Hammesfahr said he and his colleagues were drawn to the facility because of the location and the peaceful setting. The facility is on Riverside Drive, near the Anclote River and the Gulf of Mexico.You are obsessed with the reports and opinions of liberal institutions. I basically dismiss anything from such boldly tainted sources.
"It's got a nice, serene atmosphere to it," he said.
The facility, on 22 acres, is owned by Health Care Property Investors Inc. of California. Hammesfahr said his offer to buy the property has been accepted, but the deal is not final yet. He would not say how much he offered to pay.
[excerpted]
The city's Technical Review Committee reviewed the application last week and had no problem with the hospital or the two therapy horses. Committee members were concerned about the noise from the heliport.
[excerpted]
Hammesfahr has developed a controversial treatment for stroke victims which, he said in a 1999 Times story, restores blood flow to damaged areas of the brain and gives stroke victims movement and strength they thought they had lost.
Some patients said Hammesfahr's mixture of heart and blood pressure drugs worked wonders. But other doctors said nobody could tell whether his treatment works because he has not subjected his theory to controlled, scientific studies. He was mentioned on Quackwatch, a Web site focusing on fraud and quackery in medicine, and his articles were turned down by well-known medical journals.
He said he plans to use that and other procedures to help patients at the new facility. Hammesfahr also would continue his practice in Clearwater.
The penalties were assessed for violation of (n)
The Administrative Complaints alleged violation of Florida Statute 458.331(1)(t) the failure to practice medicine with that level of care, skill, and treatment which is recognized by a reasonably prudent similar physician as being acceptable under similar conditions and circumstances (d) false, deceptive, or misleading advertising. and (n) exercising influence on the patient or client in such a manner as to exploit the patient or client for financial gain of the licensee or of a third party, which shall include, but not be limited to, the promoting or selling of services, goods, appliances, or drugs.
The Administrative Law Judge did not find respondent in violation of 458.331(1)(t) and (d), Florida Statutes.
Penalty Imposed: $2,000 fine, Six months probation, quarterly reports, indirectsupervision, monthly review, 50% chart review, 100 hours of community service, ethics
Cost Assessed: $52,084.40