Pasco: She had patients but no license

NEW PORT RICHEY - For 20 years, Paula Jean Russian did all the things an eye doctor is expected to do.

She saw patients at the Perich Eye Center in New Port Richey, a state-of-the-art facility offering everything from LASIK eye surgery to Botox treatments, according to its Web site.

That changed on Friday, when she was charged with two counts of practicing without a license, a felony. Russian, 51, was being held at the Land O'Lakes Detention Center in lieu of $10,000 bail.

Russian's arrest stemmed from a complaint made by a patient who noticed something odd: No credentials or diplomas adorned the office walls.

"So she went to the practitioners profile online and looked up Russian's name," said Lauren Buzzelli, spokeswoman for the state Department of Health.

She found nothing. According to the department's Web site, no one named Paula Jean Russian is licensed to practice medicine in Florida.

The patient contacted the state. She provided a business card from the eye center that read "Paula J. Russian, O.D./Optometrist/Perich Cataract and Laser Center," according to a report from the Sheriff's Office.

Investigators from the Sheriff's Office visited the eye center, posing as patients seeking eye exams on Feb. 7 and 14, the report said.

During both visits, Russian identified herself as a doctor, the report said. She performed eye exams on the investigators and dilated their eyes. She wrote them prescriptions for eyeglasses and prescribed Patanol, eye drops used to treat itching and redness.

Larry Perich, who owns the clinic, did not return a call for comment. Russian of 7420 Evesborough Lane declined to be interviewed for this story.

Buzzelli said it's easy for people like Russian to slip under the radar. "She was never reported throughout her career," she said.

State health officials have a few suggestions for you before you head to your next doctor's appointment:

- Type the doctor's name into the state Department of Health's Web site at http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/irm00praes/PRASLIST.ASP.

- If the doctor is unlicensed or has faced discipline, that information will be provided on the site.

- If you suspect that your doctor doesn't have the proper credentials, call the state Department of Health at (850) 245-4224.

Share your thoughts on this story

Read our guidelines for comments

Comments on this article

by Norm	03/07/08 01:34 PM
How could she get away with this so long. Doesn't the facility and owner check a Doctors credentials before hiring that person. Seems like the owner Larry Perich should be held responsible.

by annonymous	04/20/07 08:36 AM
Dr. Perich has been in practice for over twenty years and his office has seen over 100,000 patients and has never had a mal practice suit won against him or the product of his offices. There is so much said yet so little facts like these are realized

by annonymous	04/20/07 08:34 AM
I have known Dr. Russian for several years, a few things have been omitted from this story: She graduated 8 years of higher education in Virginia as a Doctor of Optometry, she passed her national boards and state boards in the state of virginia

by ANNONYMOUS	03/19/07 12:08 PM
TO LEON..PLEAES LEARN PROPER GRAMMAR AND PROVIDE PROOF THAT UNLICENSED HEALYH CARE PROFESSIONALS PROVIDE BETTER CARE THAN LICENSED PROFESSIONALS

by THOMAS	03/19/07 11:40 AM
WHEN DO WE GET A FOLLO-UP REPORT FROM THE NEWS PAPER....YOU OPENED A CAN OF WORMS...WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO MS RUSSIAN AND THE PERICH EYE CENTER

by THOMAS	03/19/07 11:35 AM
LEARN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN MD AND AN OPTOMETRIST...DO YOU WANT TO HAVE SURGERY BY AN UNLICENSED"MD

by THOMAS	03/19/07 11:31 AM
TO LEON...WHEN IS BREAKING THE LAW PK....ALSO SHE DID NOT HAVE A LICENSE FOR OPTOMETRY WHICDH IS MUCH DIFFERENT THAM A "MEDICAL" LICENSE....BEFORE YOU MAKE COMMENTS TRY TO LEARN WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT.

by Leon	03/17/07 10:19 PM
It means she is much more knowledgeable and professional than many those so to say "doctors" holding medical license.License is not equal the ability to help people.

by annonymous	03/16/07 01:32 PM
when do we get a newspaper follow-up article so that the public will know what is going on at the Perich Eye Canter

by annonymous	03/15/07 01:05 PM
THE MEDICAL BOARD OR OSTEOPATHIC BOARD OF FLORIDA SHOULD INVESTIGATE THE PERICH EYE CENTER

by annonymous	03/14/07 11:11 AM
All insurance claims filed under her name over the past 20 years have been fraudulent .....who will be investigating claims signed as DR. over the past 20 years?

by annony,mous	03/14/07 11:05 AM
The office should be closed until the credentials of all health care providers are checked....after 20 years undetected who knows what else is going on in that office

by annonymous	03/14/07 10:25 AM
To annonymous2:there is no protocol that allows an assisant to pass herself off as a DR. and sign presciptions with her name printed on as a DR.

by Diane	03/13/07 05:48 PM
Paula, You are a wonderful person and I will pray for you at this difficult time.

by ANNOYMOUS	03/13/07 04:22 PM
At this point we do not even know if she graduated from a school of optometry or has just passed her self off as an optometrist (DR) or if she is just an assistant calling herself DR.

by Cheryl	03/13/07 11:55 AM
If she really DID graduate from an accredited university with an optometric docterate----why isn't she proudly displaying that diploma on her office walls? Knowlegable and kind doens't mean qualified to practice medicine.

by Anonymous2	03/13/07 11:24 AM
According to protocol, an uncertified assistant can perform these practices as long as a LICENSED Doctor is on the premisis to oversee chart notes, and to confer. The media has blown this out of proportion.

by annonymous	03/13/07 11:11 AM
M.D.'s have to renew their license every two years....How can the Optemetric Board and Dr. Perich allow someone to practice optometry for 20 years without checking her credentials...it does not matter how "good" patients think she was...it is a crime

by Jeff	03/13/07 11:11 AM
I just cancelled my surgery that was scheduled next week. My concern is what kind of doctor is Perich if he knowingly has other doctors working for him with no liscence. It's his practice...does he not check into who he employs?

by annonymous	03/13/07 11:04 AM
Practicing without a license is a crime....the entire office should be investigated

by Thomas	03/13/07 09:24 AM
Dr. Perich is as much at fault for allowing someone to practice in his office without a license....all professionals should be checked when hired, not 15 years later.....He must have known

by Thomas	03/13/07 09:17 AM
There ara many fraudulent eye exam procedures and improper documentation at the aperich Eye Center especially with HMO patients

by annonymous	03/13/07 12:17 AM
She is a doctor, with 8 years of higher education with an optometric doctorate, working as an over qualified medical assistant under Dr. Perich

by ROBERT	03/12/07 09:09 PM
What you fail to mention,is that this doctor has graduated from an accredited school of optometry and may have held a license in another state. I am a medical professional and have used her in the past and found her to be knowledgeable and kind.

by sara	03/12/07 05:34 PM
It is a really sad situation. russian is very good and she has taken care of me and my family for many years and I will continue to go to her.

by susan	03/11/07 07:49 PM
I cannot believe I am saying this, but I would still continue to see her as a patient....she has taken wonderful care of my entire family for 15 years...

by Candi	03/11/07 01:47 AM
EYE DOCTOR- How crasy is this? Why dosn't someone have a job to go and check out the people practicing med. for there lis. 20 year's is a long tie . How did she do her taxes? That should be the court house's job to check on there lis. every so often.

by Ronald	03/10/07 05:55 PM
i took my mother to see dr. russian the day before her arrest. she was very professional. checked her eyes, prescribed medicine, very kind, helpful, and knew her stuff. what a shame. i'd go back to her.

by Michael	03/10/07 07:59 AM
Funny thing is, the complaint didnt have anything to do with poor medical practices....she is probably a better doctor than the real doctors...go figure

She had patients but no license

For 20 years, she did eye exams and wrote prescriptions. Then she got a curious patient.