A Queens assemblywoman is pushing a series of bills to increase transparency of doctors facing allegations of misconduct — and prevent a repeat of a notorious case of patient abuse by a deviant Columbia University gynecologist.
The three bills introduced last week by Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas were inspired by the City Council testimony in February of Marissa Hoechstetter, a Massachusetts woman who among nearly 20 patients who allege they were sexually abused by Dr. Robert Hadden — and who is now an advocate for reform.
“These abuses violate the Hippocratic oath and the public’s faith in the medical community. It’s time that sexual abuse by physicians is brought to light from the shadows,” Simotas said.
“I don’t want to demean the medical community because I think the vast majority care about their patients. But it’s about making sure things don’t slip through the cracks and that people who abuse the profession aren’t taking advantage of loopholes in the law,” she said. “I don’t think any medical professional who has nothing to hide would be opposed to having a background check done before their license is provided to them.”
One of the bills would require that all medical professionals pass background checks before getting their first license. New York is currently one of just six states without such a requirement.
A second would publicize information on how patients can report sexual misconduct at the hands of a healthcare provider. The third bill would require doctors to notify patients in writing if they are in the midst of Office of Professional Medical Conduct proceedings, on probation or have been disciplined.
“For over 20 years, my abuser retained his privileged position as a way to gain access to women’s bodies for sexual gratification,” Hoechstetter said in a statement. “By using direct language about sexual harassment and sexual assault, by clearly promoting where to report these crimes, and by conducting background checks, New York will unequivocally tell physicians that those who abuse their unique position do not deserve protection.”
A lawsuit filed by 17 of Hadden’s patients alleges a nurse first alerted supervisors around 1993 that he abused a patient. NYPD detectives questioned him in June 2012 after a patient said she was sexually assaulted, but the doctor continued to see patients for another two months, the suit says.
Hadden was sentenced in March 2016 for one felony count of a criminal sex act and one count of forcible touching, a misdemeanor, covering two victims. He was ordered to relinquish his medical license and register as a sex offender. Hadden avoided any jail time thanks to a deal with prosecutors.
The Daily News has reported some of Hadden’s victims felt betrayed by Manhattan District Cy Vance’s office because of the light sentence. They later learned Vance had accepted campaign donations from Hadden’s defense attorney. Vance denied the money had any influence on the case and has reformed his policies regarding donations.
