On February 26, 2019, the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners (LSBME) posted a “Notice for Summary Suspension of Medical License” for Dr. Kevin Govan Work on their website.
The suspension was prompted after the pro-life group Louisiana Right to Life wrote a letter to the LSBME claiming that Dr. Work was providing abortions at both the Women’s Healthcare Center in New Orleans and the Delta Women’s Clinic in Baton Rouge. The letter also claims that he was working as a solo practitioner at both facilities.
Dr. Work’s license to practice medicine in Louisiana was reinstated on probation in 2017, subject to a consent order which required that he did not work as a solo practitioner in any facility until his two-year probationary period was up. “Any violation or failure of strict compliance,” the order stated, “shall be deemed adequate and sufficient cause, upon proof of such violation or failure, for the revocation and cancellation of Dr. Work’s license to practice medicine in the state of Louisiana.”
It is not known what proof, other than the Louisiana Right to Life’s letter, that the LSBME has received.
Neither the Women’s Healthcare Center in New Orleans or the Delta Women’s Clinic in Baton Rouge formerly list Dr. Work as a provider at their facilities. In fact, according to the Women’s Healthcare Center’s website, they have an all-female staff.
In the suspension order, the LSMBE states the “emergency action is imperative to safeguard the public health, welfare, and safety.”
In February, the Supreme Court temporarily blocked a Louisiana abortion law which would have left only the Women’s Healthcare Center in New Orleans as the only abortion provider in the state. The law required that doctors who perform abortions have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals.
A similar law had previously been struck down in Texas on the grounds that it created an undue burden on a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated as we obtain more information.
Jenn Bentley is a writer and editor originally from Cadiz, Kentucky. Her writing has been featured in publications such as The Examiner, The High Tech Society, FansShare, Yahoo News, and others. When she’s not writing or editing, Jenn spends her time raising money for Extra Life and advocating for autism awareness.
