LEWISTON – A local doctor accused of helping a patient attempt to commit suicide decided Wednesday to surrender his license and will avoid a hearing before the state medical board.

Dr. Stanley Rosenblatt, an internist who worked in Lewisto n for more than 40 years before retiring in 2001, has signed an agreement with the Maine Attorney General’s Office and the State Board of Licensure in Medicine, stating that he will no longer practice medicine in Maine.

Rosenblatt’s decision came after a complaint was filed with the Augusta-based medical board. The complaint accused him of participating in a patient’s suicide attempt and of acting inappropriately when prescribing medication.

The board temporarily suspended Rosenblatt’s medical license in April after receiving the complaint.

By agreeing to give up his license, Rosenblatt gave up his right to a hearing before the nine-member board, during which details of the allegations would have become public.

Rosenblatt’s lawyer, Jack Simmons, has argued that the elderly doctor did nothing wrong.

Simmons said Rosenblatt actually helped the patient survive a suicide attempt by getting her to St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center after she overdosed on drugs.

According to Simmons, the woman had been Rosenblatt’s patient for many years, and the suicide attempt in which he is accused of participating occurred after he retired.

Simmons declined to discuss the exact details of the allegations because he did not want to violate the patient’s confidentiality.

He has simply said, “If I was a doctor and I gave you 60 days worth of drugs and you took them all at once, would that be my fault? That’s just stupid.”

Rosenblatt reported his retirement to the medical board in 2001 but he continued to hold a medical license. He occasionally substituted for other doctors who work at public health agencies, such as the men’s state reformatory, Simmons said.

The medical board sent Rosenblatt a letter on April 16, informing him of its decision that his “continuing practice of medicine would be an imminent danger to the public” based on the allegations.

The complaint, which could have come from a hospital, another physician or a patient, accused the local internist of “unprofessional conduct, incompetence and inappropriate prescribing of controlled substances.”

A hearing on the complaint was scheduled for last month, but it was postponed at Simmons’ request.

If a hearing had been held and the board members decided that Rosenblatt violated any rules, the consequences would have ranged from a verbal reprimand to loss of his license.

Since Rosenblatt has surrendered his license, the case against him is closed, said Randall Manning, the executive director of the state board.

lchmelecki@sunjournal.com

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