March 28, 2024

Board denies reinstating chiropractor’s license

An Osceola chiropractor isn’t going to have his license reinstated — for now.

In documents released Monday from the Iowa Board of Chiropractic, the board denied reinstating the license of Dr. Stuart Hoven, with Clarke County Chiropractic and Winterset Family Chiropractic.

According to the Iowa Board of Chiropractic, Hoven engaged in unethical conduct or practiced harmful or detrimental to the public. It was determined Hoven had improper sexual conduct with, or made suggestive, lewd, lascivious or improper remarks or advances to a patient numerous times in 2005, 2009 and 2012.

Hoven isn’t allowed to file for reinstatement again until he has met all of the board’s conditions concerning the future safety and welfare of patients.

First complaint

Hoven was issued a license to practice as a chiropractor in the state of Iowa in 2001.

According to court documents, in April 2005, the board found Hoven had engaged in unethical conduct when he improperly touched the breasts of two female patients and made suggestive remarks to them.

According to the board, before Hoven’s current suspension, he was still allowed to practice but must have had a female, nonfamily member chaperon at all times when providing treatment to female patients.

Hoven was not allowed to perform any soft-tissue chiropractic treatment to female clients on or around the breast.

His license was then returned to full privileges in July 2010.

Most recent complaints

The most recent allegations arose from a complaint by a female patient who said Hoven had touched her breasts during a chiropractic visit Feb. 14, 2012.

According to the board, on May 11, 2012, another female patient reported she went to Hoven for chiropractic treatment in 2009 and claimed he “cupped her breast during one session and rubbed against her during a second.”

The woman didn’t make a complaint in 2009 because she was “embarrassed.”

However, in May 2012, the woman’s husband saw a television newscast about Hoven and a complaint was filed against him.

The board decided to suspend Hoven’s license.

Court documents further state, Hoven’s current suspension meant he could not apply for reinstatement until he completed a comprehensive assessment regarding professional sexual misconduct.

It was further ordered that not until Hoven has completed the provisions of his suspension will the board consider any application for reinstatement.

The assessment took place at the Behavioral Medicine Institute (BMI) of Atlanta, Ga.

Hearing

A licensure reinstatement hearing was held July 10 in Des Moines.

BMI found Hoven was unsafe to practice, and he followed up by attending treatment at Acumen, one of the providers recommended by BMI.

Hoven filed an application for reinstatement March 1, which was only four days into his treatment at Acumen, even though he had completed less than a week of his three-week session with Acumen.

During testimony, Hoven admitted he filed the application early so he could get on the board’s March agenda.

In an analysis from the board, it states, “the troubling aspect of (Hoven’s) application is how closely it tracks his application for reinstatement after the board suspended his license in 2005. ... The board suspended respondent’s license on April 27, 2005. From that point, respondent started a race to reinstatement.”

Acumen recommended Hoven return to practice so that it could monitor and assess compliance in future sessions. However, Acumen recognized the board ultimately decides whether to reinstate a license.

Final follow-up

The final follow-up for Hoven at Acumen is scheduled March 12-14, 2014. If Acumen issues a report stating Hoven is safe to return to practice after the session, he could return to BMI for a comprehensive in-person evaluation.

If BMI finds Hoven is safe to return to practice, he may file an application for reinstatement with the board. Hoven may not file until all of the conditions are met.

From the July 10 hearing, Hoven is ordered to pay $75 for fees associated with conducting the disciplinary hearing and $68.75 for the court reporter. He is ordered to remit $143.75 for these expenses within 30 days of receipt of the bill.

Mondays board documents states, “The board is not willing to risk returning (Hoven) to practice before he can prove to the board that he is not a danger to the public welfare. He has yet to do that.”