By Lottie Watts
6/2/2010 © Health News Florida
A Florida psychologist accused of having a sexual relationship with a patient and billing her insurance company for those appointments has relinquished his license instead of fighting the charges, documents show.
Dr. Daniel R. Lerom, 49, has voluntarily given up his license to practice psychology in the state of Florida, according to Department of Health documents. (Editor's note: An earlier version of this article listed an incorrect first name.)
Lerom, who operated Plaza Therapy Associates in Tampa, filed the relinquishment on March 18.
The purpose for giving up his license, according to the documents, "is to avoid further administrative action" regarding the charges against him.
Lerom was suspended from practice in January after an investigation revealed a sexual relationship he had with a 37-year-old female patient. The investigation showed Lerom billed the patient's insurance on several occasions for the time he spent having sex with her.
Investigation documents detailed racy text messages and requests from Lerom for painkillers. Between February 2009 and May 2009, Lerom and the patient "exchanged hundreds of phone calls and text messages," the documents said.
Lerom ended the affair in May 2009 after his wife discovered one of the text messages, according to the documents.
Lerom did not return requests for comment.
--Lottie Watts is an intern with Health News Florida from University of South Florida. Questions or comments can be addressed to Editor Carol Gentry.