The Texas Medical Board has suspended a family medicine doctor in Austin after finding the physician used medical appointments for sexual encounters with patients.
The medical board on Sept. 3 temporarily suspended Dr. Jared Kealy’s medical license, citing a threat to public welfare. The suspension was effective immediately.
Through his attorney, Kealy denied the allegations.
Kealy worked at an Austin location of Lone Star Circle of Care, which is a federally qualified health center. Such centers provide medical care to underserved communities, often focusing on uninsured and low-income patients.
In the suspension announcement, the Texas Medical Board wrote that Kealy had initiated sexual relationships with two patients. The family medicine doctor, according to the announcement, also “used scheduled medical encounters to engage in, and continue, sexual acts with the patients.”
Kealy’s attorney, Louis Leichter of the Austin-based Leichter Law Firm, rejected the allegations.
“He denies sexual involvement with the two patients,” Leichter said of his client.
The attorney said Kealy was not given proper due process at his hearing before the board.
“It was almost as if they had made up their mind before we walked into the hearing,” Leichter said, “and without being able to hear the relevant testimony, nothing could persuade them from changing their mind.”
Lone Star Circle of Care said in a statement, sent by spokesperson Ashley Wild, that the organization could not comment on specific patient cases.
“Lone Star Circle of Care prioritizes the safety and well-being of its patients and takes any allegations of professional misconduct very seriously,” the statement said.
“We can confirm that Dr. Jared Kealy has not provided medical services at Lone Star Circle of Care for some time, and is no longer an employee of the organization.”
In response to questions about the time frame and nature of Kealy’s separation from the organization, Wild referred back to the original statement.
Kealy is no longer listed on Lone Star Circle of Care’s website. An archived version of the website includes Kealy on the provider list as recently as July. The location that Kealy worked at is also no longer listed on the website.
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