An anaesthetist who made a chronically ill patient feel devalued by discussing his own health problems before giving the woman a painful epidural injection has been found to have breached standards.
The specialist, known only as Dr B, appeared before the Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC) after the patient complained about a two-hour consultation in April last year.
The woman, who had suffered chronic back pain since an accident in 1988, felt a popping sensation in her lower back while sitting up in January last year. A doctor referred her to Dr B for consideration of an epidural steroid injection.
During the consultation, Dr B talked at length about his own health, which she said minimised her experience. She also found him rude and disrespectful.
After she agreed to an epidural steroid injection, Dr B asked the woman to loosen her trousers. He then pulled down her trousers to expose her lower back, without asking her if he could do so.