Dialogue Volume 12 Issue 1 2016 | Page 45

discipline summaries a) o btaining weights and urine dips in his prenatal patients; b) charting pre-operatively and post-operatively; c) obtaining or documenting informed consent; d) o btaining appropriate pre-operative medical and/or anesthetic consults when indicated; e) f ollowing up appropriately and in a timely manner in his gynecological and obstetrical practice; and f ) c ommunicating with physician and nursing colleagues about his availability and/or lack of availability and/or when he was or was not taking responsibility for his patients who presented at or were admitted to hospital. Reasons for Penalty As part of the penalty order in this case, Dr. Prévost signed an undertaking to resign his certificate of registration with the College and not to apply or re-apply for registration as a physician to practise medicine in Ontario. Dr. Prévost also agreed never to practise obstetrics or gynecology in any jurisdiction after his resignation. The factors of most concern to the Committee in the determination of penalty include, but are not limited to: • a glaring lack of clinical judgment across the entire spectrum of his obstetrics and gynecology practice, • a blatant disregard for the welfare of his patients and for patient safety, • a cavalier attitude towards both patient care and relationships with colleagues, • a failure to follow accepted clinical practice guidelines expected of a competent specialist, • a failure to document and therefore obtain informed consent for medical treatments that carried significant material risks to patients, • the very real and potential harm to patients including failed pregnancy terminations, infants born with congenital anomalies and abandoning patients in critical medical situations, • inadequate, often non-existent medical recordkeeping, • a failure to follow up on serious test results, and • a failure to communicate with colleagues with respect to transfer of care. Counsel for the College highlighted the issues surrounding the seven cases involving med X