News Release — January 9, 2006

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January 9, 2006

Medical Board of California Accusation Leads
to Surrender of Mill Valley Physician's License

SACRAMENTO—Facing an Accusation of wrongdoing by the Medical Board of California, Mill Valley psychiatrist Michael Joseph Dietrick, M.D. has surrendered his license to practice medicine. The stipulated surrender of his medical license was accepted by the board on December 29, 2005 and became effective on January 5, 2006. Dietrick's license was suspended on November 18, 2005, as the result of the issuance of an Interim Suspension Order, and remained suspended up to the time he surrendered his medical license. Medical Board Executive Director Dave Thornton stated, "The mission of the Medical Board is to protect healthcare consumers. We work diligently to achieve our mission by vigorously enforcing the Medical Practice Act."

The Medical Board accused Dietrick of unprofessional conduct for violating Business and Professions Code sections 2234(b) (c), 2238, and 2242 (gross negligence, repeated negligent acts, incompetence, and inappropriate prescribing). After reviewing voluminous evidence, including evidence supplied by Dietrick's attorney, a highly qualified medical expert concluded that he is both incompetent and dangerous.

In obtaining the interim suspension order in November, the Board alleged that Dietrick became deeply involved in the business affairs of a high-tech company founded by one of his patients, including writing a business plan for the enterprise, securing investors, some of whom were also patients, and providing management advice for which he was paid. The Board's accusation, which led to this surrender, alleged that Dietrick was grossly negligent by taking on a patient whose father had a long-term personal and business relationship with him and for allowing a treatment relationship and a business relationship to co-exist with the patient for months during the course of his treatment. Dietrick was also accused of being grossly negligent in prescribing a benzodiazepine to a patient with a history of alcohol abuse. The Board also alleged that, after the patient filed a complaint with the Board, Dietrick started harassing the patient's family, who had invested in the company, via telephone calls and e-mail messages demanding that the complaint be retracted or he would attempt to have the patient arrested and that the whole family would be drawn into this fight and "a lot of bad things will become public."

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The mission of the Medical Board is to protect healthcare consumers through the proper licensing and regulation of physicians and surgeons and certain allied healthcare professions and through the vigorous, objective enforcement of the Medical Practice Act.

If you have a question or complaint about the healthcare you are receiving, the board encourages you to visit its Web site at www.caldocinfo.ca.gov or for questions call the Consumer Information Line at (916) 263-2382, or with complaints call (800) 633-2322.

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