Berlin Psychiatrist In Hot Water

Berlin psychiatrist Gerson Sternstein, who worked out of Paragon Behavioral Health, had his license suspended by the Connecticut Medical Examining Board in August of 2010 and has been fighting to get it back.

According to a story in the Hartford Courant, he is accused of overprescribing narcotics and not treating the actual problems of his patients. The story detailed his group sessions as patients telling each other how much money they could make by selling the drugs they didn't need.

The link to the Courant story is: http://www.courant.com/health/connecticut/hc-sternstein-doctor-discipline-0813-20110813,0,6760252.story

Agenda minutes from the Connecticut Medical Examing Board show that Sternstein has appealed and asked for his summary suspension to be lifted at meetings on Sept. 21, 2010, Oct. 19, 2010, Dec. 21, 2010 and Jan 18, 2011.

At each meeting, a motion was made to reject reinstating Sternstein, seconded and passed unanimously with one person abstaining each time.

Sternstein says that he has been unfairly prevented from presenting his case and that the facts will show he did not overprescribe narcotics to his patients.

Two patients under Sternstein's care died and he has been named in two wrongful death suits, separate from the state's action.

Paragon Behavioral Health Center is located at 26 Chamberlain Highway, in the Kensington section of Berlin.