Doctor's license still suspended; hearing to continue

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WANE)  After listening to hours of testimony Thursday, the Indiana State Medical Licensing Board recessed Dr. William Hedrick's hearing and will continue it next month. In the meantime, Hedrick's license to practice medicine will remain temporarily suspended.

The Fort Wayne pain clinic physician is accused of overprescribing narcotics and putting patients unnecessarily at risk. Hedrick owns and operates the Centers for Pain Relief, which has 14 locations in Northern Indiana.

The State filed a formal complaint against Dr. Hedrick in December.

During the board’s licensing hearing Thursday, Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller’s office presented the State’s evidence against Hedrick. According to the State’s complaint, Hedrick and his staff failed to follow appropriate protocol when prescribing addictive narcotics to patients.

Click here to read the entire complaint against Dr. Hedrick.

“Dr. Hedrick’s dangerous drug mixing practices and preference for prescribing addictive controlled substances do not fall within the safe practice of medicine,” said Deputy Attorney General Gabrielle Owens, Deputy Director of the Attorney General’s Licensing Enforcement and Homeowner Protection. “Although the disciplinary hearing could not be completed in a single day and must resume later, the public will be protected in the interim because Dr. Hedrick is still suspended from practice.”

The Medical Licensing Board’s next regularly scheduled hearing is March 28, but it could schedule the resumption of the Hedrick hearing before that; the next date will be determined soon.

In December 2012, Hedrick agreed to a temporary license suspension and has not been able to practice since then.