Report: Doctor borrows $300K; diagnoses loaner with dementia

COLUMBIA, Tenn. – A report from Tennessee’s health department says a doctor borrowed money from a patient then diagnosed her with dementia when asked to repay it.

Suellen Lee was quoted by The Tennessean as saying that she voluntarily retired her medical license because her case was unwinnable. She maintains the accusations are “all lies.”

Government attorneys say the 79-year-old Lee borrowed $300,000 from “E.W.” when her medical clinic fell on hard times. Records show Lee later diagnosed E.W. with dementia without using any testing method or getting a second opinion. E.W.’s financial company denied her access to her assets upon being notified about the diagnosis.

A psychologist who assessed E.W. found “no indication of dementia.” But Lee stood by the dementia diagnosis.

Lee says she had been repaying the debt in installments.

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Information from: The Tennessean, http://www.tennessean.com