Home / Crime and Justice / Ark. Doctor Drugged Patients for Profit
Ark. Doctor Drugged Patients for Profit
31 Mar
Summary
- Doctor allegedly drugged patients to keep them hospitalized longer.
- Seven employees also indicted for involvement or failure to report.
- Crimes allegedly occurred between 2018 and 2022 at a Springdale facility.
Dr. Brian Hyatt, former chairman of the Arkansas State Medical Board, has been indicted on charges of kidnapping and distributing controlled substances. An indictment released on March 31, 2026, alleges that Hyatt administered potent sedatives to numerous patients without medical justification.
These actions were allegedly taken to prolong their stay at the Northwest Medical Center Behavioral Health Unit in Springdale. Hyatt's medical company had a contract to provide psychiatric services at the facility from 2018 to 2022.
Seven mental health care workers, nurses, and administrative employees who worked for Hyatt were also indicted in early March. Some are accused of neglecting to document patient conditions accurately, while others allegedly participated directly in the misconduct, including physical abuse and coercion to force unnecessary treatments.
