A Haddon Township doctor accused of submitting inflated bills to insurance companies was ordered yesterday to suspend his practice for six months and take courses in medical record-keeping and professional ethics, authorities said.

Dennis M. Scardigli, whose main practice is based in Westmont, must also reimburse the state $135,000 for the cost of the investigation, according to a spokesman for the state Division of Consumer Affairs.

Scardigli also had been charged with providing inadequate clinical examinations, preparing inadequate records of his motor-vehicle-accident patients, and making unnecessary referrals of his patients to other businesses that he owned: the Psychophysiological Assessment and Treatment Center, and South Jersey Diagnostics.

His attorney, Glenn A. Zeitz, said Scardigli had been unfairly targeted by insurance companies. "There was not one patient who came in and complained about patient care or accused him of malpractice," Zeitz said. "A big part of his practice was treating auto-injury patients. He doesn't have to pay a nickel back to the insurance companies."

As part of his agreement with the board, Scardigli agreed to not treat any personal-injury accident cases. He will remain under probation for 41/2 years after his suspension and will dissolve the psychophysiological center and South Jersey Diagnostics.

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