FMCSA: Doctor Failed to Conduct Proper DOT Examinations, All Exams Signed By Doctor Are Invalid

The FMCSA today announced that all medical certifications signed by the late Dr. Paul Besdansky, formerly of Garden City, Georgia,  will be INVALID as of May 2, 2014.

According to a press release from the FMCSA, Dr. Besdansky, “failed to conduct proper USDOT medical  examinations in the period prior to his death and, as a result, commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders who currently possess a medical certificate signed by Dr. Besdansky are directed to be immediately reexamined by a medical examiner and to submit a new medical certificate to both the state agency that issued their CDL and to their employer.

The FMCSA reported that a majority of CDL holders with medical certificates signed by Dr. Besdansky reside in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Law enforcement personnel has been ordered to “immediately inform the driver and FMCSA upon discovery of a medical certificate signed by Dr. Besdansky.”

Drivers that have further questions are directed to contact the FMCSA Southern Service Center at fmcsadrivers@dot.gov.

The FMCSA’s National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners site is live.  The National Registry is the newest part of the FMCSA’s medical program.  Starting May 21, 2014, all medical examiners who wish to perform driver physical exams must be trained and certified by the FMCSA and drivers must visit an FMCSA-certified doctor for their physicals. 

The FMCSA has created on online database of all certified medical examiners.  The site features a map that helps you located certified examiners in your area.  In addition, the site offers detailed information for examiners and for drivers.

Currently, all CDL holders are required to have a valid medical certificate that is signed by their doctor.  The only change that that within 2 years, all drivers must be examined by a certified examiner.

Prior to this rule, there was no required training program for medical examiners who conducted physical exams on CDL holders. “The former rules required that any medical professional licensed by his or her State to conduct physical examinations could conduct driver medical certification exams. No specific knowledge of the Agency’s physical qualification standards was required or verified by testing,” the FMCSA states.

The FMCSA feels that some of the medical professionals who were conducting the physical exams might have been unfamiliar with the FMCSA’s physical qualification standards.

“These professionals may also be unaware of the mental and physical rigors that accompany the occupation of CMV driver, and how various medical conditions (and the therapies used to treat them) can affect the ability of drivers to safely operate CMVs,” the FMCSA states.

Follow this link to the National Registry.