A doctor practicing in a Passaic County spine and rehabilitation center had his license revoked by the state after New Jersey Board of Medical Examiners members said he had disregarded restrictions placed on his license, New Jersey Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa said Thursday.

Dr. Rodolfo D. Narag was working at the New Jersey Spine and Rehabilitation Center, in Pompton Lakes, since March 2011 performing pre-anesthesia assessments on patients and follow-up consultations with post-surgical patients. However, under the limitations imposed on Narag's medical license, such medical activities were not permitted.

Chiesa said in a press release that Narag had limitations placed on his medical license in 2005 "in order to protect the public from incompetent care." The restrictions were imposed after the attorney general's office learned Narag allegedly had payments made on his behalf in two malpractice lawsuits. Narag was then forced to take an evaluation of medical competency.

"The evaluation revealed a significant lack of medical knowledge, patient management skills and clinical judgement," Chiesa said. He was not permitted to provide direct patient care or prescribe medications. 

“Dr. Narag agreed to specific limits on his ability to practice medicine when the Board determined that he lacked the medical knowledge and clinical judgment needed to protect patients from harm,” Chiesa said.  “The Board acted appropriately to revoke his license and prohibit him from practicing again, when it discovered he violated those restrictions.  Our first priority is the safety of patients in New Jersey.”

Separately, the owner of the New Jersey Spine and Rehabilitation Center and Narag's employer, Dr. Richard Kaul, also had restrictions placed on his own license in May 2012, according to Chiesa. Kaul was accused of gross negligence, malpractice and incompetence by the state for allegedly performing spinal surgeries when he did not have sufficient training or education of the procedures.