Committee: Discipline
Decision Date: 09 Aug 2016
Summary:
On August 9, 2016, the Discipline Committee of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario found that Dr. Medhat Nader Ramzy committed an act of professional misconduct in that he has engaged in an act or omission relevant to the practice of medicine that, having regard to all the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional.
Dr. Ramzy, a family physician who obtained his certificate of registration in 1999, practises in Scarborough at a walk-in clinic called the Pro Care Medical Clinic.
DOCTOR-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP
Ms. A was treated by Dr. Ramzy at Pro Care Medical Clinic from June 2007 until June 2011. In June 2011, she decided she did not want to be treated by Dr. Ramzy anymore and the doctor- patient relationship was terminated.
Ms. A’s spouse, Mr. B, was Dr. Ramzy’s patient until Mr. B’s death in 2011.
SUBSEQUENT RELATIONSHIP
In July 2012, over a year after the termination of the doctor-patient relationship, Ms. A attended the clinic with her teenage son, C, for his annual physical examination. This was C’s only appointment with Dr. Ramzy.
During C’s appointment, Ms. A learned from Dr. Ramzy that he was single. After the examination, Dr. Ramzy left C in the examination room and went to his personal office to complete C’s paperwork. Ms. A went to Dr. Ramzy's office. Ms. A and Dr. Ramzy agreed to go out socially together. Plans were made for Ms. A and Dr. Ramzy to go out for dinner together that night. C remained in the examination room while these arrangements were made in Dr. Ramzy’s office
That evening Ms. A and Dr. Ramzy ate dinner at a restaurant. Following dinner, Dr. Ramzy drove Ms. A to his home, where they engaged in sexual intercourse.
A sexual relationship between Ms. A and Dr. Ramzy followed, which commenced in July 2012 and ended in August 2012. After this time, Dr. Ramzy and Ms. A no longer engaged in sexual relations.
FURTHER INTERACTIONS WITH DR. RAMZY
After Dr. Ramzy ended their social relationship, Ms. A threatened Dr. Ramzy that she would complain to the College about Dr. Ramzy’s care of her late husband. On August 15, 2012, Ms. A wrote to Dr. Ramzy that he “will pay the price for your irresponsible behavior.” On August 26, 2012, Ms. A wrote that she was “starting to file a complain [sic] about your reckless behaviour on my late husband case.” Ms. A also referenced filing the complaint about her late husband in her email of September 1, 2012.
On a date in October 2012, Ms. A attended at the Pro Care Medical Clinic, seeking treatment for shortness of breath and an irregular heartbeat. The cardiologist at the clinic required a referral to see Ms. A. Dr. Ramzy was the only family physician at the clinic at that time and agreed, because of the apparent urgency, to see Ms. A on that day. Dr. Ramzy’s entry in Ms. A’s chart indicates that she attended to manage her chest pain. She requested a flu shot, a referral to a gynaecologist for contraception and a CT scan for chest and heart. Dr. Ramzy referred Ms. A to the cardiologist who was in the office the same day to manage her chest pain.
Three days later, Ms. A returned to Pro Care Medical Clinic, where she received care from Dr. Ramzy. Dr. Ramzy’s entry in Ms. A’s chart indicates that she attended that day for a CT scan for her chest, reporting a chronic cough.
On a date in September 2013, Ms. A attended Dr. Ramzy’s practice for a cardiac work report and a stress echo test. Dr. Ramzy’s entry reads: “she threatened me regarding her husband case, he died … 3 years ago, she wants money from me or she is going to complain to the College. She was told that nothing wrong in her husband case. I will not give her money if she wants to complain she can [sic].”
MS. A’S COMPLAINTS TO THE COLLEGE
In October 2013, Ms. A made two complaints to the College against Dr. Ramzy: one with respect to the care her late husband had received and one with respect to feeling “used” after Dr. Ramzy dated her for two months.
The College obtained an Independent Opinion with respect to Dr. Ramzy’s care of Mr. B. The assessor found Dr. Ramzy to have met the standard of care. As such, the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee took no further action with respect to Ms. A’s complaint about the care her husband received from Dr. Ramzy.
Dr. Ramzy admitted that he engaged in an act of professional misconduct in that he engaged in conduct that, having regard to all of the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional by planning a social encounter during C’s medical appointment and by treating Ms. A too soon, given their recent sexual relationship.
PENALTY
The Discipline Committee ordered and directed that:
- the Registrar suspend Dr. Ramzy’s certificate of registration for a period of three (3) months, to take effect at 12:01 a.m. on August 23, 2016.
- Dr. Ramzy attend before the panel to be reprimanded.
- the Registrar impose the following terms, conditions and limitations on the certificate of registration of Dr. Ramzy:
a) Dr. Ramzy shall successfully complete the next available course in “Understanding Boundaries”, at his own expense.
- Dr. Ramzy shall pay to the College costs in the amount of $5,000.00, within thirty (30) days of the date of this Order.