A Chatham doctor has had his licence suspended by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario for 10 months for inappropriately giving his wife medications.
At a disciplinary hearing, Dr. Timothy Rourke admitted to inappropriately prescribing and/or providing medications to his wife at the time, failing to maintain medical records of the medications that he prescribed or provided to her, and failing to discuss with her the risks, benefits or potential side effects of the medications that he prescribed or gave her.
Rourke also admitted that he committed acts of professional misconduct that would reasonably be regarded as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional by failing to comply with college policy regarding the treatment of a family member or a person close to him.
The unidentified patient complained in 2018, and the investigation found that she was given medication between October 2011 and December 2013 and in October 2017. The college said two of the drugs that Dr. Rourke prescribed or provided to the patient were not medically indicated. None of the prescribed medications were narcotics and only one was a controlled substance, the hearing was told.
The college tribunal also deemed that Dr. Rourke also improperly stored 5,000 pills, including controlled substances such as hydromorphone, oxycodone, lorazepam, and clonazepam and failed to dispose of prescription medications and samples from his medical practice. Some of the medications had expired 10 years earlier.
His licence was suspended for 10 months retroactive to October 14, 2021 and he must take medical ethics classes. Dr. Rourke also has to pay $6,000 in costs to the college.
The 61-year-old family physician has practised at the Chatham-Kent Community Health Centres (CKCHC) since May of 2017 and at the Leamington Community Health Clinic in 2016.
"He accepted responsibility and admitted his misconduct, obviating the necessity of what was anticipated to be a week-long contested hearing," wrote the tribunal in handing down its decision. "At least some of the misconduct (prescribing medications to his now-former spouse and collecting medications from his previous clinics appears to have ended prior to the involvement of the College, and all of the misconduct concluded upon the search of and seizure from his home in November 2018."
Dr. Rourke has practised family medicine for over 33 years and has no history of disciplinary action. The college was being asked to shut down his practice but denied it because there were no other patients involved and he had no prior violations of college policy.
Under college policy, family doctors in Ontario cannot treat family members unless it's for a minor condition or an emergency.
The Executive Director of the Chatham-Kent Community Health Centres, Sherri Saunders, said Dr. Rourke openly informed her of the allegations. Saunders said the health centres are adhering to the disciplinary conditions and restrictions imposed by the tribunal.
"Dr. Rourke will be on a leave of absence from the organization until his practice restrictions are lifted as of August 14, 2022," read a statement from CKCHC. "Client care will not be interrupted as primary care coverage for Dr. Rourke’s full roster of clients has been organized at our Chatham CHC site."