INDIANAPOLIS — “I treat all patients like family members,” said Dr. Scott Mimms to the Indiana Medical Licensing Board Thursday afternoon.
The hearing amounts to an emergency review. Just last Friday, a petition was summitted to the licensing board questioning Mimms’ fitness to practice medicine, calling him a “clear and immediate danger” to the public.
On Tuesday, when Mimms had secured attorneys to defend himself, a huge trove of documents from the Indiana Attorney General Office’s investigation were handed over to the defense team just hours before the hearing.
“We’re rushing to judgement in seeking any sort of a suspension of (Mimms’) license at this time, and we’re requesting the board deny the petition,” said attorney David Jose.
In the hearing, Mimms described himself as a bariatric and general surgeon, but he advertises cosmetic surgeries on social media. His Instagram posts feature ads for body contouring, tummy tucks, liposuction, and breast augmentation.
But the Attorney General Office’s investigation pointed to numerous questionable practices, including that Mimms does surgeries in his Indianapolis office, which is not certified as an outpatient surgical center.
In November, a patient only known as “HP” in the suspension petition had liposuction done by Mimms. Four days later, HP was admitted at Community North Hospital in pain and vomiting. It was discovered that the patient’s bowel was punctured. HP’s condition worsened, and they patient developed sepsis with septic shock and eventually died.
Mimms has a history of malpractice claims filed against him. In a CBS4/FOX59 investigation last October, it was uncovered Mimms has 17 claims on file with the Indiana Insurance Department. The number of malpractice claims has since grown to 18.
At the end of the hearing, board member Dr. Kirk Masten pressed Mimms repeatedly about his habit of administering anesthesia for his surgical patients.
“How do you do that while doing surgery?” asked Masten.
Mimms replied he had looked into bringing in an anesthesiologist.
After three and a half hours of evidence presentations and witnesses, the board voted unanimously to suspend Mimms’ license for 90 days. In April, Mimms will be back before the Medical Licensing Board, which could extend the suspension or possibly end it.
For the next three months, the investigation into Mimms and his medical practice will continue.