Our view: 'Doctors have our ultimate trust.' Ohio must stop those who prey on patients
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Note: This editorial contains graphic descriptions of reported sexual abuse that may be offensive to some readers or painful to survivors.
There are few people we are more vulnerable with than our doctors.
On our physician's instruction, we ingest medications, change habits, submit to invasive examinations and — when circumstances call for it — agree to be sedated and displayed nearly naked on surgical tables for operations.
More:State medical board failed to protect Ohioans from doctors' sexual misconduct
Doctors have our ultimate trust.
But as Preying on Patients, a disturbing four-day series by The Columbus Dispatch, illustrates in graphic, but necessary words, Ohio doctors exploited the vulnerable and shattered the sacred trust that must exist between physicians and their patients thousands of times over the last four decades.
Equally as bad: An investigation of 42 years of records uncovered how the State Medical Board of Ohio failed to protect Ohioans from serial sexual abusers and harassers despite a clear, decades-long pattern of doctors preying on patients.
The physician-dominated medical board, even years before the Dr. Richard Strauss scandal unfolded, ignored or acted dangerously slow to investigate allegations of fondling, harassment, rape, and other despicable sexual improprieties.
More:'He deserved worse than what he got': Circleville doctor may have abused 150 patients
Some of the abuse occurred while the doctors' victims were sedated or otherwise incapacitated.
Major reforms are needed to Ohio’s medical board because, as the Dispatch series details, staggering flaws in the system make it far too easy for the medical board to put the protection of doctors over patient safety and public trust.
More than 250 Ohio doctors have been cited for misconduct over the 42 years the Dispatch investigative reporters examined, including 199 who abused or harassed patients.
Far too often, the board slapped predator doctors gently on the wrist, allowing their destructive and depraved behavior to continue. These parasites oozed through the cracks sometimes in plain sight.
The medical board was famously scrutinized over its handling of the allegations against Strauss who abused at least 177 Ohio State students, according to an Ohio State University investigation.
A medical board investigation found credible evidence of abuse by Strauss in the 1990s, but a state panel appointed by Gov. Mike DeWine found no efforts were taken to revoke his medical license or inform law enforcement.
Strauss case was just the tip of the iceberg.
The Dispatch team reviewed tens of thousands of chilling board disciplinary records.
There were dire consequences for the patients.
After years of panic attacks and nightmares brought on by the sexual trauma and psychological manipulation inflicted by Dr. Mark White, a 26-year-ol man died by suicide in his family's home, his parents said.
A woman recounted how at age 5 she was trapped between the legs of notorious Circleville doctor Ray Carroll and molested for several minutes. A medical board attorney told victims there were at least 150 complaints against Carroll.
A Hamilton man recalled that as a teen, he passed out while drinking beer and using Xanax at the home of twin pediatricians Robert and Mark Blankenburg. He woke up and found his pants off, pornography playing and discovered one of the Blankenburg twins had performed oral sex on him. Thanks to the doctors, the teen became hooked on drugs and the abuse continued.
Those cases represent just a sample.
There have been improvements.
Current medical board leaders say "new systems, people and processes" are in place to handle sexual misconduct complaints against doctors and support victims.
Progress to change the board started with the work group that examined the state’s handling of allegations against Strauss and other sexual misconduct allegations made against other doctors dating back 25 years. That group recommended the medical board review 1,254 closed sexual cases and re-open 91 of them.
DeWine's office helped the board add two investigators and a former prosecutor to specifically examine sexual misconduct cases.
What steps should be taken to protect Ohioans?
The medical profession is a noble one in Ohio despite the damage left by doctors who prey on patients. Physicians must be held to high standards and so should the board charged with overseeing them.
Stronger laws: The General Assembly should revive Senate Bill 322 which was introduced in 2022 by Ohio Sen. Bob Hackett, R-Springfield. The legislation would add a public member of the board to the investigatory team to increase oversight. It would mandate that doctors inform patients when they are placed on probation for sexual misconduct by the medical board. The board would be permitted to tell complainants where investigations stand and automatically suspend a doctor’s license for 90 days if they are indicted or if their license is suspended, revoked or surrendered in another state.
Dedicated investigator: The governor wants the medical board to form a standalone unit that would be dedicated to investigating the most serious sexual assault allegations. We agree. A team of experienced investigators could help ensure cases are correctly examined and processed.
Transparency: It is shocking that the board's investigators did not investigate each claim of sexual misconduct by doctors. They should be legally required to investigate all cases even when it comes to sexual abuse or harassment against doctors who work for the Veterans Administration or the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. It is imperative that the board continues to improve its communication and coordination with law enforcement agencies.
We rely on doctors and the vast majority deserve our trust.
The medical board should not be allowed to operate in the shadows. There must be true transparency when it comes to investigations and complaints.
The health of Ohioans is at stake.
Protecting patients from predatory doctors and fortifying the trust we must have in medical professionals has to be among the board's primary goals.
Note: This editorial was changed slightly from its original form to reflect the State Medical Board of Ohio's assertion that it now investigates every claim of sexual misconduct and has improved communications with law enforcement since 2019.
The Dispatch presents Columbus Conversations: Preying on Patients
When: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9.
What: This free town hall event will be hosted by Dispatch Opinion and Community Engagement Editor Amelia Robinson.
Where: It will stream live on Dispatch.com and the newspaper's Facebook page and YouTube channel. It will be available to view on those platforms following the event as well.
Guests:
Paula Reichelderfer, doctor sexual abuse survivor
Stephanie Loucka, executive director, State Medical Board of Ohio
Konrad Kircher, Cincinnati-based attorney who has represented patients abused by doctors in civil court
Mike Wagner, projects reporter
Max Filby, Sunday enterprise reporter
Jennifer Smola, projects reporter
Questions? Email questions you would like to ask panelists about the series to Amelia Robinson at Arobinson@Dispatch.com.
This piece was written by the Dispatch Opinion Editor Amelia Robinson on behalf of The Dispatch Editorial Board. Editorials are our board's fact-based assessment of issues of importance to the communities we serve. These are not the opinions of our reporting staff members, who strive for neutrality in their reporting.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: What steps must be taken to protect Ohioans from doctors who rape, abuse?
