BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Dr. Uma Rao, owner of a northwest Bakersfield medical spa that was raided in 2021, has agreed to a settlement with California’s medical board over allegations of gross negligence and failing to maintain accurate records.
Medical board documents say Rao will, among other settlement terms, be placed on probation for 35 months, enroll in a medical record-keeping course and either have her work monitored by another doctor or participate in a board-approved “professional enhancement program.”
Rao could not immediately be reached for comment. The settlement takes effect Dec. 1.
The accusation filed against Rao, owner of EuroPhoria Medical & Personal Spa, referred to five patients and said she failed “to properly provide adequate supervision and oversight” to employees who treated those patients, didn’t create “adequate and accurate” medical records for them and supervised others in a procedure used to reduce the number of sweat glands without receiving any formal training in the procedure herself.
On July 14, 2021, authorities executed a warrant at EuroPhoria, located on Brimhall Avenue, and its warehouse, seizing medical records, according to the accusation.
The seized medical records show the patients — referred to only as Patients 1 to 5 — filled out paperwork that in some instances was not co-signed by Rao or another spa representative, according to the accusation. Some documents were left blank in areas that required a patient’s initials.
Patient 5, a 48-year-old man, received multiple treatments at EuroPhoria including miraDry treatments — used to reduce the number of underarm sweat glands, according to the accusation. It said there was no documentation showing Rao had formal treatment with the miraDry procedure.
