TOPEKA ? A physician who faced a complaint in Missouri, but was recently appointed to the Kansas board that regulates health care professionals has resigned from that board.

Dr. Howard Ellis, 52, of Leawood, recently retired his Missouri medical license rather than face a disciplinary hearing. He admitted no wrongdoing.

The Missouri State Board of Registration for the Healing Arts alleged in a 2003 complaint that Ellis tried to convince another doctor to alter records and submitted erroneous medical records to investigators in another case.

Last month, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius appointed Ellis to the Kansas Board of Healing Arts.

But then news reports surfaced of his problems in Missouri.

Today, the governor’s office said that Sebelius asked Ellis to resign from the Healing Arts Board and he did.

“He has agreed to resign and is no longer serving on the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts,” according to a statement from Sebelius’ office.

Ellis also has ties to Lawrence. He owns the building rented by Lawrence Memorial Hospital South at 3500 Clinton Place.