LEWISTON — For the third time in 12 years, the state’s medical licensing board has imposed restrictions on a neurologist for substance use or abuse.
Daniel Bobker signed a consent agreement in January in which the board issued an official reprimand for unprofessional conduct, for “engaging in deceit or misrepresentation” with a prescription for his then-girlfriend and for misusing non-controlled substances in a way that could have endangered his patients.
Bobker most recently worked as a neurologist for Central Maine Healthcare, but a spokeswoman for the health system said Monday that he is no longer employed there.
The Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine had suspended Bobker’s medical license in August, pending a hearing on claims he fraudulently called in prescriptions for his girlfriend for months and was getting early refills for medications that had been prescribed to him.
According to the board, Bobker prescribed his girlfriend, who is now his wife, olanzapine, an antipsychotic drug that can cause drowsiness and typically is used to treat schizophrenia. His prescriptions were for various medications, all of which can be sedating and have the potential to be misused or abused, the board said.
In October, Bobker admitted he had called in prescriptions for his girlfriend and used some of her olanzapine, the board said. He admitted he sought early refills for his own medication, but said he was never impaired while caring for patients.
The board lifted Bobker’s suspension and placed him on probation for five years, requiring him to be monitored, get psychiatric care and cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, undergo a neuropsychological evaluation and practice medicine with at least one other licensed doctor.
The board said it would immediately suspend Bobker’s medical license if he tests positive for alcohol or any drug not prescribed to him, if he prescribes medication to himself or a family member, or if he obtains medication fraudulently.
This is Bobker’s third license suspension and his third consent agreement in 12 years.
The board suspended Bobker’s license in 2007 following a report he had been abusing sedatives and benzodiazepines, which are primarily used to treat anxiety. He signed a consent agreement in 2008, agreeing to restrictions, monitoring and treatment. His license was suspended again later that year when he tested positive for a drug that had not been prescribed to him and that he was not supposed to take.
Bobker’s license remained suspended for almost three years. In 2010, he was granted a conditional license and signed his second consent agreement. That agreement again imposed restrictions, monitoring and treatment. The agreement ended in 2014 following positive reports and the understanding that Bobker would voluntarily continue his treatment.
Bobker worked as a neurologist at Central Maine Neurology in Auburn and at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston. Last summer, CMMC said Bobker would be joining the Topsham Care Center as a neurologist. All three facilities are owned by Central Maine Healthcare.
Central Maine Healthcare spokeswoman Kate Carlisle said Monday that Bobker no longer works for the health system. She declined to provide additional information, including when he left and whether he quit or was fired.
A message left for Bobker was not returned Monday.
Bobker’s lawyer, Kenneth Lehman, said Bobker has been practicing for two or three decades and “by all accounts, he’s a very good doctor and does a good job for his patients.”
“He cares a lot about his patients and tries to do the best for his patients that he can,” Lehman said. “The board could see that he is able to return and to resume practice now safely.”
Lehman said he did not know where, or whether, Bobker is working.
ltice@sunjournal.com
Send questions/comments to the editors.
