At least 26 patients have accused a top Arkansas doctor of holding them against their will for days or weeks at a psychiatric unit, where they rarely received care and were given strong sedatives without their consent, NBC News reported.
Dr. Brian Hyatt, chairman of the Arkansas State Medical Board — charged with disciplining doctors in the state — reportedly marked 99.95% of his Medicaid claims with the “highest severity code,” presumably so he could extract more money from insurers, according to a search warrant affidavit obtained by NBC.
“His claims are so high they skew the averages on certain codes for the entire Medicaid program in Arkansas,” the affidavit reads.
Hyatt had served on the Medical Board since 2019 but resigned in March. Agents with the Drug Enforcement Agency searched his private clinic in Rogers, Arkansas on May 23.
“Dr. Hyatt continues to maintain his innocence and denies the allegations made against him,” Hyatt’s legal team said in a statement to Arkansas Business in June. “Despite his career as an outstanding clinician, Dr. Hyatt has become the target of a vicious, orchestrated attack on his character and service. He looks forward to defending himself in court.”
Over the span of just two months, at least two patients were released only after sheriff’s deputies escorted them out with a court order. In one case, body camera footage obtained by NBC captured a nurse appearing relieved that a patient was getting to go home.
“I’m glad he’s getting out,” the nurse said. “Don’t repeat that.”