State fines Wellesley 'concierge' doctor

Dr. Richard S. Goldman, a Wellesley doctor, was reprimanded by the state Board of Registration in Medicine and fined $5,000. (Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff/FILE 2002)

A Wellesley physician who runs his own "concierge" medical practice has been fined $5,000 by the state for providing false information regarding the status of his medical certification and for failing to maintain a patient's medical records.

Dr. Richard S. Goldman, who charges patients a $2,500-per-year membership fee in exchange for 24-7 doctor access and same-day office appointments, was reprimanded by the state's Board of Registration in Medicine, which handles medical licensure, for providing false information on his 2005 medical license renewal application .

Goldman, an 53-year-old internist who started his private practice, Access MD, in Wellesley in 2002, was also unable in 2003 to provide a patient with requested medical records because he failed to maintain the records for seven years from the last patient encounter, in violation of board regulations, according to the reprimand report.

Goldman declined comment.

According to the board's reprimand, which Goldman signed off on Jan. 18 and was accepted by the board Feb. 20, Goldman's board certification as an internist expired on Dec. 31, 2004, but Goldman did not indicate this on his 2005 state license renewal application, which he signed on Jan. 20, 2005.

"It's critically important for a physician to be forthcoming and honest with respect to the information required on their biennial license applications," said Russell Aims, spokesman for the state Board of Registration.

Aims said he did not know whether Goldman is currently certified as an internist. A physician in Massachusetts is not required to be certified in order to practice medicine, said Aims, who estimated that 80 percent of doctors in the state are certified in their specialty practice area.

Goldman's error, Aims said, was in indicating to the board that he was certified when his certification had actually lapsed at the end of 2004.

On July 20, 2006, the board sought documentation from Goldman regarding his certification status, which he did not provide.

The board asked again on Sept. 25, and received no response. On Dec. 1, 2006, board staff members interviewed Goldman, who, according to the reprimand, told them that his certification had lapsed Dec. 31, 2004.

The Board of Registration looked into the certification issue after it came to its attention that Goldman had failed to provide a patient with medical records when requested, Aims said.

"Failure to provide patient records is a serious violation of the trust between a patient and a physician," Aims said.

"I think the board understands that circumstances can arise with respect to patient records," Aims said, but this matter "highlights the physician's responsibility to ensure that patient records are protected under any circumstances."

Aims said a suspension of Goldman's medical license had been stayed for 30 days in order to give him time to pay the fine, with the deadline on Friday. According to Aims, Goldman had sent the payment to the board by registered mail last week and the board expected to receive it by the deadline, so Goldman's license would not be suspended.

According to Access MD's website, Goldman's practice is limited to 400 patients. Individual members are charged $2,500 per year, couples pay $4,000, and families pay $4,500. Membership buys patients access to same-day office appointments, phone access to a doctor at all times, house calls where appropriate, and other benefits.

Goldman received his master's degree in public health from the University of California at Los Angeles, and his medical degree at Boston University School of Medicine.