Consumer Law

New York Hospitals - As If We Didn't Have Enough to Worry About

By Joe Consumer

It?s been awhile since New York?s abysmal Office of Professional Medical Conduct (OPMC), which is supposed to weed out New York?s bad doctors, has popped up on ThePopTort.  We were hoping things had gotten better over there in the past few months.  Guess not.

This time, we find out that OPMC refused to lift the license of a doctor with a long record of sexual harassment.  This has now led to years of abuse of female personnel at a Queens New York hospital and a $15 million jury verdict.  According to news reports, this hospital knowingly allowed a doctor with a long history of sexual harassment ?to abuse female staffers for eight years.?  The 55-year-old nurse who had the courage to bring the suit said ?said she suffered prolonged torment at the hands of Dr. Matthew Miller, ending when he sexually assaulted her at Flushing Hospital in 2001.?

Here?s what the New York Daily News reported:

In 1996, he was charged with having a two-year sexual relationship with a troubled, alcoholic female patient for whom he was prescribing anti-anxiety drugs, according to the state's Office of Professional Medical Conduct.

Citing his "moral unfitness to practice medicine," the board sanctioned Miller with three years' probation, during which he was allowed to continue working at Flushing Hospital.

Following Miller's attack on Bianco, the misconduct board suspended his license for two months and slapped him with another three years' probation. Miller's admitting privileges at Flushing Hospital were then yanked.

So that's it.  The nurse who sued said she was ?stunned Miller was allowed to keep his license - and said she just wants to warn others so the same thing won't happen to them.?

Full post as published by ThePopTort on February 24, 2009 (boomark / email).