FREEPORT

The Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine suspended Dr. Lowell Gerber’s medical license for 30 days beginning on July 7. Gerber was also reprimanded and placed on probation for five years.

According to a news release by the board, this action is based on Gerber’s acknowledgement that he had a sexual relationship with a patient.

Gerber practices in Freeport.

According to the release, the board had previously summarily restricted Gerber’s medical license after it received information that Gerber, who had been practicing out of his house, had a sexual relationship with a female patient. The board was concerned that allowing Gerber to continue practicing in his home or without a chaperone until holding a hearing would not adequately respond to the risk to other female patients.

As conditions of probation, Gerber must have an adult chaperone present when he treats or examines a female patient. In addition, DGerber must notify the Board of his practice locations, undergo a psychological evaluation, take a boardapproved ethics and boundaries course, obtain a practice monitor and pay a $1,500 civil penalty.

All board disciplinary actions are reported to the National Practitioner Data Bank and the Federation of State Medical Boards Action Data Bank. These reports are regularly reviewed by every state licensing board in the country.

The board is made up of six physicians, three public members, and a physician assistant appointed by the governor.

The Board of Licensure in Medicine is the Maine agency charged to protect the health and welfare of the public by verifying the qualifications of physicians to practice, and disciplining physicians for unprofessional conduct and incompetence. Any citizen can request an investigation of a physician or physician assistant by contacting the Board office by telephone at (207) 287-3608, by letter, or by visiting the board’s web site at docfinder.docboard.org/me/ me_ home.htm.