WEST SENECA, N.Y. (WKBW) — More than a dozen people have contacted 7 News about Dr. Su Zhan, a West Seneca doctor who was told by the New York State Workers' Compensation Board that she can no longer treat injured workers.
Dr. Zahn runs Western New York Rehabilitation Medicine and Pain Management. According to a letter obtained by 7 News, addressed to Dr. Zhan by the Workers' Compensation Board, the application to renew her authorization to treat injured workers was denied.
I sat down with Zhan on Wednesday afternoon. She said this could put her out of business and impact around 250 patients. Zhan said injured workers make up 95 percent of her practice.
WATCH: NYS Workers' Compensation Board denies West Seneca doctor's authorization to treat injured workers
Zhan claims she is one of the best pain management doctors in the region, but the New York State Workers' Compensation Board thinks otherwise. The board sent her a letter on March 9 stating its records show she has a substantial history of compliance issues with the board, which led to her application renewal to treat injured workers being denied.
Zhan told me all of the accusations in the letter are false, except for one, which she already addressed in 2014.
"My question is, does Workers' Compensation Board even read any medical report before they even put any doctor into a certain allegation. That's the part I do not understand. The medical report is right there," Zhan said.
"I do all the medical procedure application by myself, based on my medical knowledge," Zhan said. "I understand Workers' Compensation Board was expecting all the providers to do the procedure application."
I asked Zhan about a drug mentioned in the letter, Ketorolac Tromethamine, also known by its common name Toradol, which is a potent, non-steroidal drug. The letter from the board states she had not submitted prior authorization requests for Toradol injections. She told me she generally eats the cost for her patients if Worker's Compensation denies them.
"That's not the drug for pharmacy have any concern to get paid, because that's not even a drug at the pharmacy. So the medication portal isn't for the drug for local pharmacy," Zhan said.
While at Zhan's office, I received a statement from the State Workers' Compensation Board saying it had notified Zhan on Wednesday morning that she is authorized to temporarily continue to treat injured workers.
Since communicating with Dr. Zahn by letter earlier this month, she and the Board have had communications about her authorization status, resulting in the Board’s notifying Dr. Zahn today that her authorization is continued, on a temporary basis, to treat injured workers.
It is the Board’s policy to not confirm, deny, nor share information about whether or why individual providers might fall under regulatory scrutiny. When final actions are taken with respect to a provider’s ability to treat injured workers, the authorization status of that provider is communicated via email to stakeholders, and their names are no longer listed on the Board’s website.
Craig Smith
Media Relations Manager
NYS Workers’ Compensation Board
I went back to Zhan's office to ask her about this, and she was able to find an email stating she is being penalized for abandoning or neglecting her patients due to this situation. The email stated her authorization was temporarily extended until April 30 so that she could give her patients a transition plan and time to find different care.
However, Zhan shared that she had already notified her patients at the end of the week that the board had denied her authorization.
Additionally, Dr. Su Zhan is independently employed and not affiliated with or employed by Catholic Health. She only has privileges at the listed hospitals. A CH spokesperson said they do not have information on the situation.
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