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State DOH deciding charges against CCS Oncology in 6 patient deaths

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The former head of CCS Oncology has been charged with "gross negligence and incompetence" by the New York State Health Department in the treatment of seven patients, including six who died.

The State Board for Professional Medical Conduct has charged Dr. Won "Sam" Yi, former CEO of Comprehensive Cancer Services, with performing medicine that "deviated from acceptable standards of care" in his treatment of the seven patients between 2009 and 2013.

Credit md.com
Dr. W. Sam Yi

CCS opened in 2006, but shut down in April after FBI agents raided their offices. The practice had been struggling financially since Independent Health dropped CCS from its network in late 2016 and Bank of America seized assets from CCS.

The practice, once one of the region's largest for oncology, is now in bankruptcy. Yi has continuously denied any wrongdoing.

Yi graduated from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. In 2015, UR awarded him the John N. Wilder Award for philanthropy that inspires others.

Described by the State Health Department are allegations that Yi administered excessive radiation therapy to the patients and failed to consider alternative treatments when patients did not respond to radiation.

A hearing was scheduled for September in New York City, but no decision has been issued. A spokeswoman for the Department of Health would not comment further.

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