08-17-2009, 08:52 PM
Keller resigns as medical director at Dragonfly
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August 17, 2009
BY NICHOLAS P. ALAJAKIS <!-- e --><a href="mailto:nalajakis@scn1.com">nalajakis@scn1.com</a><!-- e -->
WAUKEGAN -- Lake County Corner Dr. Richard Keller announced his resignation today from his position as medical director of a local methadone clinic being investigated in the death of a Lindenhurst man.
Keller said his resignation from the Green Dragonfly, 1738 Washington St., Waukegan, will become official on Sept. 7, and it's something he's been planning for nearly a year. Keller was hired as medical director when the clinic opened its doors in October 2008.
» Click to enlarge image
Lake County Corner Dr. Richard Keller announced his resignation today from his position as medical director at Dragonfly, a methadone clinic.
(File)
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⢠OUR VIEW: Dr. Keller: Resign
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"It really has been my intent all along to only stay for a year," Keller told the News-Sun on Monday. "The accreditation process begins at the end of this month, and then (I will) turn it over to another physician."
Keller said a Lake County State's Attorney's Office investigation into the December 2008 death of 30-year-old Steven Vaughn, of Lindenhurst, did not play a role in his resignation. Though the publicity behind the investigation did lead to making the resignation public, Keller added.
Vaughn died after mixing methadone obtained from the clinic with Xanax, an anxiety drug he was taking illegally, without a prescription.
State's Attorney Michael Waller said his office is investigating whether Keller and clinic staff gave Vaughn the methadone without first testing him for other drugs, such as Xanax, which can be deadly when mixed with methadone. They are also investigating whether Keller followed proper protocol in reporting and investigating Vaughn's death, as the coroner.
Vaughn's family has said that Vaughn lied to clinic staff and told them he was addicted to heroin, and was looking to receive dosages of methadone to help him fight the addiction.
While Keller is not at the clinic everyday, he does serve as the clinic's lone medical director, and must okay any prescriptions. State's Attorney's investigators have not yet spoken to Keller, Keller said Monday.
The Green Dragonfly was opened by Mary Olloway, in response to the drug overdose death of her nephew in 2004. Keller was selected by her as the clinic's medical director based on a past friendship. Numerous attempts to reach Olloway in recent days have been unsuccessful.
Comments
August 17, 2009
BY NICHOLAS P. ALAJAKIS <!-- e --><a href="mailto:nalajakis@scn1.com">nalajakis@scn1.com</a><!-- e -->
WAUKEGAN -- Lake County Corner Dr. Richard Keller announced his resignation today from his position as medical director of a local methadone clinic being investigated in the death of a Lindenhurst man.
Keller said his resignation from the Green Dragonfly, 1738 Washington St., Waukegan, will become official on Sept. 7, and it's something he's been planning for nearly a year. Keller was hired as medical director when the clinic opened its doors in October 2008.
» Click to enlarge image
Lake County Corner Dr. Richard Keller announced his resignation today from his position as medical director at Dragonfly, a methadone clinic.
(File)
RELATED STORIES
⢠OUR VIEW: Dr. Keller: Resign
⢠Coroner probed in death
"It really has been my intent all along to only stay for a year," Keller told the News-Sun on Monday. "The accreditation process begins at the end of this month, and then (I will) turn it over to another physician."
Keller said a Lake County State's Attorney's Office investigation into the December 2008 death of 30-year-old Steven Vaughn, of Lindenhurst, did not play a role in his resignation. Though the publicity behind the investigation did lead to making the resignation public, Keller added.
Vaughn died after mixing methadone obtained from the clinic with Xanax, an anxiety drug he was taking illegally, without a prescription.
State's Attorney Michael Waller said his office is investigating whether Keller and clinic staff gave Vaughn the methadone without first testing him for other drugs, such as Xanax, which can be deadly when mixed with methadone. They are also investigating whether Keller followed proper protocol in reporting and investigating Vaughn's death, as the coroner.
Vaughn's family has said that Vaughn lied to clinic staff and told them he was addicted to heroin, and was looking to receive dosages of methadone to help him fight the addiction.
While Keller is not at the clinic everyday, he does serve as the clinic's lone medical director, and must okay any prescriptions. State's Attorney's investigators have not yet spoken to Keller, Keller said Monday.
The Green Dragonfly was opened by Mary Olloway, in response to the drug overdose death of her nephew in 2004. Keller was selected by her as the clinic's medical director based on a past friendship. Numerous attempts to reach Olloway in recent days have been unsuccessful.