Vegas Incompetence and Corruption Extends To The Medical Profession

2 Comments / Latest Articles / By /

It’s not just lawyers, politicians, and their appointed hacks who display incompetence and corruption in Las Vegas, Clark County, and the State of Nevada.

We had occasion to visit the new Henderson Hospital ER on St. Rose Pkwy yesterday. After a long wait we met the doctor on duty.  For a variety of reasons, we felt no confidence in this man, and left.

DR. JOSEPH BAJO

His name is Joseph Bajo, D.O..

My gut feeling about him caused me to do some research on my iPhone while we awaited his return to the hospital room.  I found some interesting history.

Bajo was a defendant in a lawsuit here in Las Vegas in which he and others were charged with medical malpractice in the 2010 death of a prominent local neurosurgeon. Each doctor’s insurance carrier paid $500,000.00 to the plaintiffs in a settlement.  The Las Vegas Review Journal printed several stories about the case.

One was this opinion piece by columnist Jane Ann Morrison.  It focused on Nevada’a lack of transparency when it comes to medical malpractice settlements.

https://www.reviewjournal.com/…/transparency-doesnt-extend…/

Bajo then apparently relocated to Chicago, where he had been trained at the Chicago College Of Osteopathic Medicine Of Midwestern University.

Back in Chicago, he was again liable in a significant medical malpractice case, the details of which can be found on this website: https://www.healthgrades.com/physician/dr-joseph-bajo-3dtt4

Specifically:

1 Board Action Found
Other (2/23/2017)
Action Taken: License Placed on Inactive Status
Summary: Bajo, Joseph Thomas MD: License # 036081092: NATURE OF COMPLAINT: The Department received information that a civil settlement was paid on the physician’s behalf arising out of allegation that he failed to properly immobilize the cervical spine of a patient and timely refer that patient for cervical fusion surgery. ACTION TAKEN: The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation placed the physician’s license in REFUSE to RENEW status.
State: Illinois
1 Malpractice Claim Found
Settlement (2/17/2015)
Amount or Range: $525,000.00
Nature of Complaint: Cook County, IL
State: Illinois

I may be wrong, but I read “REFUSE to RENEW” license status as the functional equivalent of “license revoked”.

Well, as of yesterday, this quack is now back in NV and running the new Henderson Hospital ER!

DR. MICHAEL KAPLAN  AKA “DR GET BIG”

Dr. Bajo is not to be confused with Dr. Michael Kaplan, at whose hands I was a victim of malpractice back in 2004 when I had prostate cancer.
Kaplan had inadequately prepped me for a biopsy, and I consequently sustained an infection, which could have been fatal.
In an ironic twist, my old office – the United States Attorney’s Office – would later prosecute Kaplan.  In fact the AUSA who handled the case was a young guy who, like myself, was from Long Island, Crane Pomerantz.  Kaplan was convicted and  subsequently sentenced to four years in federal prison for reusing dirty needles.
Fast forward – this scumbag is now practicing medicine again in Las Vegas.  If by “practicing medicine” you mean becoming an internet pitchman for a line of male enhancement products that he has developed.  His exclusive panacea for the penile-challenged,  which he calls “Largagenix” – seriously –  is designed to enhance male libido and boost sexual pleasure.

What a humanitarian.  I do have to admit that the above sounds like much more fun than a prostate infection.

According to the Review Journal “For $129.98, Kaplan’s ‘Largagenix Basic Plan’ offers two bottles of Largagenix and several ‘free gifts,’ including his ‘top grade penis stretch device’ and a book he wrote called ‘The Urologist’s Guide to Penis Enlargement.”

HERE’S MORE FROM A PREVIOUS POST – A MALPRACTICE TRIFECTA, IF YOU WILL – HOLPER, FOOTE AND SHAH

A Las Vegas doctor kills a judge by illegally providing her with fentanyl.
Another, a pain management doctor committed multiple violations of Nevada law, including failing to maintain complete medical records, conduct in violation of standards of practice and engaging in conduct that brings the medical practice into disrepute.
And another, an internist, was accused of sexually assaulting a 68-year-old patient in 2013. He pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of battery by entering a form of guilty plea that required him to acknowledge only that prosecutors could prove their case.
Only in Vegas, where money talks and corruption is king.   You cannot make this shit up.

About The Author

Thomas M. O’Connell is the former Senior Litigation Counsel and Chief of the Narcotics and Violent Crimes Section of the United States Attorney’s Office in Las Vegas, Nevada. In addition to his 13 years in the Las Vegas U.S. Attorneys Office, he served for 8 years in the Northern District of California. Tom retired in 2013 and relocated back to Las Vegas. Since then, he has helped trained Las Vegas Metro, North Las Vegas and Henderson police, and U.S. Probation. He’s addressed inmates at High Desert State Prison and guest lectured at both UNLV and Boyd School of Law.

2 thoughts on “Vegas Incompetence and Corruption Extends To The Medical Profession”

Leave a Reply

Contact Tom
Contact Tom
Scroll to Top