B.C. doctor disciplined over sexual relationship with former patient

A stethoscope is shown. (Pexels)

A B.C. doctor has agreed to a two-month suspension from practising medicine after admitting to breaching the College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C.’s sexual misconduct standard.

The doctor is not named in a summary of the consent agreement published on the college’s website earlier this month, nor is there any identifying information—such as their gender or location of practice—included in the document.

The summary was anonymized after the college’s inquiry committee determined “non-nominal publication was necessary to protect the interests of a person affected by this matter,” according to the document.

The doctor admitted in the consent agreement to failing to “formally transfer and document transfer of care prior to entering into a personal and sexual relationship with a former patient.”

The document does not specify when this misconduct happened, but it lists the consent agreement’s “effective date” as March 25.

Under the agreement, the doctor agreed to be transferred to the college’s “conditional – disciplined” class of licence as of that date.

They also agreed to “a formal published reprimand,” and to complete “appropriate professional development programs related to professionalism and boundary management,” as well as attend an interview with CPSBC staff.

The doctor’s two-month suspension is scheduled to begin on Sept. 1, and one month of the suspension will be stayed “if terms and conditions are met,” according to the document.

“The inquiry committee was critical of the registrant’s admitted conduct, which constituted a failure to meet the expectations set out in the CPSBC practice standards, and determined that a disciplinary outcome was warranted for unprofessional conduct,” the summary concludes.