To the Editor: In response to the article by Ms
Dehlendorf and Dr Wolfe1 about physicians who have been
disciplined for sex-related offenses, it occurred to me that others
might be interested in the initiatives undertaken by Colorado
physicians to address this problem and other boundary violations.
In 1996, a cooperative program was developed with the Colorado Board of
Medical Examiners, the Colorado Physician Health Program, and Copic
Insurance Company. This program focuses on the need for better
understanding and definition of boundary violations in the physician
community, including that of inappropriate sexual behavior with
patients. The Colorado Board of Medical Examiners has indicated that
this is a major cause of complaints from the patient population. Based
on that concern, Copic, the major medical liability insurance carrier
for Colorado physicians, and the Colorado Physician Health Program, a
not-for-profit independent organization developed by the Colorado
Medical Society and the Denver Medical Society to address physical and
psychological problems in the physician community, agreed to develop an
educational program for Colorado physicians. After review of the data
provided by the Colorado Board of Medical Examiners, the Colorado
Medical Society, the Colorado Society for Osteopathic Medicine, and the
Colorado Physician Health Program, a psychiatrist with proven
experience and clinical competency in managing physician boundary
problems was chosen to present a series of seminars for Colorado
physicians.