The back story to the clinic closure in Henderson (UPDATED)

By Mike Trask

Tuesday, March 4, 2008 | 4:22 p.m.

Ken Beaman has been working as a business license officer in Henderson for about a year. Previously, he did the same job in Las Vegas for four years.

Never -- until this morning -- had he been locked out of a building.

Beaman was intent on inspecting the Gastroenterology Center of Nevada at 2610 West Horizon Ridge Parkway because it is a sister operation to the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada, the source of the hepatitis outbreak scare. (See our earlier blog.)

He arrived about 9:30 a.m., entered the lobby and introduced himself. "It was, 'Hello. How can I help you?" he said. The officer didn't notice anything suspicious.

He had to return to his unmarked city-owned Toyota to retrieve his notepad and a contact number for the City Attorney.

When he got back to the door, it was locked. Also locked out were two customers who wanted to get copies of their treatment records.

Beaman didn't really try to hard to regain entry. "It's was pretty clear (the lockout was intentional)," Beaman said.

It’s the first time that one of the clinics owned by Dr. Dipak Desai has not cooperated with authorities in the wake of the hepatitis outbreak scare which started at his Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada.

The lock out in Henderson resulted in the immediate suspension of the center’s business license. City inspectors have the right to review any business — restaurants, retail stores and, of course, medical facilities — at any time to ensure they are meeting code.

Representatives from the center did not immediately return phone calls.