A judge ruled that Iowa Board of Medicine officials failed to provide all necessary information to a physician accused of incompetence, Iowa Capital Dispatch reported July 15.
In 2022, Giovanni Ciuffo, MD, formerly of Sioux Falls, Iowa, was accused of lying to his patients and performing unnecessary surgeries. He was charged in 2023 with professional incompetence, engaging in a practice that is harmful or detrimental to the public, and knowingly making misleading or untrue representations in the practice of medicine.
The specific actions that led to the charges are being withheld from public disclosure, in accordance with a 2021 Iowa Supreme Court ruling that requires licensing boards to keep this information withheld until an investigation is closed.
Dr. Ciuffo was then referenced in a federal lawsuit filed by Cynthia Tener, RN, against her former employer, Des Moines, Iowa-based MercyOne. Ms. Tener alleged that she faced retaliation after expressing concern about Dr. Ciuffo’s alleged substandard care and manipulation of patient-outcome data at Sioux City-based MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center. Both MercyOne and Dr. Ciuffo’s attorney denied these claims.
However, Dr. Ciuffo recently sought a continuance in the Board of Medicine proceedings, saying that information regarding the case filed against him was withheld during the discovery phase of the proceedings. The board refused to reschedule the hearing, and Dr. Ciuffo took legal action in response.
Polk County District Court Judge Coleman McAllister ruled that the board, in denying Dr. Ciuffo’s request, had not adequately considered Dr. Ciuffo’s ask for a continuance. Mr. McAllister then issued a stay in the proceedings, preventing the case from continuing until the court issues a ruling that indicates their consideration ofDr. Ciuffo’s request.