News article: Doctors and Sexual Abuse

[fakingpatience]

http://doctors.ajc.com/doctors_sex_abuse/?ecmp=doctorssexabuse_microsite_nav

 

 (No PAs mentioned here thankfully)

 

"Some states are apparently more forgiving than others when disciplining doctors in sexual misconduct cases. Georgia and Kansas, for example, allowed two of every three doctors publicly disciplined for sexual misconduct to return to practice, orders on board websites show. In Alabama, it was nearly three out of every four. In Minnesota, it was four of every five. 

Nationwide, the AJC found that of the 2,400 doctors publicly disciplined for sexual misconduct, half still have active medical licenses today. Larry Dixon, the executive director of the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners, has heard the argument that doctors who engage in sexual misconduct should be barred from practice. He doesn’t buy it. “If you graduate a class of more than 100 people out of the University of Alabama medical school, the resources that have been poured into that education almost demand that you try to salvage that physician — if it’s possible,” said Dixon, who has led the Alabama board for 35 years. Stop and think, he said, about how badly many communities need their doctors.  “You do not think so? Then leave Atlanta and go down to a little Georgia town and get sick,” Dixon said. “See how far they have to go to find a doctor.”"

 

 

 

Using a lack of doctors in rural areas to allow practitioners to keep their licenses is despicable.  The coverups, and looking the other way described by hospital administration is unbelievable.   What do you practicing folk think, could this become as big as the priest sexual assault scandal, as the article alleges?  

[rev ronin]

It will really depend on whether the media or activist organizations get a hold of it and spin in.  It certainly has the potential to blow up... but I don't see us as having a good insight on whether it will or not.  There's certainly been a backlash against teacher/student sex, but I don't know that it was "explosive" even though it got age of consent laws amended in plenty of states.

[Maverick87]

I think it depends on the crime and location.

 

http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/24/us/new-york-doctor-sexual-abuse-indictment/

 

I doubt that this guy will practicing again, for example.

[Maynard]

Sexual misconduct is not the same thing as sexual abuse or sexual assault. If I asked out a doctor who was treating me and we later had sex then she would be guilty of sexual misconduct. Should she lose her license for that?