MEDICAL LICENSE REINSTATED FOR PLASTIC SURGEON

A state board Thursday reinstated the medical license of Oklahoma City
plastic surgeon Dr. Lori Hansen, but with a five-year probation during
which she can't prescribe narcotics and must be randomly tested for drugs.
Hansen can petition the board at any time during the five-year probationary
period to reclaim prescribing privileges, the board's executive director said.

"I am so thankful. The Lord has been good to me," Hansen said after the
decision by the Oklahoma Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision. "I
certainly do not feel like I put anyone at risk. I am thankful today I can
go back and take care of patients."

Hansen, 48, testified repeatedly Thursday she doesn't believe her abuse of
the pain medication hydrocodone from 1997 to 2000 was "immoral," and that
the drugs didn't interfere with medical procedures she performed during
those four years.

Hansen's lawyer, Patrick Ryan, told the medical board the incidents in
question took place more than two years ago. Ryan said Hansen actively
practiced medicine from July 2000 to January with no problems in her practice.

During that time, Hansen said, she completed dozens of surgeries.

"I practiced good medicine, I took care of my patients, and I had good
results," Hansen said.

Ryan accused the medical licensure board of piling on against his client.

Oklahoma City attorney David Thomas said three medical malpractice lawsuits
have been filed against Hansen over surgeries performed during that
four-year time period.

"You can't take that many Lortabs (hydrocodones) and safely do surgeries,"
Thomas said.

Thomas said one of his clients who filed a malpractice lawsuit against
Hansen has permanent facial scars.

Hansen appeared remorseful and at times fought back tears during the hearing.

"I was wrong, you bet. What I did was wrong," she said during the
three-hour hearing. "I didn't think I was hurting anyone but me."

Hansen has pleaded guilty to two felony counts of obtaining a controlled
substance by misrepresentation. She wrote fictitious prescriptions to get
the drugs for herself and regularly took hydrocodone from the sample
cabinet at her office, according to evidence presented during her Oklahoma
County District Court plea hearing.

An Oklahoma County judge gave Hansen a one-year deferred sentence for her
guilty plea. Her sentence included 300 hours of community service.

Hansen said about 10 hours have been completed, all involving surgical
procedures on victims of domestic abuse. She said she intends to finish the
remaining hours within the next four months.

On Thursday, Hansen told the medical licensure board she began taking the
drugs because of back pain caused by compressed discs. After noticing she
was losing strength in her right arm, Hansen said, she went to a
neurosurgeon, where she received a prescription for the pain and physical
therapy.

Hansen said nothing worked for her except the drugs, so at that point she
began writing her own prescriptions. At the worst point of her addiction,
she was taking nine 10 milligram hydrocodones a day, she said.

The medical licensure board suspended Hansen's medical license Jan. 18
after she pleaded to the felony drug charges.

On Thursday, Ryan objected to strict prohibitions on her practice that
licensure board members unanimously approved after a 60-minute executive
session.

"Dr. Hansen is a solo practitioner. To deprive her of the ability to
prescribe medication to patients can amount to denying her a license," Ryan
said before the board made its decision.

Ryan said he saw no solution in allowing another doctor to write
prescriptions on Hansen's behalf. He offered several alternatives which
would allow Hansen to continue her practice as usual, including writing
prescriptions in triplicate or hiring someone to check on Hansen's medical
work on a weekly basis.

Hansen acknowledged on Thursday her hesitancy in attending an out-of-state,
long-term treatment center for her drug problems, preferring outpatient
treatment in Oklahoma City. She said she decided to seek treatment in an
Atlanta drug treatment center that specializes in physician care or else
her husband, Oklahoma County District Attorney Wes Lane, "would pack me up
and ship me out."

She was at the Atlanta center from Feb. 8 to May 4. Ryan said Hansen has
been drug free since June 2000.

She is randomly tested for drugs twice a week, and three agencies will
continue the screenings for the five-year probationary period.

The medical board's drug consultant, Dr. Harold Thiessen, testified
Thursday the abuse of pain medications "is a disease ... that is
treatable." Medical practitioners who attend lengthy in-patient treatment
programs, Theissen said, have an 85 percent recovery rate but must have
restrictions when they return to practice.

Hansen said Thursday she has sold the building in which she had a solo
private practice for more than 16 years, and is seeking employment and
surgical rights through the Oklahoma Surgery Center and Lakeside Women's
Hospital, both in Oklahoma City.

Because of her drug problems, Hansen said, she's "grown a lot in my faith
... it's been a good experience."

As part of the five-year probation, she won't be able to oversee any
physician assistant, nurse practitioner or certified registered nurse
anesthetist.