Anesthesiologist Sebo Amirkhanian Namagerdy, MD, is the highest-paid official in the county, the Los Angeles Times reported May 16.
Dr. Namagerdy, who works at county-run rehab facility Rancho Los Amigos, earned $1.26 million in 2023, according to the Times. He was the highest-paid official for the fifth year in a row.
The high salary stems from an extremely heavy workload and an anesthesiologist shortage in the market, according to the report. He was working 94 hours per week in 2023. According to the report, he made about $450,000 more than any other physician at the facility or any other anesthesiologist in the county.
"Patient safety is our top priority,” the L.A. County Department of Health Services said in a statement shared with Becker's “There were no patient safety concerns in the case of this doctor."
The department added that it is common for physicians, particularly in the ICU, to work 90 hour shifts that include rest hours — they are considered on the clock even when they do not provide direct patient care. Additionally, the department noted that the ICU at Rancho is small with an average daily census of 4-5 patients.
Other physicians in the facility cite a failure to adequately staff the ICU, according to the Times report.