Appropriate to what extent?

Sexual abuse of patients by health professional has been a cause of concern with a doctor from Toronto facing a possible penalty after the medical watchdog found that he made sexual remarks and inappropriately touched a female patient during psychotherapy sessions over several years.An investigation was launched by discipline committee of College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario after it received a complaint against the doctor in January 2013.  The persistent problem had eroded the trust of public in health system. Now both the province and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario are poised to make long improvements in this area.

Last week the Liberal government in Ontario made an announcement that it was taking concrete action to uphold and reinforce a zero tolerance policy on sexual abuse of patients by any regulated health professional. By fall of 2016, under this program, the government intends to add to the expanded list of acts that will result in mandatory revocation of a regulated health professional’s license. Also it wants to empower the college to stop a regulated health professional to continue to practice on patients of one gender after an allegation or finding of sexual abuse. More financial fines are coming for health professionals and organizations that fail to report a suspected case of patient sexual abuse to the college.

Ontario government also plans to increase transparency by defining what all reports the college must publish on its website. Also it aims at funding therapy and counseling of the affected patient and that too from the moment a complaint of sexual abuse is made. These proposed actions do sound good for a reason, that the proposed action by the government is based on the recommendations from the Minister’s Task Force on the Prevention of Sexual Abuse of Patients and the Regulated Health Professions Act. Ontario is also willing to engage an expert to work with the province to improve the process that the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario must follow when dealing with sexual abuse complaints.  Dr. Eric Hoskins Minister of Health and Long Term Care was forthright in putting forth the agenda of the government when he said, “Acts of professional misconduct involving the sexual abuse of a patient are deplorable – and I will do everything necessary to protect patient safety. These concrete actions will increase transparency and help prevent and better respond to sexual violence and harassment in Ontario. I will continue to work in partnership with our health regulatory colleges, health care professionals, educators and patients to implement these changes.” However, Ontario government in non committal on creating an independent body to handle the complaints of sexual abuse at the hands of health care professional. College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario is not empowered to handle such complaints and can be entrusted with the job owing to the kind of structure and responsibilities it has. The decision not to create an independent body has got the opposition critics going. A report that has come after good 18 months was expected to announce not only what the government ought to do, but also how that would be done.

Ontario needs to bring forth clarity on certain critical issues-Ways and means by which patients can participate in the complaints, investigation. The ease of registering a complaint has to be there. However, the government must also have a system in place that is able to discard fraudulent complaints. Doctors need to be allowed to carry on the good work they are doing and not get seized by complaints that may be deceitful.