Beverly Hills doctor testifies on behalf of Dr. Roxy in State Medical Board hearing

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — A doctor is expected to testify on behalf of a Powell plastic surgeon whose medical license was suspended last year.

Dr. Katharine Grawe, better known as Dr. Roxy on TikTok and other social media platforms, has been appearing before the State Medical Board all week after requesting a license suspension hearing. The hearing is about whether or not she will lose it permanently.

As part of the hearing, Dr. Grawe's attorneys called Dr. Llyod Krieger, a board-certified plastic surgeon who practices in Beverly Hills, California, to testify on Grawe's behalf.

Krieger requested his testimony not be recorded, but WSYX was still able to listen into the hearing.

On Thursday, he testified that he had never met or spoken to Dr. Grawe but evaluated the medical records in question in this case.

Krieger said he did not have any knowledge of the state medical board's suspension of Grawe's license or the allegations against her made by patients named in medical board documents prior to reviewing medical records preparing for testimony.

He said his opinion about Grawe's standard of care both before and after he learned about the state medical board's suspensions filings did not change.

“My opinion was and is that Dr. Grawe complied with the standard of care," Krieger said.

One of the patients identified in the state medical board documents had her surgery streamed live on Dr. Grawe's social media platforms.

Krieger testified his reaction to watching that video, “Procedures were performed in a completely professional way. It met the indications for surgery. Her technical maneuvers were aligned with achieving that goal and it was clearly done in a professional and safe environment.”

During the first day of the hearing, Grawe's attorney Sabrina Sellers said every surgery has its own risks.

"Although three patients did experience adverse outcomes, there were known risks and complications of the procedures, and they were not caused by a breach in the standard of care," Sellers said.

Krieger said in his career, he has experienced patients with complications post-surgery.

“Unfortunately, the human body is unpredictable," he said. "Even when things are done perfectly, complications can still happen, even in the absence of negligence.”

Grawe built a following on social media with videos showing procedures in the operation room. Grawe's attorney questions Krieger about the use of social media in the medical field.

Krieger said he does not participate on social media himself but said many of his colleagues do, and he allows the use of social media at his California facility.

Grawe has said she used TikTok and Snapchat to educate and relate to her patients. Krieger agreed that social media can be used as an educational tool.

“I thought it reflected very positively on Dr. Grawe," Krieger said about her social media pages. "She seemed very knowledgeable and very relatable. She had a good ability to explain things in lay terms. The more that the patients know beforehand, the better for them.”

“The streaming and other educational videos she had, contribute significantly to a patient's understanding of the technicalities of a surgery," Krieger continued.

RELATED | Powell surgeon known for TikTok videos has license suspended, former patients speak out

Since Monday, several of Grawe's former patients have been at this week's hearing. WSYX got their reaction to Thursday's testimony.

"I don’t see any remorse. I think she just does;t want her license taken away," former patient Mary Jenkins said. "And the expert they brought in, I don’t know him. I understand he is from Rodeo Drive, I understand he is well known, however, I am like, wow, If he is the expert, I have questions about what his practice like and the way he does things."

"She needs to have her license revoked permanently so she does not do what she has done," Jenkins continued. "If the board reinstates her license, it would be tragic. I would be a huge travesty."

The hearing could run through the rest of the week, but a decision about her medical license could be weeks away.

ABC 6 reporter Kate Siefert will be at the hearing and will have updates throughout the day. Follow her on Twitter @KateWSYX6.