Confronting Sexual Misconduct in Healthcare with Dr. Matthew Mazurek

In this episode of SoundPractice, Matthew Mazurek, MD, assistant professor of anesthesiology at Yale School of Medicine discusses his new book, Sexual Misconduct, Harassment, and Discrimination in Healthcare by the AAPL. Mazurek reveals sexual misconduct in healthcare occurs on multiple levels: - Confidential surveys show the problem remains significantly underreported. - Social media has created new avenues for inappropriate behavior, particularly among younger staff members. - Healthcare workers face harassment from patients more frequently than in other STEM fields due to physical touching and power dynamics. For healthcare leaders conducting investigations, Mazurek recommends: - Use two-person interview teams to avoid "he said, she said" situations while preventing respondents from feeling ganged up on. - Strip away who is telling the story and focus objectively on what happened. - Involve risk management early in high-stakes cases. - Maintain consistency in questioning and look for corroboration. Reality check: Lack of standardization across 50 state medical boards contributes to delays in addressing misconduct, with some physicians maintaining long histories of violations before consequences. Mazurek emphasizes prevention over investigation expertise: - Leadership must model appropriate behavior — executives engaging in misconduct set a tone of tolerance. - Training programs should use case studies in small groups to help staff feel the emotional impact, not just understand it intellectually. - Address microaggressions through comprehensive education on bias and stereotypes. - Create policies expressly covering social media interactions with colleagues as part of the work environment. The bottom line: Healthcare organizations must balance their duty to provide safe environments for staff with their obligation to care for patients, even when patient behavior crosses lines. Learn more about the American Association for Physician Leadership at www.physicianleaders.org.