[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6166201,"mediaKeyId","5415946-c2c11ef434db81211c36b1737cae925d","parentId",5415946,"title","Board reports licensure numbers, investigations and three staffing openings after deputy director retirement","audioSeconds",181,"startMs",715000,"endMs",896000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5415946-c2c11ef434db81211c36b1737cae925d&start=715&end=896","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5415946-c2c11ef434db81211c36b1737cae925d/thumbnail_715000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6166201/Mississippi/Board-reports-licensure-numbers-investigations-and-three-staffing-openings-after-deputy-director-retirement","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6166201-90296e942ce10ab72b2e95f6eaf6b966/orig.mp4?Expires=1770991861&Signature=M2Dou6Jy9tjylHJaS-RflQfbcYA75NkIvxnVU7gwRD9yNvS60QtFvFy1t~guuO160sFGCE6CRLyykpbxJkV1yT3PUhUutT219hn1SLl83TiI2LX2EBwJNjtNt2i280DfHhLBdCVTDJK8yvYF9IvCqlvZqQSqdjeYzfMyW3qVDBE5UIkOV6dn6mQC1TEQ~GGQdXmqtZ1GaIHXqeUU5s2asOA7xE8i5dvSNZ8FOE~xKrpOBIxsahdBq2afPD8NsK52pknta-IEZGQB6H7nT9dyqmfl8bLphpaJLxMuTCfdhpk3Y4CYgFE4AULXdwDOjYsxiosAS57CYZHhg~Q-bBIHdQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-07-17T06:27:04Z","article","At its July 16 meeting the Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure received an executive director report covering May and June licensure activity, complaint statistics, staff certifications and open positions following a retirement.

The board’s staff reported issuing 212 licenses via traditional methods during the reporting period, including three podiatry licenses and 23 physician assistant licenses; an additional 211 licenses were issued through the interstate compact process along with seven new letters of qualification, and staff issued 393 certifications. In the investigations unit the board received 106 complaints, closed 29 cases, opened 12 new cases and reported a total of 47 open cases. The percentage of complaints closed within seven days fell to 50% from a prior 68%; staff attributed the decline to seasonal staffing and vacation patterns.

Staff announced that Deputy Director Mike Lucius retired effective June 30, leaving three open positions the board is recruiting for: the deputy director, a second attorney approved by the legislature to assist existing legal staff, and a communications officer to support outreach and public education about the board’s work. Staff said applications were being reviewed.

The report also summarized renewal-season performance: the MD category started with slightly more than 10,000 licensees and recorded a 93.7% renewal rate through the traditional process, leaving 9,664 active renewals at the time of the report. Staff noted a larger percentage of non-renewal among compact licensees (about 15% not renewing) than among traditional licensees — a pattern staff said is being seen nationwide.

Why it matters: The staffing gaps and recruitment for a communications officer and additional legal staff could affect the board’s capacity to process complaints and public outreach. The lower seven-day closure rate and the compact-renewal disparity were discussed as operational challenges.

Board discussion: A board member asked why compact-license renewals were lagging; staff suggested two possibilities: use by locum tenens physicians who obtained multiple compact credentials and later did not renew, and retirements among compact licensees. The board asked members to follow up on outreach targets for board appointments.

What the board did not decide: The meeting recorded information and tasked staff with recruitment; no hiring votes were recorded at the public meeting.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","July 2025 Board Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","At the July meeting the board reported licensing and complaint metrics for May–June, noted a retirement that opened the deputy director post and two other newly authorized positions, and discussed a decline in compact-license renewals.","taxTitle","State Board of Medical Licensure, Agencies, Organizations, Executive, Mississippi","taxId",31004,"location","Mississippi","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6166206,"Board stays Henderson case, approves continuances, records license surrender and subpoena approval",413,1300000,1713000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5415946-c2c11ef434db81211c36b1737cae925d&start=1300&end=1713","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5415946-c2c11ef434db81211c36b1737cae925d/thumbnail_1300000.jpg","/articles/6166206/Mississippi/Board-stays-Henderson-case-approves-continuances-records-license-surrender-and-subpoena-approval","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6166206-48b340f9a6d79a4974dbbeb1b7e1f184/orig.mp4?Expires=1770991861&Signature=Z~Uf0Ue5aOFmMOhvM-KO4kNSeHm59kYDmXjGfmHy8XsqogozzfDj-~u8NpcXY8TWahIFsRbBZ9T5W2CwMf0sNPjcg2zwtvqzPkzkxXNnLkl6FIRsS0YI1FRIePYFXwOzSkkVjw2DSKFy7ia8qKKBOKUVtyNTnorQYz1266revW04hJgdnZY-hGEZYylFvRnrpb9Rkkep~3IMdiwjRpnD4hyQ4cCIr0lray0L-P2ybWIrLIyE7reYyzdE3pPdhgT1J~-HxKDFrh3Xdz1nWT2ptl9uTGmPiC5h4cSgJsuT4zb6LZC9TMraPpZ9OszVaDa0X1zwXNQqfxVZ-iw5R-BLQA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure on July 16 took several procedural actions across its disciplinary docket: it agreed to stay the case against Dr. James Leslie Henderson pending resolution of related federal litigation, granted continuances in two other matters, recorded the voluntary surrender of Dr. Rommel Asaguara’s medical license and approved an investigative subpoena referenced as 2025060.

Board counsel asked the board to hold the Henderson matter in abeyance while federal court litigation over due-process claims proceeds. Paul Barnes explained that if the board were to re-litigate the due-process question here it would require hearing testimony from roughly 20 witnesses; staying the case preserves both the licensee’s rights and the board’s ability to proceed once federal litigation concludes. The board voted to stay the matter.

The board also granted an additional continuance in the case of Dr. Mary T. Jacobson at the request of her attorney, citing insufficient service before the prior meeting; staff represented the matter will be rescheduled for the September meeting. A first-request continuance was also approved for Dr. Ardarian DeRise Gilliam Pierre after staff confirmed service and the licensee’s request to prepare for hearing.

Separately, staff reported that Dr. Rommel Asaguara agreed last Friday to surrender his Mississippi medical license and not to seek reinstatement; staff said the surrender has been reported to the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) databank and published on the board’s website. The board noted no further action was required on that case.

In executive session, the board approved investigative subpoena number 2025060, a staff motion recorded by board members in closed session and announced after the meeting returned to open session.

Why it matters: The stay in the Henderson case preserves the board’s ability to address due-process allegations after parallel federal litigation concludes and reduces repeated continuances at future meetings. The surrender and subpoena approvals finalize administrative steps in active investigations and enforcement work.

What the board did not do: These were procedural and scheduling actions; the board did not adjudicate the underlying merits of the Henderson claim or the other cases while the matters were stayed or continued.

","At its July 16 meeting the Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure stayed the Henderson matter pending federal litigation, granted continuances in two other disciplinary cases, recorded the surrender of Dr. Rommel Asaguara’s license, and approved an investigative subpoena in executive session.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6166210,"Board accepts 3-month suspension and ethics CME in telemedicine consent order for Dr. Ellis Olsen",417,10879000,11296000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5415946-c2c11ef434db81211c36b1737cae925d&start=10879&end=11296","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5415946-c2c11ef434db81211c36b1737cae925d/thumbnail_10879000.jpg","/articles/6166210/Mississippi/Board-accepts-3-month-suspension-and-ethics-CME-in-telemedicine-consent-order-for-Dr-Ellis-Olsen","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6166210-de17d42c56714f93de02bcee6e59cc98/orig.mp4?Expires=1770991861&Signature=Ec0JX48BnuDIkwtdbptI54flsLzOeWJ7nzidPZYgUMtSQsWevpz5B1WwI3QWtaX2eM7uLXdRJOQQRUntWeygXYzn5wRC9XNKto~t8WvFmTwS3fhozQPbeWPEsxf4quTSasjgu6v7YZuHUdrGdoPH4qGdkKD8-qxD0U~T~EVEVdXWdCy33igBaCzv2yPlTVEi-FqrUqrIeAHK2ikC7bIyVMIYHP54kjxjFoEUSad6yCrmosJuqA~z3nA3XyVvE5IklM2hOEOVP8t-NtB3s9JQe8Tyjwy9xo4PJiBFvTdhtuKVaDW2SXcEutE782BCZQ5ZrfDZTSP1q~nKmrhXnOMa8Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure on July 16 accepted a consent order that would impose a three-month active suspension on Dr. Ellis Olsen for violations of telemedicine regulations and require continuing medical education in medical ethics.

Board staff told members that Olsen, charged in December 2024 for failing to establish a physician-patient relationship via telemedicine and for not ordering appropriate tests or communicating directly with a minor patient, signed the consent order. \"Doctor Olsen was charged in December 2024 with violation of the telemedicine regulations,\" Paul Barnes told the board during the hearing materials overview.

The proposed order calls for a three-month active suspension to begin on the effective date of the board’s approval and a requirement that Olsen complete CME in medical ethics. Board staff also said Olsen’s license expired June 30, 2024, and that the physician does not plan to renew. The board noted that allowing a license to expire while under investigation does not prevent reporting under federal databank regulations; staff said the details of the consent order would be reported to the appropriate databank after the consent order is accepted.

Why it matters: The consent order resolves disciplinary allegations related to telemedicine practice and puts on public record the board’s findings and penalty. Although Olsen has allowed his Mississippi license to lapse and reportedly plans to retire, the board’s action documents the disciplinary outcome and preserves the board’s reporting obligations required by federal databank rules.

Board discussion: Board member Michelle Owens asked Paul Barnes procedural questions about databank reporting and whether the signed consent order meant the matter would be publicly reported. Barnes said the board had not reported the matter yet because the investigation was not complete until resolution by dismissal, consent order, or hearing. He also said staff had communications and emails with Olsen’s counsel and had received a signed consent order that will be substituted into the record.

Outcome and follow-up: The board voted to accept the consent order. Staff said they will substitute the signed copy into the meeting materials and report the final action to the federal databank within the posting window required by regulation. The order includes the active suspension and the CME requirement; staff said failure to comply would prompt further reporting to the databank.

","The board approved a consent order imposing a three-month active suspension and a medical-ethics continuing education requirement on Dr. Ellis Olsen for telemedicine practice failures; Olsen allowed his Mississippi license to expire and does not plan to renew.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6166215,"Mississippi medical board lifts restrictions on Dr. James Wooten’s license with monitoring conditions",822,1761000,2583000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5415946-c2c11ef434db81211c36b1737cae925d&start=1761&end=2583","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5415946-c2c11ef434db81211c36b1737cae925d/thumbnail_1761000.jpg","/articles/6166215/Mississippi/Mississippi-medical-board-lifts-restrictions-on-Dr-James-Wootens-license-with-monitoring-conditions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6166215-e4821bd2c33aa6ba66830dabe86e5efb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770991861&Signature=gUyLbxk3g-68~rmG-wC2d9vmCLLxXyPauNBvawiHKUevugVO24xTdN-qX2BOq5ej7W9STHYLT4D8ag0wz8w3a8LlW8sMeVnYv--P6V87Do4OKL84cs~rHN3-4F9swRsAGLlJY~aimqbxddESYfrCIGXqzAH~JLMjIpSyrME-Q~sCzK9VHIBOUoWs7ThqGlDLMJncOQmuqwgn8h~UiII~WawWoxCYDLPJ~S4A6NdCP5sRXXmUbI6bGLqe9wAO1iAVXbZ4Tb92~dFmsSRdQIntSQO4qDJzvi9RWa1bCYwUR7xGIflPalgi3iJ864QHkdy8zcZKSSVF33H8ckr0mP1uwQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure on July 16 voted to remove practice restrictions from the license of Dr. James Wooten and grant him an unrestricted license conditioned on completion of a board-approved reentry plan and affiliation with the state Physician Health Program (PHP) for a minimum of five years.

The board’s action follows testimony from Dr. James Wooten, who described repeated difficulties obtaining employment after a prior suspension and reinstatement and detailed treatment and remediation steps he has taken. \"I made a terrible mistake. What I did was immoral and unethical and unprofessional,\" Wooten told the board. \"I beg you to please lift these restrictions. Personally, I agree with them, but they've forbidden the ability to move forward professionally.\" Lorraine Boykin, Wooten’s attorney, asked the board to remove formal license restrictions to allow him to obtain work that would enable him to complete required reentry steps.

The vote came after the board met in executive session to consider the petition. Doctor Givens, the board secretary, announced the board’s decision on returning from closed session and said the unrestricted license is conditional on a reentry agreement and PHP monitoring. Board members instructed Dr. Wooten to follow up with the executive director for specifics and for Doctor Cleveland to arrange the reentry plan and PHP affiliation.

Why it matters: The board’s decision removes a formal barrier that Dr. Wooten said prevented credentialing and billing with Medicare, TRICARE and commercial insurers and blocked opportunities with several employers, including a recent short stint at Northwest Mississippi Regional. The conditional unrestricted status allows the physician to pursue work while remaining subject to monitoring and a formal reentry plan.

Key facts and context: Dr. Wooten said his license had been suspended in 2023 and reinstated in March 2023 with restrictions requiring a preceptorship, a psychosexual evaluation and other oversight. He testified he worked about three weeks for Northwest Mississippi Regional before billing-privilege issues led to termination and that other prospective employers — including Indian Health Service, the VA and a Biloxi AIDS clinic — required an unrestricted license. Wooten said he has sought counseling, completed CME on prescribing and recordkeeping, and spent nine weeks in a professional-program placement at Pine Grove in Hattiesburg. He said financial hardship followed the disciplinary process.

Board direction and conditions: The board’s announcement named three conditions: (1) execution and completion of a board-approved reentry plan, (2) enrollment and affiliation with the PHP for monitoring for at least five years, and (3) follow-up coordination via the executive director for plan specifics. During the hearing Paul Barnes, who presented the board’s staff overview, indicated the board can enter reentry agreements that result in an unrestricted license on the board’s records while preserving monitoring and other requirements through written reentry plans.

What the board did not decide: The board’s order does not eliminate monitoring or rehabilitation obligations; it converts formal license restrictions into conditions attached to an unrestricted license through a reentry agreement and PHP monitoring. The board did not provide a timeline in open session for each step in the reentry plan; members directed the licensee to coordinate implementation details with staff.

Evidence in the record: Wooten’s testimony and counsel’s requests were taken on the public record during the hearing. The board placed the matter in executive session before issuing the conditional approval and instructed staff to finalize the written reentry agreement.

Looking ahead: Dr. Wooten and his counsel are to work with the board’s executive director and Doctor Cleveland to finalize the reentry plan and PHP affiliation. Board staff said additional questions about reentry specifics should be directed to the executive director.

","After hearing testimony about employment difficulties and compliance steps, the Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure granted Dr. James Wooten an unrestricted license conditioned on a board-approved reentry plan and five years of monitoring through the state Physician Health Program.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board reports licensure numbers, investigations and three staffing openings after deputy director retirement

Board stays Henderson case, approves continuances, records license surrender and subpoena approval

Board accepts 3-month suspension and ethics CME in telemedicine consent order for Dr. Ellis Olsen

Mississippi medical board lifts restrictions on Dr. James Wooten’s license with monitoring conditions