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Permalink Reply by sh4dowdrifter on February 9, 2013 at 1:50pm

Sexual Misconduct has a statute in most states of 5 years. However, I would make sure to get all medical records from three years ago and make sure that it is not stated in them about the exam. If the exam is stated and it explains what was done then you will have hard evidence of the inappropriate behavior. Just an idea but I would report him to medical board, hospital, police, and the DA and at least make a complaint to protect others from this happening. There is no reason for him to have done a visual inspection and been forceful about it as diabetes does not complicate the development of breasts or private parts that I know of and I can find no medical documentation that states that it does.

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Permalink Reply by Brian (bsc) on February 9, 2013 at 1:58pm

How do you feel about this? Yes, it is important to hold people who hold trusted positions accountable for their behavior. But this is also about your life. About what will make you a whole happy person.

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Permalink Reply by Sam on February 9, 2013 at 2:14pm

Unless you really felt violated by the situation, I'm not sure I agree with the general consensus here that it was so terribly inappropriate. Maybe I'm just an optimist and don't understand the situation you describe very well-- but I do have several doctors in my family-- and part of their job is giving patients thorough physical exams. I've certainly had to allow doctors to examine parts of me that I wasn't thrilled about, and that I didn't understand the necessity of, but I guess I just always assumed they were doing their job, and doing it thoroughly...

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Permalink Reply by Brunetta on February 9, 2013 at 3:03pm

l>

• She was violated

I experienced a similar unfortunate incident many years ago when I was very young, where a doctor in a university student medical center, in the guise of an examination, touched me in an inappropriate manner
No nurse
was present. I promptly told him 2 take his hands off me, in not such
nice language, I do not proudly admit. I wish that I would have said something to someone, other than my boyfriend at the time, who wantedto beat him up. I did not want him To go to jail for assault, so we left it alone. However, at the time, think it was 1976, women were not encouraged to report sexual improprities taken by superiors nor medical personnel;and not much media
attention was given to abuse. I should have said something, because he could and probrably did touch his female patients, all university students, in the same way. I do not know if the statue of limitations will make your pursuit of a lawsuit viable, AS Acid said. But do mention this to someone in charge. Sam, this young woman WAS violated, and this dr. needs to be stopped from doing this again.

God Bless,
Bruneta

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Permalink Reply by Sam on February 9, 2013 at 3:13pm

Respectfully, I think that she is the only judge of that

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Permalink Reply by Rebecca on February 9, 2013 at 9:28pm

I do not necessarily feel violated, I just feel that if he did overstep his boundaries he should not be allowed to go on without being held accountable. I also feel responsible to do so in the event that he has done this or worse to others.

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Permalink Reply by karen on February 9, 2013 at 2:59pm

+1, Sam!

These are serious questions that should be taken to the doctor and the facility. I am sad to read that folks are ready to "shut him down". The hospital I found myself in when I was dx'd at 18 did an entire physical exam and that was decades ago. I never thought to sue the doc or the facility for checking me over beyond my dka.

Before you go accusing a doctor for abuse, you should speak to the hospital administration. Some hospitals require the patient to receive a full physical. There are grade sights you can look for on the web and see if this doc has other complaints and what type of grade his patients give him.

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Permalink Reply by Sam Iam on February 9, 2013 at 3:31pm

I'm trying to remember exactly, but from ages about 12-14 my pediatric endos preformed routine genital exams for each visit. My parents were present and I never felt uncomfortable.

I agree it seems kind of fishy at 18. Especially if you felt uncomfortable about it. You might want to google his name and see if anyone has reported other incidents. Even if you decide not to report, find places online you where you can anonymously leave a detailed account, so others might know to avoid this guy. Or report if they found themselves in the same position.

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Permalink Reply by Super_sally on February 12, 2013 at 4:51pm

I believe you should think and research before doing anything. In particular you should try to find out if there have been any other complaints about inappropriate actions.

He is an endocrinologist. You are a new patient and just referred from pedia to adult. If he is thorough his inititial exam and interview should cover more than diabetes (which can coexist with other endocrine issues). Drs deal with bodies every day and they consider seeing naked ones just as due course (even though for us patients may not be comfortable). He may have come accross as 'short' over this becuase he didn't consider it a big deal. If he did document this exam (including visual) it would actually demonstrate that he was doing it as part of his exam. If there was nothing documented, maybe he was hiding or maybe it was normal so he didn't comment. I know many doctors so I beleive this could be the case. However, I wasn't there so only you can make a judgement call.

Why is this coming up now, 3 years later? Did something trigger it or its been worrying you all along?

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Permalink Reply by Shawnmarie on February 9, 2013 at 3:58pm

We could debate here forever whether this was right or wrong, but ultimately our opinions are irrelevant. It is either within the standard of care for an endo to do this type of exam or it is not. If it is within the standard of care, there is an open question as to whether he conducted this particular exam appropriately. If the OP feels it was not appropriate, she should take steps to notify someone of that fact. If he had no ulterior motives for asking her to bare herself to him, her medical record should reflect the fact that he requested and conducted this visual examination.

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Permalink Reply by Sam on February 9, 2013 at 4:15pm

Doctors don't have to follow precise guidelines for standard of care. A doctror checked my prostate when I was 18 at a pre-employment physical. That's certainly not in the standard of care for an 18 year old, but it doesn't mean he was a pervert, maybe he was just thorough, maybe a loved one of his died of prostate cancer and he had devoted his entire life to fighting that disease, who knows, he was acting within the scope of practice of a doctor examining a patient, performing an examination-- perhaps above and beyond the standard of care. Not to say that there is any comparison to that and the OPs story. I just don't think it is reasonable to automaticaly assume that a doctor examining a patient's sensitive areas is abusive. You can absolutely say no, at any time, to anything any doctor proposes.

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Permalink Reply by Shawnmarie on February 9, 2013 at 4:29pm

A definition generally encompassing what I was referring to:

http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=33263

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