Frank advice to patient by doctor leads to Board inquiry??

In North Carolina, 77-year-old Dr. Sunderhaus, an eye doctor was treating a patient who complained that the doctor treated her beyond the bounds of decency when he told her that she was irresponsible for being unemployed, on Medicaid, and for relying on taxpayer money to pay for her pregnancy since she had given birth the year before.  Beyond that, and what apparently caused the Medical Board complaint, the patient reported that the doctor poked her in the thigh and said she was “fat”. 

Next, the plain-spoken doctor, began a letter campaign to defend himself.  He wrote to members of the Medical Board as well as the Governor to explain his actions.  In explaining the poke in the thigh, the doctor explained that Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in America and that as a physician he needs to advise his patients of possible health issues.  However, his blunt delivery of the point, that “thick glasses wouldn’t make her go blind but that Diabetes and thick thighs would” are the point of contention. 

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local_state/story/201354.html

The worst that could happen is that the doctor could lose his license over this.  More realistically he will get a public reprimand if the Board decides to do anything at all.  What do you think should happen to Dr. Sunderhaus?  Should he lose his license?  Should the Medical Board penalize him in some way?  Should the Medical Board be investigating this case of apparent blunt discussion and hurt feelings?  Let us know what you think.

~DocbLawg

 

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