ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Elizabeth Baxley, MD; Shannon Dunahue, MS, PMP; Annie Koempel, PhD, RD; Andrea Anderson, MD, MEd; Beth Hansen, MD, PGY-1 Resident; Gary LeRoy, MD; Michael K. Magill, MD
Corresponding Author: Elizabeth G Baxley, MD; American Board of Family Medicine
Email: ebaxley@theabfm.org
DOI: 10.3122/jabfm.2023.230413R1
Keywords: Certification, Family Medicine, Family Physicians, Medical Ethics, Professional Misconduct, Specialty Boards, Trust
Dates: Submitted: 11-13-2023; Revised: 01-10-2024; Accepted: 02-05-2024
FINAL PUBLICATION: |HTML| |PDF|
PURPOSE: Sexual misconduct by physicians is a consequential violation of patient trust and appears to be increasing. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency and patterns of sexual misconduct by physicians certified by the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM).
METHODS: We described a cohort of current or formerly ABFM certified physicians (“Diplomates”) disciplined by ABFM for sexual misconduct in 2016-2022.
RESULTS: Ninety-four physicians, representing only 0.1% of ABFM Diplomates, were identified as having received disciplinary action(s) for reported sexual misconduct. These constituted 8.9% of the 1,122 cases that resulted in a physician losing board certification or eligibility for any cause in 2016-2022. Ninety-three of the 94 physicians identified as male, with an average age of 56 (range 22-88 years). Eighty-nine percent of victims were female, and 90% were patients of the physician. Unwanted sexual behavior/assault occurred in more than half of the cases, whereas one third described an ongoing sexual relationship between patient and physician. Nearly one in five cases also included controlled substance prescribing. Seven cases involved minors. Non-contact (“grooming’) behaviors were described in 34 cases, 28 of which included subsequent physical sexual behavior. A clinical setting was the site of misconduct in 84% of cases.
CONCLUSIONS: Reports of sexual misconduct among board certified family physicians are rare. However, any sexual misconduct by physicians is harmful to patients and the profession. The specialty should work to enhance education and change professional culture to mitigate this important problem.