Complaint Review: Theodore Kapanjie - Seattle Washington

I have been a patient of Dr. Ted Kapanjie for several years and have found that he takes the time to listen carefully, he is thoughtful and practical in his recommendations, and he has NEVER spoken about, suggested or prescribed a controlled substance.  One thing I did observe recently is that he takes comprehensive notes on a laptop computer.  If the previous comment is true, perhaps that is a result of previously getting into trouble over misplacing paper notes necessary to defend himself against what are probably baseless allegations.  I also observed that the Dr. is actively practicing, and prescribing, as recently as October 2009 so I am skeptical of the previous comment.

JUN 1 --(Seattle) DEA Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Arnold R. Moorin and the United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington, Jeffrey Sullivan, announced that on May 29, 2009, Theodore J. Kapanjie, 38, of Seattle, Washington, entered a guilty plea to failing to maintain records relating to the receipt and distribution of controlled substances as required by federal law.

This offense is punishable by up to one-year imprisonment and a $100,000 fine. Federal law requires that all licensed medical practitioners maintain records of controlled substances received and dispensed by them in their practices. This is to insure full accountability as to the disposition of controlled substances and to prevent the unlawful diversion of narcotics by health care professionals.

On nine separate occasions during 2007 and 2008, contrary to law, Kapanjie ordered into his practice from a pharmaceutical supply company quantities of controlled substances, which he ingested himself, and/or provided to family members, without making or maintaining any records of his receipt or dispensing of such drugs as required by law. Further, these drugs were not dispensed pursuant to any written prescriptions by a physician.

These receipts and distributions, as to which Kapanjie knowingly failed to maintain records, included the following: 01-04-07 100 pills hydrocodone; 03-23-07 100 pills hydrocodone; 07-09-07 100 pills hydrocodone; 09-06-07 100 pills hydrocodone; 10-05-07 500 pills clonazepam; 01-15-08 100 pills clonazepam; 08-22-07 1000 pills diazepam; 05-14-07 200 pills zolpidem; 06-15-07 100 pills phentermine.

Hydrocodone is a Schedule III controlled substance. Clonazepam, diazepam, zolpidem, and phentermine are Schedule IV controlled substances. Each of these substances is controlled due to its abuse potential and addictive properties.

Kapanjie is scheduled to be sentenced by United States Magistrate Judge James P. Donohue on August 26, 2009. While awaiting sentencing, Kapanjie was ordered to submit to drug testing and treatment. Kapanjie has already surrendered his federal license to prescribe controlled substances to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

I have been a patient in Dr Kapanjie's practice, first with dad and subsequently with Ted for upwards of 15 years. I have never had any questions or concerns about the care I have received and have never felt that I was being forced to accept any of the suggestions or diagnosis recommendations for my care nor with the prescriptions I have been given. On the contrary, as some of the other comments have noted, efforts have always been to start at the least of the meds rather than go to a higher dose or stronger medication. On a recent visit, Dr. Ted was concerned for my care, due to his situation and sincerely apologetic for any inconveniences it may cause to my health issues. I have been under Ted's care for years and I am hopeful that I can continue with confidence in his treatment.

Dr. Kapanijie has treated my family for many years, and he is by far the best doctor we have ever seen. He is extremely compassionate and cares very much for his patients. The only way he would have prescribed you narcotics is if you LIED to him about your problems, as well as you addictive nature. Every experience i have had with Dr. Kapanjie has shown that he tries EVERY available alternative to narcotics for his patients, but if they continue to suffer, YES, he will sometimes prescribe pain meds to IMPROVE your quality of life. THAT is and always should BE his primary concern. Its people like YOU that make 95% of doctors out there more willing to allow patients to SUFFER, because they are afraid someone like you will cry to the DEA when YOU never disclose to your doctor that you are having an addiction problem! Like the previous rebuttal's have said, GROW UP, and learn to take care of your own problems. Don't blame an honest Doctor who just wants to help people.

Dr. Ted Kapanjie is an ethical and sound practitioner and has allowed me a reasonable quality of life though I have a horribly debilitating disease, if it were not for Dr. Ted Kapanjie I would have died! First of all, he never, ever, forces any CSA scheduled Drug on anyone, he tried everything in the book to take care of me before ever prescribing a controlled substance. Furthermore, his "thriving business" is the result of 40 years of work by Dr. Kapanjie's Father, Dr. Robert Kapanjie, who ran the Practice at the NW Hospital campus long before, then concurrently, with his son for several years prior to his retirement... The Doctors' Kapanjie made their business on honest dealing, STRONG ETHICS and Sound Medical Values, not the least of which is respect for the patient! It is true that Dr. Ted did inherit many of the Patients in his fathers practice, though Dr. Ted also did much to make that practice modern and cutting edge. Both of these good men may have prescribed CSA scheduled medication, but not without the strongest of guidance in their use and potential for abuse/misuse by individuals i.e. never longer than a three month supply with follow-up with either the Kapanjie Practice or a specialist! This is the irrefutable truth of the matter after having known them for a decade of compassionate care. If a misguided person misused CSA scheduled Drugs obtained from this practice, or any practice, it is they who have broken the Law, it is their Pharmacy which gives further guidance and also serves as a further stop-gap measure in the misuse of Controlled Substances. It is well known to Dr. Kapanjie's Patients that "YOU MUST USE THE SAME PHARMACY EVERY TIME ONE FILLS A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE" (or any continuing Rx for that matter) - the pharmacy is nine times out of ten NW Prescriptions, a mere 1 minute walk from the Good Doctors Office... I truly feel for those who have ran themselves into the misuse of Controlled substances, but they only have themselves to blame for such misuse (the Rx Bottle itself warns against such misuse as a State and Federal offense). The Doctor never forced you to misuse drugs, you could just as easily said NO THANK YOU, but even as a self aware Drug abuser you continued to return to the Kapanjie Practice and lie in order to seek those drugs to which you became addicted through misuse: A concept for you would be self awareness and the responsibility of the individual. You never told Dr. Kapanjie you were an addict and therefore you misled a Licensed, Board Certified Physician in order to seek drugs and that falls onto you squarely, as, if you had mentioned the word Addiction to the Kapanjie Practice, the Drug supply would have been stopped and you would have been able to seek aid through the Kapnajie practice to rectify your own misbegotten behavior! Dr. Theodore Kapanjie as well as Dr. Robert Kapanjie are healers of the Highest skill, the finest ETHICS and the strongest Moral and Medical character! Lastly, I agree with the entry on Compassionate Caregivers (vs. "DEA Docs") as noted in this thread...

He sounds like a compassionate doctor to me. I have seen many people forced to suffer unnecessarily because doctors are afraid to treat pain with the only medications that work for severe pain--opiate drugs. Thanks to the cowards and sociopaths of the DEA doctors are afraid to treat pain, patients are subjected to humiliating drug tests, forced to sign ridiculous pain 'contracts' and treated like criminals at both the doctor's office and at the pharmacy. I applaud this doctor for his willingness to treat pain. You addiction is your problem caused by you and no one else. It was your responsibility to use your meds as prescribed and your inability to do so is not the doctor's fault!

Without far more detail, it's impossible to tell whether this doctor's prescribing practices violated any rules or regulations. However, if you believe Dr. Kapanjie's prescribing practices were inappropriate, I implore you to file a complaint with your state regulating board. Each state has established guidelines for the proper administration of drugs such as narcotic painkillers and if you file a claim, your allegations will be investigated and the board will discipline him if he has acted irresponsibly. A quick Internet search revealed that Dr. Kapanjie is an osteopath (D.O.), not an M.D., and that he has no prior disciplinary actions against him. To file a complaint, you will need to visit the Board of Osteopathic Medicine at https://fortress.wa.gov/doh/hpqa1/hps7/Osteopath/default.htm . The following link, https://fortress.wa.gov/doh/hpqa1/disciplinary/complaint.htm , provides information regarding the complaint process and provides a link allowing you to download a complaint form. I filed a complaint against a doctor who was engaged in fraudulent billing practices (Dr. Charanjit Dhillon in Arizona) and the board unanimously concluded that each of my allegations were true and severely disciplined Dr. Dhillon. Trust me, it's the only effective tool patients have for exposing bad practitioners. If you need help with the complaint, email me at [email protected] . Good Luck!

Dr. Kapanjie is a very good, caring Dr. I would highly recommend taking your personal problems elsewhere and not blaming them on others. Just because he is a doctor you choose to go to does not mean he is your mother and you have to listen. You have every right and responsibility for your actions or possible addictive tenecy in which you are responsible in telling the dr this. Unless you are a 12 year old, you should know you have an addictive tenancy. Dr. Kapanjie is a very good dr, honest, and very caring. I know of several people whom get very good care from him for all ages. He obviously thought you were hurting, did you lie. If you truly were hurt shouldn't you be thankful you did not suffer. Last point, tell the truth, if you have an addictive personality or tendicies (and your neighbor too, which is weird you would bring him into your problem) you need to be up front with your dr in order for him to tell you what is good for you. Take responsibility for yourself!