Gov Ron DeSantis appointed three physicians to the Florida Board of Medicine on Thursday, including one who has served on the board in the past.
DeSantis named former board Chairman Zachariah Zachariah, a South Florida cardiologist and internal medicine doctor, to the 15-member disciplinary and regulatory panel.
Scott Ackerman and David Diamond, physicians from Jacksonville and Winter Park, respectively, also were named to the board. Ackerman and Diamond are radiation oncologists. DeSantis’ appointments came after the Board of Medicine has been forced at its last two meetings to delay action on disciplinary cases because it lacked a quorum.
The quorum issues were caused, in part, by two vacancies on the board. But it’s not clear that the appointments will solve the quorum problem. Zachariah is replacing Miami physician Steven Falcone, and Ackerman is replacing Bonita Springs physician James Orr, according to the governor’s office.
Falcone and Orr continued to serve on the board despite their terms expiring last October. They are two of five physicians who continued to serve beyond their appointments.
Diamond replaces Merle Stringer, a Panama City physician whose term wouldn’t expire for another two years. That means two vacancies remain, despite the appointments.
