Professional Conduct reports – June 2022

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Dr. Michel Prevost of Calgary suspended for unprofessional conduct

A CPSA Hearing Tribunal sanctioned Dr. Michel Prevost, an OB/GYN from Calgary, after he admitted to charges of unprofessional conduct.

Background

Dr. Prevost was accused of failing to maintain appropriate boundaries with a patient, failing to properly assess and treat a patient’s pain and, in violation of conditions on his practice permit, providing Botox injections for therapeutic use and prescribing monitored medications.

The Tribunal accepted Dr. Prevost’s admission of unprofessional conduct and their orders included the following, based on a joint submission on sanction:

• Prevost is suspended from practice for six months, with four months to be served and two held in abeyance pending fulfillment of the Tribunal’s remaining orders.
• Prevost must have a chaperone present for all patient encounters.
• Prevost is responsible for two-thirds of the costs of the investigation and hearing (final amount to be determined).

The Tribunal’s decision can be reviewed in full on CPSA’s website.

Learnings

Albertans are often at their most vulnerable when they seek medical care, putting their trust in physicians to do what’s best for their health and wellness. Physicians are expected to always provide the highest quality of care—in line with CPSA’s Standards of Practice—while maintaining professional boundaries in their physician-patient relationships. Physicians must also always be in compliance with any conditions on their practice permits—failing to do so is unprofessional conduct and undermines the ability of CPSA to regulate the medical profession, which can damage that trust placed in us by Albertans.

Dr. Max Klein of Edmonton guilty of unprofessional conduct

A CPSA Hearing Tribunal found Dr. Max Klein of Edmonton guilty of unprofessional conduct, for administering an illicit substance to a colleague without her knowledge or consent.

Background

It was alleged that in January 2015, when Dr. Klein was a fifth-year resident at the University of Alberta, he met socially with a fellow physician for whom he mixed an alcoholic drink. After consuming the drink, Dr. Klein’s colleague began experiencing strange symptoms. She was subsequently evaluated at the emergency room later that evening, where a toxicology screen came back positive for MDMA (also known as Ecstasy).

The Hearing Tribunal noted that Dr. Klein, whose registration with CPSA has been inactive since August 2015, did not attend the hearing. After considering all the evidence presented, along with testimony from several witnesses, the Tribunal ruled the allegations had been proven and found Dr. Klein guilty of unprofessional conduct.

Dr. Klein and CPSA will both have the opportunity to make submissions to the Tribunal on sanction, which will be finalized at a later date.

Dr. Hasan Hafiz of Calgary guilty of unprofessional conduct

Dr. Hasan Hafiz, a general practitioner from Calgary, was found guilty of unprofessional conduct by a CPSA Hearing Tribunal.

Background

Dr. Hafiz was accused of failing to respond to CPSA in a timely matter or at all over a period of two years, regarding concerns about his medical practice and a complaint and investigation into his conduct. Dr. Hafiz, who did not attend the hearing, has not been in practice since October 2020, when his registration was suspended by CPSA under section 65 of the Health Professions Act.

The Hearing Tribunal concluded that based on the evidence presented, the allegations against Dr. Hafiz were proven and amount to unprofessional conduct. Submissions on sanction will be considered at a later date.