Dialogue Volume 12 Issue 1 2016 | Page 36

discipline summaries funding provided to patients by posting an irrevocable letter of credit or other security acceptable to the College in the amount of $16,060; and payment to the College in the amount of $17,840 for costs. Dr. Diane Elizabeth Egles Practice Location: Southampton Order For complete details of the Order, please see the full decision at www.cpso.on.ca. Select Doctor Search and enter the Doctor’s name. Practice Area: Family Medicine Text of Public Reprimand Dr. Brown, as a physician you have failed abysmally in your obligation to this patient. You knew how vulnerable she was. There is simply no excuse whatsoever for involving her in sexual activity. You either gave no thought to the propriety of the sexual relationship, or lacked the will to act in an appropriate manner. Regardless, you demonstrated an appalling lack of understanding of your role and obligations. Your ignorance of the dynamics at play was very troubling to this Panel. As a psychotherapist you needed to take particular care in regards to boundaries, yet you actively promoted a sexualization of the relationship. You had full responsibility to control and set the boundaries of your interaction with your patient. You indulged in gross impropriety, and in doing so sexually abused your patient and brought shame upon yourself. Such actions also reflect poorly on the profession and hard-working physicians who strive to serve patients in an honourable manner. Nothing short of separating you from the practice of medicine will suffice as just sanction. There is really nothing more to be said. On April 7, 2015, the Discipline Committee found that Dr. Egles committed an act of professional misconduct, in that she has engaged in conduct or 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. Egles admitted to the allegation. Dr. Egles entered into a contract with the Physician Health Program (“PHP contract”) dated January 8, 2009, which was amended several times between February 2009 and November 2011. In about August 2011, in breach of her PHP Contract, Dr. Egles wrote a prescription to herself in a colleague’s name and worked at a nursing home when her PHP contract prohibited her from working. The PHP reported these breaches to the College, which led to Dr. Egles entering into an undertaking with the College on April 16, 2012 whereby she agreed that if she failed to comply with her PHP Contract “…such action may constitute a breach of this undertaking, and an act of professional misconduct.” On April 18, 2013, the College received a letter from the PHP reporting that Dr. Egles was in breach of her PHP contract in several ways. As a result, the PHP suspended her monitoring contract. On October 31, 2014, Dr. Egles entered into a health monitoring undertaking with the College which includes restrictions on her hours of work and patient load. Full decisions are available online at www.cpso.on.ca. Select Doctor Search and enter the doctor’s name. Hearing Information: Agreed Statement of Facts, Admission, Joint Submission on Penalty and Costs Reasons for Penalty The Committee stressed the seriousness of the misconduct in this instance in that the member contravened her undertaking to the College of April 16, 2012. Dr. Egles did so in several ways: she had been “shadowing” a physician at a hospital when not per- 36 Dialogue Issue 1, 2016