discipline summaries
sary internal examinations and lack of sensitivity to
patients’ dignity and privacy are clear in the evidence
after 2002 (Patients 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 16, 17, 18, 19).
Dr. Chung cited the same out-dated texts to this
Committee that he had referred to in 2002 in support of his out-dated practices.
The Committee considered the above to constitute
a significant and compelling aggravating factor. The
Committee also took into account that Dr. Chung
had resigned from the College, no longer holds a
certificate of registration and signed an undertaking with the College never to reapply in this or any
other jurisdiction. This is a greater sanction than the
Committee itself had jurisdiction to order. Accordingly, the Committee is satisfied that Dr. Chung will
never again be in a position to provide medical care
to patients. Given the current findings and the absence of change over 10 years, the Committee would
be satisfied with no less in the circumstances of this
case. Protection of the public is thus achieved.
The findings and penalty in this matter should
clearly inform the profession that such conduct will
not be tolerated and that serious consequences will
follow this type of behaviour.
Order
The Discipline Committee ordered and directed that:
• r. Chung appear before the panel to be repriD
manded.
• r. Chung pay costs to the College in the amount
D
of $4,460 within 30 days from the date of this
Order.
At the conclusion of the hearing, Dr. Chung waived his
right to appeal and the Committee administered the
public reprimand.
Full decisions are available online at www.cpso.on.ca.
Select Doctor Search and enter the doctor’s name.
52
DR. ALVIN WAH WING LAU
Practice Location: Sarnia
Area of Practice: Family Medicine
Hearing Information: Agreed Statement of Facts and
Admission
On December 2, 2013, the Discipline Committee
found that Dr. Lau committed an act of professional
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.
This 2013 finding relates to an earlier Discipline
Committee order. On August 21, 2007, the Discipline
Committee found that Dr. Lau had committed an act
of professional misconduct and failed to maintain the
standard of practice of the profession, in that he failed
to conduct a physical examination of four obstetrical
patients and did not take a history of three of those
patients, but noted on the patient record that he had
done so. The Discipline Committee ordered, among
other things, that Dr. Lau’s certificate of registration be
suspended for 12 months (four months of which suspension would itself be suspended if Dr. Lau completed
College-approved courses in Ethics and Communications Skills) and that terms, conditions and limitations
be placed upon Dr. Lau’s certificate of registration,
including that he was required to have a monitor present for all patient encounters.
At the discipline hearing on December 2, 2013, Dr.
Lau admitted that he failed to comply with the terms,
conditions and limitations imposed by the Discipline
Committee on his certificate of registration on August
21, 2007, in that he permitted the monitor to be absent
from the room in response to specific patient requests.
(Dr. Lau testified that these were requests from male
patients who had medical questions about their genitals
or other sensitive areas.)
Dr. Lau also admitted that he did not seek guidance
or advice from the College regarding compliance with
the 2007 Order of the Discipline Committee where a
patient requested that the monitor not be present, and
he did not apply to vary the terms of the Order of the
Discipline Committee to address situations where a
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