A Florida osteopathic doctor, who was accused of mistakenly removing a patient’s organ, has willingly surrendered his medical license in Alabama. The doctor was licensed to practice medicine in both Florida and Alabama.
The Alabama Medical Licensure Commission has officially accepted the complete surrender of Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky’s license on Monday, in light of a patient’s unfortunate demise in Florida. Prior to this, both Florida and Alabama had already suspended his license.
According to a report by First Coast News, the investigation into the death of Bill Bryan, a veteran who passed away during surgery at Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast in Miramar Beach, Florida, is being conducted by the Walton County Sheriff’s Office. The Florida Surgeon General stated that Bryan’s death occurred when his liver was mistakenly removed instead of his spleen by Shaknovsky.
According to Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, Shaknovsky poses a significant and immediate threat to the public’s health, welfare, and safety. Ladapo highlights the gravity of the situation by pointing out the surgeon’s alarming surgical errors and the fabrication of medical records. In response to these egregious actions, an emergency suspension order was issued, suspending Shaknovsky’s license. The order, which spans 21 pages, provides a detailed account of the surgeon’s troubled history.
In August 2023, a patient who underwent surgery to remove part of the colon at the same hospital where Shaknovsky operated, sadly passed away due to complications from an infection, as reported by the Agency for Healthcare Administration.
According to Joe Zarzaur, the lawyer representing Bryan’s widow, a civil lawsuit is still in the pre-suit stage.
“Once that phase concludes, we will proceed with filing our lawsuit,” Zarzaur said.
The scheduling of a hearing to determine the status of Shaknovsky’s osteopathic physician’s license in Florida is still pending.