Can't care for kin: Alberta doc hit with suspension and costs for treating family members

An Alberta doctor who treated family members for over a decade has been suspended for three months and ordered to pay 60% of investigation and hearing costs. Dr. Nirupa Srikisson, a general practitioner in Drayton Valley—about 130 kilometres southwest of Edmonton—also admitted that she had retrieved and reviewed the files of certain patients who were not under her care, according to the decision document issued by the hearing tribunal of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta. In addition to suspension and costs, Dr. Srikisson must also complete, at her own expense, a comprehensive occupational assessment for professionals. The cost is this assessment is about $10,000, according to the tribunal. Read: Conflicts of interest In Dr. Srikisson’s defence, her counsel noted that her circumstances “involve a close family unit with cultural expectations. While she accessed Netcare with their permission, she did not consider herself to be their physician.” The care received by Dr. Srikisson’s family members involved primarily prescribing medications, and she did not make any diagnoses or act as their primary physician. None of these family members were prescribed opioids or other controlled substances. Dr. Srikisson did not bill for any of the services she provider to her family members and had their permission to retrieve their medical records, said her counsel. Read: Don't date and treat: One-year suspension for doctor who treated colleague he had a relationship with However, the tribunal argued that Dr. Srikisson treated family members for non-urgent conditions that could have been treated by other available physicians. “In doing so, she acted in disregard for professional expectations and against the (Canadian Medical Association) Code of Ethics,” wrote the tribunal. “The tribunal recognizes that our desires and expectations to assist family members reflect the inherent obligations associated with personal, individual commitments to others and is not necessarily unique to one culture but is situated across cultures,” added the tribunal. “Dr. Srikisson made no submissions respecting any attempts to explore how she could aid her family and fulfill their requests without violating her obligations to her regulatory body.” In handing out its penalty, the tribunal ruled that one of the three months of Dr. Srikisson’s suspension period will be held in abeyance pending fulfillment of the other sanction requirements. Read: Doctor gets slammed for snooping into health records of politician, clinic staff and health authority employees

Can't care for kin: Alberta doc hit with suspension and costs for treating family members

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