It's a database containing the names of more than two-thousand doctors who have been charged with professional misconduct with their patients, including sexual abuse. Among the names, there are at least two who once practiced right here in western New York.
One of them is Dr. David Plache. He served three years probation as part of a plea deal, for fondling three young boys in his Niagara Falls medical office. His criminal history pops up the minute you search his name.
Doctor Dharam Paul Garg is also listed on the website. He spent a year in jail after admitting he had sexual contact with a patient during an exam at his Depew office.
Neither can practice medicine in New York anymore. And that's the intended purpose of the website: to make sure you're going to a trusted physician.
Florina Altshiler is a legal analyst for 7 Eyewitness News. She said doctor/patient violations are the worst of their kind. “They did so during this special physician/patient relationship that has this elevated level of trust above and beyond say a stranger in the park while jogging in the middle of the night.”
That's why she thinks doctors should face tougher penalties. “There should be more jail time versus less jail time in cases like this because we're talking about people who not only committed a crime but also violated a duty.”
Medical professionals say you should do your homework when choosing a doctor. For more information, click here.
