Reasons Behind the Closure of a Westport Plastic Surgery Facility
8/8/2014

Westport, Connecticut – A plastic surgery facility has closed after a two-year probation by the state health office.

Doctor Joel Singer has voluntarily surrendered the Center for Ambulatory Surgery’s (CAS) license to operate. Dr. Singer is the owner and operator of the facility at 32 Imperial Ave., Westport. The affidavit filed at the Department of Public Health (DPH), and the decision to surrender its license is irreversible. Based on the affidavit, the voluntary surrender of the license constitutes disciplinary actions. The doctor has sworn not to seek nor reinstate the facility’s license in the near future, nor seek for a new license as an individual or corporate.

Based on the DPH inspections, the plastic surgery facility has revealed multiple violations in the recent years, which resulted in the two-year probation sanction imposed last year. Violations included rusty equipment, worn-out brushes for cleaning instruments, broken ire alarm system, and an unlocked refrigerator for medication storage. Furthermore, the facility has failed to submit proof that their employees were trained, and that patients were found to have been given post-surgery medication without a professional advice.

On a phone statement, Singer has agreed with the DPH officials that re-opening the facility would be impractical due to regulatory issues and building requirements. The damaged fire alarm system was due to a storm on October 2012. Singer emphasized that he did not own the building and had no control over the repair of such equipment. In his further statement, Singer maintained that no patient was harmed due to the identified violations. The filed affidavit will end pending cases against the plastic surgery facility’s license, while officials will dismiss their case against CAS.

The CAS closure and its associated violations do not affect Singer’s own physician license. He is still allowed to practice medicine. On October 2009, the license was granted to CAS, but was set to expire on September 30 next year. Meanwhile, in 1967, the license to practice medicine and plastic surgery was awarded to Singer after graduating from Yale. Although his license was put on probation previously, Singer still continues his profession in New York.

The doctor has treated thousands of patients in NY and Connecticut. He claims patients were pleased with the results of their surgical procedures. The CAS was the very first plastic surgery facility in the state, and he was the first plastic surgeon, and was the first to perform liposuction, Singer noted.