Bismarck Tribune

By LAUREN DONOVBy LAUREN DONOVAN

George Hsu, a locally popular Elgin-area doctor, may have won his case in district court last month, but it still isn't clear when and if he'll get his medical license back in North Dakota.

Hsu's case will be on the agenda when the State Board of Medical Examiners meets Thursday and Friday, though a decision may not be made for several more days.

The board stripped Hsu, 62, who still has clinics in Glen Ullin and Elgin, of his medical license in November 2004.

It said he provided inappropriate care and cited 10 patient cases as evidence.

He appealed in district court, and last month, South Central Judge Sonna Anderson sent Hsu's case back to the board. She said the board had failed to give the doctor the opportunity to be monitored as earlier had been recommended by an administrative law judge.

Anderson said the evidence did not show a level of care so substandard as to justify revoking Hsu's license.

Rolf Sletten, the board's executive secretary, said the board has four options, including an appeal to the North Dakota Supreme Court. He said the board's attorney John Olson has been replaced by Doug Barr in this case.

He said two of the board's rulings in 23 years have been overturned by a district court, and one of those was won back in the Supreme Court.

Sletten wouldn't detail the other options, but clearly one of them is returning Hsu's license on the condition he agree to be monitored.

Hsu was not available for comment for this story, but he has said he would agree to be monitored.

He said he never provided substandard care to patients and is instead guilty of allowing his often-elderly patients to refuse invasive and expensive treatments after explaining their options.

Hsu said his defense has cost him $50,000. In the meantime, he has started a highway striping business with his son that is based in Glen Ullin.

(Reach reporter Lauren Donovan at 888-303-5511, or lauren@;westriv.com.)