DISCIPLINE SUMMARIES
DR. MEHDI HORRI
PRACTICE LOCATION: Pembroke
AREA OF PRACTICE: Family Medicine
HEARING INFORMATION: Admission; Agreed Statement of
Facts; Contested Penalty Submission
On September 26, 2016, the Discipline Committee
found that Dr. Horri committed an act of profession-
al misconduct, in that he 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 by having engaged
in a sexual relationship with a patient too soon after
the termination of the doctor-patient relationship.
Dr. Horri, a 51-year-old family physician, now
practises family medicine in Saskatchewan. He
graduated in 1998 from the University of Tehran in
Iran. He obtained a certificate of registration autho-
rizing independent practice in 2015.
Patient A was in her early twenties when she
became a patient of a family doctor, Dr. X, who
practised at the Pembroke Regional Hospital. Dr. X
diagnosed Patient A with depression with suicidal
ideation. Dr. X prescribed antidepressants to Patient
A. During her third and final visit, Dr. X diagnosed
Patient A with insomnia second to depression and
found that Patient A did not presently have suicidal
or homicidal thought process, prescribing her a dif-
ferent anti-depressant and sleep medicine. Following
this appointment, Dr. X began a maternity leave.
Patient A agreed to continue to attend for appoint-
ments with Dr. Horri, who was acting as a substitute
during Dr. X’s leave.
DOCTOR-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP
Dr. Horri saw Patient A between January and June
2010, continuing the care plan commenced by Dr. X
and providing Patient A with ongoing support and
medication management.
Patient A describes that, because Dr. Horri was a
medical professional whom she would not have to
see again, she disclosed personal information to Dr.
Horri that she had not previously disclosed to any-
one. Dr. Horri provided Patient A with support for
ongoing personal challenges, depression, anxiety, and
sleep difficulties. Dr. Horri renewed prescriptions to
Patient A for anti-depressants and sleep medicine.
During their appointments, Patient A recollects
that when she would share with Dr. Horri details of
her familial challenges, Dr. Horri would tell her that
he could relate to what she was experiencing given
his own experiences with his family of origin.
POST-TERMINATION SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP
Patient A’s final appointment with Dr. Horri in June
2010 was the termination of their doctor-patient
relationship. Following that appointment, Patient
A dropped off a thank you note for Dr. Horri at his
office.
Dr. Horri looked up Patient A’s phone number in
her medical file. He called her to thank her for the
card, to offer his ongoing friendship, and to suggest
that Patient A call him if she needed a friend.
Patient A describes that, at this point in her life,
she was fairly isolated from her support network.
Dr. Horri and Patient A developed a friendship
over the subsequent weeks. They met on a few occa-
sions for coffee or walks together.
Approximately two weeks after Patient A’s last ap-
pointment with Dr. Horri, Dr. Horri visited Patient
A’s apartment. After watching a movie together, they
had sexual intercourse.
Patient A describes that she was scared and upset
because they did not use a condom and she was wor-
ried about pregnancy. Dr. Horri left $200 on Patient
A’s nightstand, which Patient A found highly insult-
ing. Dr. Horri intended this as a supportive gesture.
Dr. Horri left shortly thereafter for Thunder Bay
where he entered the Family Practice anesthesia pro-
gram at the Northern Ontario Medical School.
After his departure, Dr. Horr