Psychiatrist suspended for 10-year sexual relationship with patient

[Terry Bogard]

Psychiatrist suspended for 10-year sexual relationship with patient

AsiaOne
Wednesday, Jul 25, 2012

SINGAPORE - A psychiatrist practising at the Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre was suspended and fined for having an improper sexual relationship with his patient for over 10 years.

Dr Kong Sim Guan, also known as Sim Heng Guan, practised at The Psychiatric & Behavioural Medicine Clinic (Ang & Kong) at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre, and was found to be in a relationship with his client from 1996 to 2009.

He was suspended for three years and fined $10,000 by the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) in the rare disciplinary case, reported The Straits Times.

Under SMC's medical code and ethical guidelines, a doctor must not have a sexual relationship with a patient, or be involved in an adulterous relationship.

The patient was described by the committee as a "vulnerable" and troubled psychiatric patient experiencing marital issues.

"We are cognizant of the fact that the medical issues faced by the Patient were related to her mental well-being and as her psychiatrist, (Kong) should have been more than aware that his sexual relationship with her can only be interpreted as taking advantage of her troubled state and vulnerability, let alone exacerbating and complicating her marital problems," the committee noted.

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[apogee]

This guy is absolutely lucky he is in Sinkieland. In Australia, he would have been struck off.
"Sex with patients the biggest no-no for doctors
Melissa Davey
Published: July 26, 2012 - 3:00AM
HAVING a sexual relationship with a patient is more
likely to see a doctor banned from practising than if they
give a patient the wrong operation, miss a diagnosis or
breach patient confidentiality, according to new research.
Medical tribunals remove or deregister doctors for
character flaws and lack of insight more frequently than
for errors in care or poor clinical knowledge, the study of
doctor misconduct in Australia and New Zealand found.
Researchers from the Melbourne University schools of law
and population health analysed 485 professional
misconduct cases over 10 years from Victoria, New South
Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and New Zealand
where doctors were found guilty. Of the 79 cases where
doctors were guilty of a sexual relationship with a patient,
64 were removed from practice. Although it was far more
common for doctors to be found guilty of inappropriate or
inadequate treatment, writing inappropriate medical certificates and records, and illegal and unethical
prescribing, they were much less likely to be removed.

''Our findings … show that failings … such as mistreatment and diagnosis result in removal from practice much
less frequently than misconduct involving personal failings, such as inappropriate conduct towards patients,
unprofessional personal conduct and non-adherence to practice conditions already imposed by the board,'' the
study, published this week in the British Medical Journal, found.

One reason medical tribunals were more likely to opt for removal when someone's character was deemed
unsatisfactory, rather than when care was substandard, was because ''dysfunctional behaviours and clear signs of
bad character may be perceived as relatively untreatable'' while a lack of knowledge or problems in the work
environment might seem easier to correct.

This story was found at: http://www.theage.com.au/national/sex-with-patients-the-biggest-nono-for-doctors-20120725-
22qzb.html

 

[Terry Bogard]

 

[Ultŕaman]

Suspended psychiatrist releases public apology

28 July 2012 1:21 PM | Updated 1:32 PM

<cite style="display: block; font-style: normal; font-size: 10px; margin: 4px 0px; ">(Photo / Wikimedia)</cite>
The psychiatrist who was involved in an affair with a female patient has released a public apology through the Lianhe Wanbao newspaper, saying he is remorseful for his actions.

Dr Douglas Kong Sim Guan, a 63-year-old psychiatrist, had his license suspended for three years from 24 June and fined $10,000, after his 13-year-long affair with a married female patient came to light.

According to court records, the woman approached Dr Kong for treatment in 1993 after she had suffered sexual abuse from her music teacher.

The two began an affair from 1996 to 2009, and had numerous sexual encounters from 1997 to 2008, reported the Chinese daily.

The woman reported Dr Kong to the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) in 2010 about the affair, after he had ended it.

When a reporter from Lianhe Wanbao visited his apartment in Redhill, he declined to comment and asked his wife to hand over a typed press statement instead.

The statement said he accepts the order of the SMC and that he is remorseful for his actions.

He also apologised to his family, friends and patients, saying: “I am sorry for letting everyone down.”

He also informed his existing patients that he has already arranged for colleagues to take over their cases and asked them to contact the clinic for more information.