A state licensing agency said this month that a Redmond physician’s clinical judgment and prescribing practices either have already or may in the future put patients’ health or safety in danger.

The Oregon Medical Board made the determination following an external assessment it had ordered into the practice of Dr. Rose Kenny, a family practice physician at the Family Care Center.

The board is deliberating whether it will revoke Kenny’s license after accusing her of committing a “pattern” of infractions, including repeatedly ordering unnecessary tests and prescribing unnecessary medications to many patients — including testosterone when it wasn’t warranted and, in several cases, five refills of antibiotics.

As part of its investigation of Kenny’s practice, the board required her to undergo a competency evaluation in January by the Center for Personalized Education for Physicians, a Colorado-based nonprofit that assesses physicians’ clinical competency and identifies areas in need of improvement for state medical boards and hospitals.

The center finished its report in May.

It found her medical knowledge to be “adequate, with gaps” and her clinical judgment and reasoning ranged from adequate to poor, according to board documents.

The center’s report took specific issue with Kenny’s prescribing of antibiotics, which it says shows patterns of prescribing without justification and erroneous practices, such as culturing to prove an illness to be viral. It recommended Kenny participate in an “educational intervention” to address shortcomings.

Kenny, who earned her medical degree in 1995 from the Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, has contested the board’s accusations, said Kathleen Haley, the board’s executive director. She could not say when she expects the board to issue a final order, which could include sanctions as severe as revoking Kenny’s license and fining her $10,000.

In the meantime, the board has forbidden Kenny from prescribing testosterone to male patients.

Kenny did not return a call seeking comment Wednesday but emailed a response to The Bulletin.

“I am not able to comment publically (sic) because the Board’s investigative process is intended by law to be confidential to insure (sic) fairness and candor,” Kenny wrote. “I continue to cooperate with and respond to the Oregon Medical Board in all aspects of its inquiry.”

The board revealed the results of the center’s assessment in an Aug. 7 amended complaint against Kenny.

Its original allegations against Kenny featured records from 12 patients.

Several cases mentioned inappropriate prescribing of testosterone. In one such case, the board alleges Kenny prescribed testosterone to a patient whose testosterone levels tested normal. That patient complained of shrinking testicles, a known side effect of testosterone treatment, and prostate issues. A different physician determined the patient was suffering side effects of testosterone treatment, including an elevated red blood cell count, acne and mood swings. Subsequent testing showed the patient had “grossly excessive levels of testosterone,” according to the board.

Other cases involved improper prescribing of pain medications. One example, in which the board calls Kenny’s practice “grossly negligent,” she prescribed a male patient with osteoarthritis and a degenerative spine condition a long list of pain medications, including hydrocodone, acetaminophen, Norco (a combination of acetaminophen and hydrocodone) and oxycodone, according to board documents.

She continued to prescribe pain medications even after receiving records from another provider in which that patient, a truck driver, reported consuming two beers and four shots of whiskey per day.

The board also says Kenny prescribed antibiotics inappropriately, including five refills to a 6-month-old patient who had an ear infection and three months’ worth of the medications to a 5-year-old diagnosed with sinusitis.

After The Bulletin reported on Kenny’s case at the end of May, more than a dozen former patients contacted the paper to tell their stories, alleging they received improper care from the physician, some saying the care caused them or their loved ones harm.

— Reporter: 541-383-0304,

tbannow@bendbulletin.com