Advice to avoid nose-picking was part of Miami doctor’s inadequate care, state says
The care of a patient with a bleeding nose was the subject of a Florida Department of Health administrative complaint filed last week against Miami Dr. Randy Miller.
An administrative complaint starts the process toward potential discipline by the state Board of Medicine.
Miller’s online Department of Health profile says he’s been licensed in Florida since May 9, 2000 with no previous discipline issues. The American Board of Plastic Surgery and American Board of Otolaryngology (head and neck surgery) both say he’s board certified in those specifications.
Nose care
Miller’s office is in Coconut Grove, but the complaint concerns a patient, “J.B.” he saw at Jackson South Medical Center, 9333 SW 152nd St., on Feb. 14, 2020. The complaint says J.B. came in with a nosebleed and, when cauterization didn’t stop the bleeding, Miller packed the nose and admitted J.B. to the hospital.
Miller called the next day to check on J.B., the complaint said, then came back on Feb. 16, 2020, to remove the nasal pack. He adjudged J.B. good to be discharged and told him to follow up with an ear, nose and throat doctor.
But, the complaint says, Miller didn’t “perform or failed to document performing, an appropriate physical examination” of J.B.
After the nose packing was removed, the complaint says, J.B.’s nose began bleeding again. Miller was called with this information as well as told that critical care checked J.B. and didn’t repack the nose.
“[Miller] advised that he agreed with critical care and that he would not reevaluate Patient J.B.,” the complaint said. “[Miller] also advised that Patient J.B. not pick or blow his nose and to avoid bending over.”
Again, the complaint says Miller didn’t “reexamine or reassess or failed to document reexamining or reassessing” J.B. after being told the nose bleed had resumed.
J.B. left Jackson South on Feb. 18, 2020, the complaint said, and went to a South Florida ENT Associates doctor who did a silver nitrate cauterization to halt the nosebleed.
The complaint says the minimum standard of care required Miller do the aforementioned examinations and reexaminations that he either didn’t do or didn’t document doing.
This story was originally published February 10, 2022 at 10:07 AM with the headline "Advice to avoid nose-picking was part of Miami doctor’s inadequate care, state says."
