ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, April 18, 1997 TAG: 9704180068
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SANDRA BROWN KELLY THE ROANOKE TIMES
What began as an office disagreement ended with a Roanoke veterinarian losing control of her office for two years and being sued for unpaid wages.
A state regulatory board has suspended a Roanoke veterinarian's license for 30 days, fined her $7,000 and limited her ability to run her clinic for the next two years. The action was over charges that seemed to grow out of personality conflicts within the office.
Dr. Sharon Coleman, owner of North Roanoke Veterinary Clinic, allowed unlicensed workers to operate X-ray equipment, induce anesthesia and perform euthanasia procedures, concluded the Virginia Board of Veterinary Medicine, which regulates the profession.
The board further found that Coleman failed to sterilize instruments between use in surgeries or treatments on different animals; prepped animals for surgery on the surgical table while another surgery was in progress; and failed to place animal carcasses in the freezer and instead put them directly into the Dumpster. Also, the board said she allowed unlicensed personnel to have access to controlled substances and falsely testified about her recordkeeping.
Coleman will not be allowed to be the veterinarian in charge at her clinic until May 1999. Coleman has to pay $2,500 of the penalty, but, if her office has any more violations during the probation period, she will have to pay the additional $4,500 and risk losing her license, the board said.
Her license suspension began Tuesday. Dr. Colleen Chick, who has worked at the practice for a year, will take over as lead veterinarian, said Coleman's attorney, Walter Peake III of Roanoke. Once Coleman's license suspension ends, she will work under the supervision of Chick, said Peake, speaking for Coleman.
The board decision, which follows a formal hearing held in March, was more severe than its ruling when the charges against Coleman were heard informally in October. At that time, the board offered to end the case if Coleman would sign a consent order that fined her $3,000 and suspended her license for a year, but delayed the suspension.
Peake said Coleman felt so strongly that she was being portrayed unfairly by former employees that she requested the charges be aired in a formal hearing.
Peake said the charges were a result of personality conflicts.
At the informal hearing, Coleman and former employees Angela Hall, Robin Anderson and Dr. Jayla Mitchell painted a picture of bickering, backbiting and choosing sides. There were accusations that Mitchell and Coleman disagreed on some treatments, especially efforts to cure animals suffering from parvovirus.
Employees and Mitchell supposedly did not get along when Mitchell first joined the group, then Mitchell and Anderson became friends.
The problems began with Mitchell's arrival in 1995 and continued into early 1996, Peake said.
"Two factions created disruption in the practice, and the employees turned against Dr. Coleman," the lawyer said.
Peake said Coleman believed that a wage and overtime dispute between her and employees Anderson and Hall made them determined to cause problems for her with the veterinary board.
Anderson and Hall have accused Coleman of incorrectly calculating their overtime pay. After Coleman refused to pay them the money they believed they were owed, they filed suit against her in U.S. District Court.
Anderson worked for the clinic from April 1994 to January 1996. Hall was employed from March 1993 to June 1996. The court has ruled that their claim is at least partially justified, but no rewards have been determined, according to court records.
Coleman started the clinic in 1992 after working six years at Valley Animal Hospital. Peake said she has 4,000 pet owners as clients. In addition to her regular practice, she is the only area veterinarian who provides low-cost spaying and neutering to people who can't afford the procedures through the Pet Assistance League program.
LENGTH: Medium: 75 linesby CNB