Amanda Rink, Editor
The Iowa Board of Medicine has sanctioned Dr. Jon Ahrendsen, a family practice physician at Iowa Speciality Clinic in Clarion, for alleged misconduct in his treatment of a patient with chronic pain. While sanctions include a formal warning, restrictions on prescribing controlled substances, and a three-year probationary monitoring program, Ahrendsen remains a practicing physician.
Dr. Ahrendsen has been with the hospital since June 1985, with a medical career spanning more than four decades. He earned his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Iowa, completing his residency at Broadlawns Medical Center in Des Moines. He is board-certified in family practice and has medical interests in areas such as ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, PANDAS/PANS, hospice care, and FAA and DOT physicals.
Beyond his clinical practice, Dr. Ahrendsen serves as an adjunct clinical assistant professor with the University of Iowa, mentoring third-year medical students during their family medicine rotations at the Clarion Clinic.
He has been actively involved in his community, serving on several local boards, including the Clarion Movie Theater and Clarion Rotary Club. He is also a member of First Lutheran Church in Clarion and has held leadership roles with the State of Iowa Physician Assistant Board and Gateway Hospice.
Ahrendsen, who lives in Clarion with his wife, Becky, has three children and a passion for travel, having visited 51 countries. He is also an avid Iowa Hawkeyes football fan and a participant in community theater through the Iowa Rivers Players Theater. According to board records obtained by the Iowa Capital Dispatch, Ahrendsen treated the patient for several years but failed to properly document the patient’s medical condition or the necessity for ongoing narcotic prescriptions.
The board also alleges that Ahrendsen prescribed doses of “high-risk medications” that exceeded recommended levels and did not adequately assess the patient for potential drug abuse or misuse of the medications, despite the patient’s history of substance abuse and requests for early prescription refills.
The board’s records do not provide details about the patient’s outcome but note that Ahrendsen has been issued a formal warning. His ability to prescribe controlled substances has been restricted, and his medical license has been placed on probation. He is required to participate in a practice-monitoring program for the next three years.
Available patient testimonials are mostly positive with one person sharing, “Dr. Ahrendsen was very thorough and answered my questions. He took time to show [me] pictures of my spine and hip to explain previous bone density tests. He also wrote a letter requesting medical records from [my past] doctor in Oregon for me. He is a wonderful doctor!”
