Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Detecting Sexual Abuse In Medical Setting Can Be Challenging When Kids Are Taught To Trust Doctors
The New York Times: How To Keep Children Safe From Abuse At The Pediatrician’s Office
How can parents know if a doctor is touching a child in an inappropriate way? After scores of young women testified about being sexually molested by Dr. Lawrence G. Nassar, the former doctor for the American gymnastics team who was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison on Wednesday, their parents wondered how they could have missed the signs. Some were even in the exam room at the time but were unaware that anything was wrong. (Rabin, 1/26)
In other news —
Cleveland Plain Dealer: System To Screen And Credential Newly-Hired Doctors Can Miss Previous Sexual Assault Allegations, Ohio State Case Shows
Even when physician sexual assault or accusations of assault are reported to police or employers the cases often don't trigger one of the outcomes that would end up on a doctor's employment record or in the national databases that hospitals consult to complete background checks. That leaves employers free to pass along their problems, accusers feeling betrayed and patients with no assurance of safety. (Christ and Zeltner, 1/28)
