A man who posed as a volunteer nurse at a San Francisco medical clinic has been arrested, the San Francisco District Attorney's Office announced Thursday.
Chad Brian Litz, 39, was arrested and charged with practicing medicine without a license and identity theft after an investigation revealed that he volunteered as a nurse practitioner at the City Impact Clinic for four months, the DA's office said.
Litz has no apparent medical training or experience, according to court documents. The Department of Consumer Affairs was notified after clinic volunteers discovered Litz’s deception.
Joey Francis says City Impact provides important services in the Tenderloin. He believes Litz meant well.
"I think his ego got in the way, but his heart was doing right, that's all," Francis said. "People give out methadone all the time, and they don't have a license to do it."
To get the job with the clinic, Litz provided a forged certificate from the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners as well as other fraudulent materials, the DA said. He treated at least 28 patients, including two for whom he prescribed controlled substances.
"We trust our medical professionals with our health and well-being," District Attorney George Gascón said. "Those illegally practicing medicine can cause serious harm and undermine the trust patients put in these professionals."
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Litz was arrested March 10 while disembarking from a cruise ship in Tampa, Florida. He was arraigned Thursday in San Francisco Superior Court and pleaded not guilty. He remained in custody on $65,000 bail.
The DA said anyone treated by Litz at the City Impact Clinic, located at 232 Jones St. in San Francisco, should contact investigator Andrea Todd at the Department of Consumer Affairs at 510-888-7072.
