Medical board will not revoke Hedrick's license

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WANE) - The Medical Licensing Board of Indiana has decided it will not revoke Dr. William Hedrick's medical license.  The board made the decision Thursday night.

While the Fort Wayne doctor is able to keep his license, the board said he could still face probation.

A proposed settlement by Dr. Hedrick was rejected by the Medical Licensing Board of Indiana in a hearing on Thursday morning.

Dr. Hedrick, of the Centers for Pain Relief in Northern Indiana, offered to give up his license to practice medicine for two years and voluntarily be on probation for four subsequent years.

The board rejected the proposal.

The state's complaint alleges that several people died while under the care of Dr. Hedrick; the board is working on gathering specific information on these allegations. The Centers for Pain Relief also reportedly billed Medicare $100 million between January 2010 and August 2012. of which Hedrick was paid out $7 million. Sources told NewsChannel 15's Megan Reust that payment in the millions is generally a red flag.

The state filed the formal complaint against Dr. Hedrick on Dec. 21, after filing to have the doctor's license temporarily suspended on Dec. 3 pending the outcome of the hearings with the board.

Read the entire complaint against Dr. Hedrick

The complaint, filed by the Attorney General Greg Zoeller's office, claimed that Dr. Hedrick's pain therapies and drug mixing practicing were unsafe and dangerous and therefore posed a substantial risk to patients.

The complaint also claimed that numerous patients under the care of Dr. Hedrick and the Centers for Pain Relief  "have died from multiple drug toxicity."

Dr. Hedrick was also accused of engaging in procedures that are "inconsistent with patient benefit, but consistent with financial gain for [Dr. Hedrick]."