Doctor who engaged in 'sexual fantasy call' and texted photo of penis to patient hit with 6-month suspension and $65,000 in costs

A Manitoba doctor who texted a patient pictures of a penis has been suspended for six months and ordered to pay $65,000 in investigation and hearing costs. Dr. David Howell Ames, a Winnipeg-based specialist in orthopedic surgery, admitted in a September 2019 letter to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba that he had sent the patient a photograph of male genitalia, purporting it to be his own, according to the decision document by the college’s inquiry panel. In addition to sending the photograph, he had sent several messages of a sexual nature–via text and a messaging app called KIK–and engaged in a “sexual fantasy call” with the patient, who was seeing him for a hip replacement. Dr. Ames also admitted that he had, during previous correspondence with college investigators, failed to accurately describe the communications he had with the patient. Read: Doctor who chose to do elective surgery instead of attending to severely bleeding patient must pay $85,000 in costs The investigation also took into account evidence from a third party–a mutual friend of Dr. Ames and the patient–who told college investigators that after the initial consultation, Dr. Ames had sent a text to the third party observing that the patient was “beautiful” or “hot,” and suggesting a threesome involving the patient. The inquiry panel noted that up until his hearing in April 2021, Dr. Ames continued to change his account of his encounters with the patient. While he admitted to some of the underlying facts in the case, he pleaded not guilty to all charges against him. “Dr. Ames’ changing narrative as to what happened between himself and (the patient) displays the elements of a strategic ‘cat and mouse game’ as opposed to being an earnest attempt to be honest, open, and helpful,” wrote the panel. “Given the foregoing, the panel has concluded that it is more probable than not that Dr. Ames attempted to mislead the college in his written communications and in his interview with the investigator.” Read: Manitoba doctor accused of inappropriately touching two patients agrees to leave medicine for good The panel found Dr. Ames guilty of failing to maintain appropriate professional boundaries, and of attempting to mislead the college in his written communications and in his interview with the investigation committee. Dr. Ames’ suspension, which took effect on February 1, will stay in place until he has been assessed and approved to resume practice by a psychiatrist or psychologist, and until he has completed remedial courses in maintaining appropriate boundaries and professional ethics. He faces a number of restrictions once he resumes practice, including a requirement to have a chaperone in attendance when seeing female patients. In issuing these orders, the inquiry panel emphasized the seriousness of Dr. Ames' misconduct, and said it was "particularly concerning because of his failure to appreciate the significance of (the patient) being a patient and his disregard for her vulnerability. The pain she was experiencing and the extent to which her normal living activities had been significantly disrupted meant that she was desperate for assistance when she was referred to Dr. Ames. The power imbalance in their relationship was pronounced and Dr. Ames was either oblivious to it, or exploited it for his own gratification." Read: Doctor who kissed stage-4 cancer patient mid-pandemic slammed for boundary and safety breaches

Doctor who engaged in 'sexual fantasy call' and texted photo of penis to patient hit with 6-month suspension and $65,000 in costs

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