‘Thanks for the good time’: Gynecologist found guilty of making sexual remark to patient about to give birth

Just eight months after the end of a two-year suspension for using sexually abusive language with patients, a Québec gynecologist has been found guilty of making a sexual remark to a patient about to give birth at a Montreal hospital. Gynecologist Dr. Allan B. Climan also failed to have a female chaperone present while examining the patient—breaching a condition of his reinstatement of practice—and neglected to record the examination in the patient’s file, according to the decision document issued by the Collège des médecins du Québec. He is now awaiting a decision on sanctions, to be delivered at a still-unscheduled hearing. Read: Urologist suspended for not discussing failed vasectomy with patient who inadvertently fathers fifth child According to the decision document, on April 22, 2022, Dr. Climan performed a gynecological exam on a pregnant patient who had come to the hospital to give birth. After the examination, a nurse overheard Dr. Climan say, in a low voice “Thanks for the good time.” The nurse also noted that she'd never known a doctor to have taken as long to perform a gynecological exam, which in this patient’s case lasted about five minutes. When questioned by the college investigator, the patient testified she did not hear Dr. Climan—who had examined her only that one time—say anything inappropriate, and that she had confidence in him. Read: No biopsy, cytology or ultrasound: Ob-gyn suspended for missing patient's endometrial cancer While he didn’t deny marking the remark, Dr. Climan defended himself against the complaint by explaining that the words were not of a sexual nature but rather a “professional reassurance.” He confirmed that no other person was present when he examined the patient and that he made no attempt to ask any of the nurses or the other doctor on duty to attend the exam. However he asserted that he thought the situation constituted a medical emergency that required an immediate examination. In addition to being disciplined for sexual offences, Dr. Climan was also among a group of Montreal gynecologists who had accepted referral fees from a local ultrasound clinic. College investigators found he accepted $18,140 from Dr. Hinh-Sang Hum, who agreed in 2018 to pay $27,500 in fines to the college. Read: Quebec doctor fined $27,500 for paying colleagues for referrals to private clinic

‘Thanks for the good time’: Gynecologist found guilty of making sexual remark to patient about to give birth

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