Key lessons. Boundary violations can have devastating consequences for your reputation and career. The Board and regulators are strongly of the view it is unethical and unprofessional for a doctor to have a sexual relationship with a patient, regardless of whether the patient has consented to the relationship.
As doctors are intelligent and often passionate about their work, dating a doctor can be a wonderful experience. However, there are certain challenges that come with dating a medical professional. Spending time together can be difficult as doctors schedules are erratic.
It is never appropriate for a doctor to engage in a sexual relationship with a current patient. A doctor must only conduct a physical examination of a patient when it is clinically indicated and with the patient's informed consent.
A physician must terminate the patient-physician relationship before initiating a dating, romantic, or sexual relationship with a patient. Likewise, sexual or romantic relationships between a physician and a former patient may be unduly influenced by the previous physician-patient relationship.
A definite “don't” in any physician's playbook. The problem is that not every patient plays by the rules, and a patient prone to flirtation can create a dicey ethical dilemma for a doctor—or at least make office visits uncomfortable for physicians and staff.
This is fine as long as these boundaries are never renegotiated to the point of violation. Research has shown that somewhere between 1% and 12% of physicians report sexual contact with patients. However, more interesting is that up to 80% of doctors report a sexual attraction to their patients.
There's no rule to prevent doctors and patients from texting, but there are best practices. While the Joint Commission currently bans doctors from using text messages to order treatments, there's no such restriction on patients and doctors communicating via texting.
If a sexual relationship is inevitable, the patient or employee can no longer remain your patient or employee. The person must be referred to another doctor for care or dismissed as an employee. (Note: Some states never permit a doctor to date a former patient—no matter how much time has elapsed.)
“Physicians are authority figures and thus are in a position to directly influence others. It's not uncommon for patients to feel an attraction to their doctors, or other health care providers, especially when good feelings experienced between the two; where patients feel heard, understood and cared for.”
According to the American Medical Association (AMA), doctors need to end their physician-patient relationship before they begin any kind of romance with a patient.
One of the ways you can get the best health care possible is to be open and honest with your doctor. Coming out is always a personal choice, but it can actually improve the care you get from your doctor.
You must not pursue a sexual or improper emotional relationship with a current patient. If a patient pursues a sexual or improper emotional relationship with you, you should treat them politely and considerately and try to re-establish a professional boundary.
Physicians and surgeons
Female physicians and surgeons are most likely to marry male physicians and surgeons. Male physicians and surgeons are most likely to marry female physicians and surgeons.
One of the most disconcerting experiences a physician can have is realizing that he or she is strongly attracted to a patient. Many physicians believe they should be above such emotions or that their professional objectivity should neutralize these feelings.
92% of women would date a doctor, followed by lawyers, architects and property consultants (all 89%).
“In a clinical exam, patients consent to being touched. They haven't consented to any other intimate contact, however,” Reese writes. “Although some patients might welcome a hug, others might consider it an invasion of their personal space or a sign of attraction.
Depending on the caregiver in question, this phenomena can be called transference, although typically this word is only used when a patient develops feelings for a mental-health professional.
Abstract. De Clerambault's syndrome or erotomania is a condition in which a patient, usually a woman, develops a delusional belief that a man, usually older and of higher social status, is in love with her. This paper describes such cases where medical practitioners were involved.
The American Medical Association clearly states that sexual contact that is concurrent with the doctor/patient relationship constitutes sexual misconduct and that even a romance with a former patient "may be unduly influenced by the previous physician-patient relationship."
It is very likely for doctors to be attracted to and pursue a relationship with someone they spend a lot of time with. AMA Insurance reports in the 2014 Work/Life Profiles of Today's U.S. Physician that 40 percent of doctors marry other doctors or health care professionals.
Safeguard Against HIPAA Violations
Physicians and other team members must not communicate with patients using their personal text messaging systems.
Inappropriate Behavior
Belittling or berating statements. Use of profanity or disrespectful language. Inappropriate comments written in the medical record. Deliberate failure of cooperation without good cause.
“The therapeutic privilege permits physicians to tailor (and even withhold) information when, but only when, its disclosure would so upset a patient that he or she could not rationally engage in a conversation about therapeutic options and consequences”.