Dr. Aaron Roush
Died 2/03/207
Medical Board Record—ME83992
Disciplinary Actions—License Delinquent; Public complaint
Doctor at Lakeland Clinic Accused of Trafficking in Prescription Drugs
LAKELAND | A 44-year-old Tampa doctor who worked at a pain clinic in Lakeland was arrested Thursday and charged with multiple counts of trafficking prescription drugs and assisting others to obtain controlled substances.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said undercover detectives visited Dr. Aaron Branham Roush and posed as patients. He said it was discovered that the process required of pain management physicians was not being followed, and pain pill prescriptions were being written in exchange for cash.
Roush is a board certified surgeon and calls himself a pain management doctor, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Two undercover detectives made appointments with Roush and were seen by him in his office, according to reports. Five visits — four by one detective, one by another — were recorded.
Judd said Roush provided narcotic pain medication for one undercover detective on Nov. 30 when she visited the clinic at 3510 S. Florida Ave, Suite 102, and said her knee was “kind of bothering (her) a little bit.” Roush spoke with her in a room without an exam table or any medical equipment, and coached her on the appropriate responses required to obtain pain medication prescriptions, Judd said. He also offered her a key to a condominium and told her she could use it to party in if she wanted, the sheriff said.
“Not once did he take her into an exam room or perform any evaluation,” Judd said. “He did ask her, ‘Why don’t you come sit on my lap while we look at your MRI?’”
The Sheriff’s Office cited these other findings from the undercover visits:
Roush failed to take the detective’s temperature, pulse, blood pressure, height, or weight.
Roush told a detective that her X-ray looked normal but that they could “push on and find something wrong.”
The detective asked whether she could get more hydrocodone because it made her feel good, and Roush replied, “Absolutely.”
The Sheriff’s Office noted that Roush has been arrested previously in Polk and Hillsborough counties.
In Polk County in 2006, he was arrested by the Sheriff’s Office on a charge of battery, domestic violence and violating an injunction for protection. The outcome of those charges was not immediately available Thursday.
He was also jailed twice for nonpayment of child support in Polk County.
In 2010, he was released from jail upon payment of $11,000 and in 2012 after payment of $9,000.
Roush was reprimanded in 2007 by the state Department of Health, fined an administrative fee of $10,000 and ordered to complete 25 hours of community service, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Online records from the DOH show he was practicing at the same clinic, and patients treated in a time period from 2007 to 2009 were prescribed “inappropriate and excessive quantities or combinations of controlled substances” without medical justification.
Judd said he was appalled that someone like Roush was practicing medicine.
“I would say to the regulators, ‘Come on, man, pay attention,’” he said. “We hope he never again practices medicine, and we will do everything we can to ensure that his license is taken away.”
On Thursday, a search of Roush’s car turned up illegal drugs, Judd said. Methamphetamine, marijuana, Xanax without a prescription and Valium without a prescription were found. He will be additionally charged for the possession of those illegal substances, reports said. (LINK) — 3/21/2013
SHERIFF’S OFFICE PRESS RELEASE:
PCSO Detectives Arrest Lakeland Physician, Self-Proclaimed “Pain Management Doctor,” For Trafficking In Prescription Drugs and Other Charges
PCSO narcotics detectives arrested a Lakeland physician, who is a board certified surgeon and refers to himself as a “pain management doctor,” for trafficking prescription drugs and 10 other charges.
Detectives learned that 44-year-old Aaron B. Roush, M.D., of 1211 East Cumberland Avenue in Tampa, who works in theUphoria Medical Spa located at 3510 South Florida Avenue, Suite 102, in Lakeland, was overprescribing controlled substances, and prescribing them without doing medical examinations.
Two different undercover PCSO detectives made appointments with Dr. Roush and both were seen by Dr. Roush in his office. All five visits (four visits by one detective, and one visit by another) were recorded. The following is a summary of those visits, as detailed in the detailed affidavits:
· November 30, 2012 – PCSO undercover detective “A” went to the Uphoria Medical Clinic located at 3510 South Florida Avenue Suite 102 in Lakeland. Dr. Roush asked the detective what her reason for her visit was. She stated her knee was “bothering her a little bit and aching for no reason.” Dr. Roush told her he would give her something for pain, and that she needed to get an X-ray and come back for another appointment.
o Dr. Roush did not take the detective’s temperature, pulse, blood pressure, height, or weight. He met with the detective in his private office, not an exam room.
o The detective told Dr. Roush she was getting Oxycodone “from a friend,” and that she liked it and was hoping he would give her a prescription for it.
o Dr. Roush wrote her a prescription for 60 count Hydrocodone pills, and 30 count Carisprodol pills (AKA Soma).
o Dr. Roush told the detective if she got an X-ray and came back, he would prescribe her Oxycodone.
· December 12, 2012 - PCSO undercover detective “A” went back to the Uphoria Medical Clinic, with an X-ray of her knee. The detective went into Dr. Roush’s office for another visit.
o Dr. Roush did not take the detective’s temperature, pulse, blood pressure, height, or weight. He met with the detective in his private office, not an exam room.
o Dr. Roush told the detective that her X-ray looked normal but that they could “push on and find something wrong.”
o The detective asked if she could get more Hydrocodone because they made her feel good, and Dr. Roush replied, “Absolutely.”
o Dr. Roush wrote her a prescription for 90 count Hydrocodone pills, and 60 count Oxycodone.
· February 14, 2013 - PCSO undercover detective “A” went back to the Uphoria Medical Clinic for a third visit. The receptionist told the detective that the X-ray she had taken of her knee was normal. The detective went into Dr. Roush’s office for another visit.
o Dr. Roush did not take the detective’s temperature, pulse, blood pressure, height, or weight. He met with the detective in his private office, not an exam room.
o The detective told Dr. Roush there was no change in her knee and that she wanted to see if she could get a refill on the Hydrocodone because she really liked it. She again told Dr. Roush she was getting Oxycodone from a friend and wanted another prescription for it.
o Dr. Roush wrote her a prescription for 30 count Alprazolam (AKA Xanax) with 2 refills, 120 count Oxycodone (AKA Percocet), and 90 count Hydrocodone (AKA Norco) with 2 refills.
o Dr. Roush told the detective she might need to have an MRI done on her knee to justify her use of Oxycodone.
· March 6, 2013 - PCSO undercover detective “A” went back to the Uphoria Medical Clinic for a fourth visit. She brought PCSO undercover detective “B” with her. The detective went into Dr. Roush’s office for another visit, and told him she brought her friend with her who also wanted a prescription for a controlled substance.
o Dr. Roush did not take the detective A’s temperature, pulse, blood pressure, height, or weight. He met with the detective in his private office, not an exam room.
o Dr. Roush told the detective that he couldn’t remember what he had previously prescribed to her because he doesn’t keep copies of prescriptions he writes. He stated, “I’ll be more generous once you get an MRI.”
o Dr. Roush wrote her a prescription for 90 count Oxycodone (AKA Percocet).
o Dr. Roush told the detective she might need to have an MRI done on her knee to justify her use of Oxycodone.
o Dr. Roush meets detective B but does not prescribe anything to her at this time. Detective B tells Dr. Roush she wants a “legitimate prescription” for a controlled substance. He tells her to make an appointment and come back.
· March 12, 2013 - PCSO undercover detective “B” went back to the Uphoria Medical Clinic for a visit with Dr. Roush.
o Dr. Roush did not take the detective B’s temperature, pulse, blood pressure, height, or weight. He met with the detective in his private office, not an exam room.
o The detective told Dr. Roush she had an MRI done. They discussed that they “wouldn’t see much” on the MRI. The detective asked Dr. Roush what he could prescribe to her anyway.
o Dr. Roush wrote detective B a prescription for 60 count Oxycodone (AKA Percocet).
Dr. Roush accepts cash payments of $150.00 for any visit within 30 days of a prior visit, or $275.00 cash for a visit outside of 30 days.
Dr. Roush made comments to both of the female undercover detectives that were lewd in nature. He also asked them if they were law enforcement officers, if they were wearing wires, and if they had heard about people being arrested for prescribing controlled narcotics.
“Our detectives simply made appointments with Dr. Roush, and he handed over prescriptions for controlled narcotics. Well, now we’ve made an appointment for Dr. Roush in the county jail. This guy is nothing more than a dope dealer with a criminal history. We hope he never again practices medicine, and we will do everything we can to ensure that his license is taken away.” - Sheriff Grady Judd
On Thursday, March 21, 2013, detectives served a search warrant on Uphoria Medical Clinic, and placed Dr. Aaron Roush under arrest and charged him with: three counts Trafficking in Hydrocodone (F-1), four counts Trafficking in Oxycodone (F-1), and four counts Assisting Another to Obtain Controlled Substance (F-3).
Dr. Roush had in his car on the day of his arrest some methamphetamines, marijuana, Xanax without a prescription, and Valium without a prescription. He will be additionally charged for the possession of these illegal substances.
Excerpts from affidavits:
“Dr. Aaron Roush is registered under the provisions of Controlled Substances Act, Title 21 United States Code, section 823, and a practitioner under DEA registration number BR7590323. Based on this registration, Dr. Aaron Roush’s office is a controlled premises within the meaning of Title 21……..pursuant to this registration, Dr. Aaron Roush is authorized to prescribe controlled substances……and required to keep complete and accurate records of all controlled substances…….
A physician who is registered with the State of Florida as a controlled substances prescribing practitioner must adhere to the following standards of practice in connection with controlled substance prescribing (FSS 456.44): A physician registered under this section must maintain accurate, current, and complete records that are accessible and readily available for review and comply with the requirements of this section……..if a medical doctor operates outside of this State Statute he/she is subject to a criminal and civil investigation.”
Here is a brief summary of Roush’s criminal history in Florida:
06/01/1997 – Arrested by Tampa PD for DUI w/property damage (5 counts)
11/23/1997 – Arrested by Hillsborough County SO for Assault
05/09/2006 – Arrested by Polk County SO for Battery – Domestic Violence
05/23/2006 - Arrested by Polk County SO for Violation of Injunction for Protection
04/09/2010 – Sentenced from Polk County Court for Non Payment of Child Support – Purged out of jail for $11,000
05/11/2012 – Sentenced from Polk County Court for Non Payment of Child Support– Purged out of jail for $9,000
He was also reprimanded in 2007 by the state Department of Health, fined an administrative fee of $10,000, and ordered to complete 25 hours of community service. Below is the link to their website for public record inquiries.
http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/ (LINK) — 3/21/2013
Man found in Tampa bay identified as doctor with history of drug problems
TAMPA — At first, the Port Tampa Bay workers thought the man bobbing in McKay Bay on Friday afternoon was a swimmer. He wore a bathing suit and had the slender body of a devoted athlete.
But as minutes passed, it became clear that Aaron Branham Roush, 48, wasn’t swimming, but floating, police said. The former physician’s bicycle was chained up near Guy N. Verger Boulevard and Barge Avenue, and his clothes were neatly folded and stacked nearby.
Roush’s death is now another mystery in a life that had become plagued with loss and legal trouble.
Two years ago, Roush lost his medical license for inappropriately prescribing controlled substances to patients. Over the past decade, he had mourned the loss of his only brother, his only son and his only stalwart companion, a bichon frise named Duke. It had been about five years since he had seen or spoken to his daughter after she left with her mother during an acrimonious divorce, and only a few months since he filed a domestic violence suit against a new girlfriend.
Still, Roush’s father says he believes his son’s death was just a tragic accident.
“He was a strong swimmer, and used to tell me all the time about his midnight swims in the ocean,” said Paul Roush. “If someone was committing suicide, why would you chain your bike up or fold up your clothes? And if you were committing suicide, you wouldn’t choose to drown. That would be a rough way to go.”
The cause of Roush’s death is unclear. Tampa police said there were no signs of foul play, but are awaiting a toxicology report from the medical examiner’s office. Paul Roush said investigators told him his son could have drowned in a rip current or after a “medical event” like a heart attack.
“But we may never know what really happened,” Paul Roush said. “He went through some hard years and never seemed to get quite back on his feet.”
After completing seven years in the Army Reserves and graduating from the University of California at Santa Cruz and New York Medical College, state Board of Medicine records show Roush came to Florida in 1996 to complete a surgical internship and residency through the University of South Florida and Tampa General Hospital
But, starting with a DUI arrest in 1997, he also had a history of legal troubles in Hillsborough and Polk counties, culminating with a 2013 undercover investigation into his medical practice.
He was working as a pain management doctor at the Uphoria Medical Spa in Lakeland when he was arrested in March 2013 on charges related to over-prescribing controlled substances and prescribing medication without conducting a proper examination. Undercover detectives with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office posed as patients and reported paying Roush cash to receive pain pill prescriptions. A search of his car turned up illegal and controlled substances, including methamphetamine, marijuana, Xanax and Valium, the agency reported.
Roush pleaded guilty to a felony and was sentenced to five years of probation, which was scheduled to end March 2020. Then, in July 2013, his 10-year-old son Hunter died in a boating accident in Winter Haven.
In June 2015, he voluntarily gave up his license to practice medicine.
Aaron Roush still struggled. He was arrested in Polk County on August 23 for violating probation, but he was also making strides toward developing a new future, his father said. He was looking at selling his downtown Tampa condo and moving to California to be closer to his mother, Paul Roush said. He was also talking with Doctors Without Borders about a potential job and had recently been told the program would accept him despite his history.
“He just had a lot of possibilities he was just starting to look into,” Paul Roush said. “I was really hoping he could get a fresh start.” (LINK)—2/07//2017
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