Ex-Arkansas medical board chair indicted over alleged drugging and abduction of patients

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SPRINGDALE, Ark. (AP) — The former chairman of the Arkansas State Medical Board was indicted on charges that he drugged and abducted patients at a psychiatric facility in order to get more money from health care reimbursements, according to an indictment released on Monday.

An Arkansas grand jury indicted Dr. Brian Hyatt in early March on charges that he gave numerous patients strong, mind-altering sedatives in order to keep them at the facility without a medical justification. He is charged with two federal counts of kidnapping and distribution of the controlled substances that he allegedly used to subdue patients.

Seven mental health care workers, administrative employees and nurses who worked for Hyatt also were indicted in early March. Some were charged for allegedly failing to intervene to avoid getting fired, the indictment said. They are accused of neglecting to document patients’ actual conditions in medical records, instead using generic notes in order to obscure the patients’ conditions and conceal the lack of treatment being provided to them.

Other employees charged are accused of directly participating in the misconduct. At least one employee is accused of breaking a patient's collarbone in order to physically restrain her to force her to accept unnecessary treatment. Others allegedly used threats, coercion and intimidation to force patients to accept unnecessary medical treatments, the indictment said, and also used physical abuse to prevent alleged victims from reporting their actions.

The crimes allegedly happened at the Northwest Medical Center Behavioral Health Unit in Springdale, where Hyatt’s medical company was contracted to provide psychiatric services between 2018 and 2022.

If convicted, those charged face a maximum sentence of life in prison with up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

There was no attorney listed for Hyatt or the seven employees on Monday night. The Arkansas State Medical Board didn't respond to an emailed request for comment.