‘Traumatic’ and ‘humiliating’ procedures: Montreal gynecologist suspended for 3 months

A Montreal gynecologist was suspended for 3 months and ordered to take training after pleading guilty to violating the ethics code in relation to 8 patients.

A Montreal gynecologist has been suspended for three months and ordered to take further training after pleading guilty to violating the ethics code in relation to eight of his patients.

According to a judgment issued last month by Quebec’s College of Physicians, Dr. Roberto Fernandez repeatedly humiliated, ignored, and didn’t listen to his patients.

Despite the disciplinary board concluding that the doctor is at a “high risk of reoffending,” it will allow him to continue practising after the suspension is over. He was also ordered to complete a six-month training program, set to begin this month, to improve his behaviour.

The 80-page decision from the Collège des médecins du Québec, released on March 20, recounts several complaints involving eight patients between June 2019 and December 2023.

‘There’s no point in screaming’

In one case, a woman identified as “Madame H” recalled how she was in “a state of shock” during an appointment in January 2023 for the removal of an Intrauterine Device (IUD) when Dr. Fernandez allegedly inserted a speculum without warning.

“I knew it would be painful, but the brutality with which he treated me is beyond words. Despite my screams and my body tensing up, he carried on, repeating, ‘There’s no point in screaming. Relax your buttocks,’” the patient said, according to a transcript included in the decision.

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“When he removed the IUD, I asked him to wait before inserting the new one. He replied, ‘I’m inserting the IUD,’ and proceeded to do so. Once he had finished, he stood up without saying a word and went to his desk.”

Admitted to the ER

She left the appointment in tears. Six days later, she was admitted to the emergency room at the Notre-Dame Hospital and another gynecologist diagnosed her with an infection inside the uterus, the fallopian tubes, and the ovaries.

When asked in the ER for the name of the gynecologist who fitted the IUD, the woman was told, “You’re the second person I’ve seen today because of him,” according to the disciplinary decision.

In another case in 2021, a patient identified as “Madame C” reported that she noticed lesions after a colonoscopy and requested a follow-up examination. She recalled how Dr. Fernandez kept interrupting her, used an “aggressive” tone, and rushed the appointment.

“The respondent told her: ‘Next time, don’t make an appointment with me for this; your GP is a grown-up, he’s capable of dealing with this himself,” according to the judgment.

‘Lack of empathy’

The experiences of six other patients over the four-year period are detailed in the college’s decision, describing “traumatic” and “humiliating” experiences.

CTV News attempted to reach Dr. Fernandez by contacting two of the clinics where he works but did not receive a response.

The disciplinary board said all of the patients reported the doctor’s conduct in the hopes that other women would not experience what they did.

“Several elements are common to their accounts, including a failure on the part of the respondent to listen, a lack of empathy and a patronizing attitude,” the judgment stated.

No prior record

Dr. Fernandez has specialized in obstetrics and gynecology since 2004 and has no prior disciplinary record. After pleading guilty to violating sections 17 and 18 of the Code of ethics of physicians, he told the board that he was sorry for his actions and acknowledged that he needs to improve how he communicates with his patients.

“I am fully aware that a doctor must conduct themselves impeccably towards their patients, which involves establishing and maintaining a relationship of mutual trust. I am aware that these obligations lie at the heart of the practice of medicine and I aspire to uphold them at all times,” he said in his statement of facts.

“I am also very aware of how intrusive a gynecological examination can be for a woman. It is therefore essential, in my view, to act with respect, attentiveness and understanding when carrying out these examinations, which directly affect an intimate and personal sphere.”

Dr. Fernandez has agreed to be accompanied by a nurse or nursing assistant during all of his gynecological procedures.

He must also complete the Canadian Medical Protective Association’s Clinical Communication Program, which helps medical professionals improve their communication skills and understand how to deal with difficult patient interactions.