webb testified that Sono Bello's advertisements connected tv and online led her to judge nan institution employed only board-certified integrative surgeons.

Had she been told of Kim's inheritance successful advance, "I wouldn't person had nan room done," Webb testified successful a 2024 deposition. 

The parties settled nan suit early this twelvemonth nether confidential terms.

Have you had liposuction, a “mommy makeover,” a tummy tuck, a Brazilian butt lift, aliases different type of cosmetic surgery? We’d for illustration to perceive astir your experience. Click here to interaction our reporting team.