SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A Solana Beach doctor has been ordered to submit to random drug and alcohol testing after slurring her words while working in an emergency room.
Ariana Dillman refused to take a drug test last June while working as an emergency room physician, according to a March Medical Board of California accusation.
The licensing agency said Dillman “exhibited behaviors consistent with intoxication or impairment, including but not limited to, slurred speech, droopy eyelids, and erratic behavior” during the June incident.
The board did not name the hospital where Dillman was working, but said her employer suspended her privileges.
The accusation alleges that Dillman "has used controlled substances, dangerous drugs, or alcoholic beverages to the extent such use impairs (her) ability to practice medicine safely."
State records show a psychiatrist later diagnosed Dillman with alcohol use disorder.
"Unfortunately, we're seeing a lot of cases like this across the state," said Michele Monserratt-Ramos, a patient advocate with Consumer Watchdog.
Monserratt-Ramos has spent years fighting for tougher consequences for doctors with substance abuse issues. She believes the Medical Board of California is too lenient on physicians who are caught impaired on the job.
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"There should really be stricter standards for physicians that are found under the influence while in a hospital setting while practicing," she said.
Dillman can continue to see patients if she complies with restrictions put on her license, including random alcohol and drug testing, attending a substance abuse support group and abstaining from controlled substances.
The physician and her attorney did not return requests for comment.
