Doctor punished by state

MOREHEAD CITY - The N.C. Medical Board recently took emergency action against a Carteret County physician who the board says is unable to practice medicine safely.

The board ordered the summary suspension of the license of Dr. Michael Allen Gray, who operated the now-closed Carteret Urgent Care Center in Morehead City, ac-cording to the July 25 order.

Due to concerns for the welfare and safety of the public, the emergency action was taken before going through the normal due pro-cess when hearing a case, said Jean Brinkley, director of public affairs for the N.C. Medical Board.

"In this case, the board felt there was enough information to determine the physician is not fit to practice and in the interest of public health to suspend the license immediately," she said.Brinkley said summary suspensions are rare and out of 200 disciplinary actions taken in 2007 only two physicians received such suspensions.

The matter involving Gray was before the Medical Board upon information that he "committed unpro-fessional conduct by his departure from, or the failure to conform to, the standards of acceptable and prevailing medical practice, or the ethics of the medical profes-sion, and that he is unable to practice medicine safely because of a physical or mental abnormality."

The order issued by the state medical board cites information from both Gray and his patients as a basis for the action.

"Upon information and belief and pursuant to electronic mail correspondence with the Board, Dr. Gray has admitted that he is suffering from depression and manic episodes and that he is unable to remember what has happened over the last few weeks of his life," the order states. "In that electronIc mail correspondence, Dr. Gray indicates that it is his intent to surrender his license to practice medicine.

However, Dr. Gray has not surrendered his license and has declined to make himself available to the Board."The order also states that the board has received numerous complaints from Gray's patients that they are unable to contact him and/or retrieve their medical records from him."Upon information and belief, Dr. Gray abandoned numerous patients without making adequate provision for the availability or transFer of medical records and without ensuring continuity of medical care," the order reads.

In regard to the patient records, Brinkley said, "the board is aware of that issue and is working on it."

Attempts to contact Gray were unsuccessful.The Carteret Urgent Cen-ter at 3104 Arendell St. remains closed and a phone call to the center indicated that the number is disconnected or no longer in service.

Contact Carteret County reporter Jannette Pippin at jpippin@freedomenc.com or 252-808-2275.