Ohio governor Mike DeWine recently signed a bill that could have a tremendous impact on anyone who has experienced sexual abuse at the hands of a doctor.
Ohio governor Mike DeWine recently signed a bill that could have a tremendous impact on anyone who has experienced sexual abuse at the hands of a doctor. Senate Bill 109 would expand and accelerate the State Medical Board of Ohio’s response to sexual misconduct complaints. The legislation passed unanimously in both the House and Senate.
During the bill signing ceremony, Governor DeWine emphasized his dedication to justice. Previous involvement in the investigation into Ohio State University team physician Dr. Richard Strauss disheartened the governor. Strauss sexually abused hundreds of former students from 1979 through 1998, but was not held accountable for his crimes until decades later. In 1996, he was reported to the State Medical Board of Ohio. Still, he was not punished and was able to maintain his medical license.
Years after Strauss died by suicide in 2005, Ohio State University settled with 300 survivors for $60 million. The 2022 verdict was not reached in time, according to DeWine: “For the board to act with the level of urgency and decisiveness we would expect in these types of cases, we needed changes to the law to expand the board’s authority, to step in quickly when there is a clear program and to hold bad doctors accountable quickly for their actions,” he said.
DeWine supported extensive investigation initiatives into Strauss’ misconduct at Ohio State University. Through collaboration with a working group, he aided in the review of all sexual abuse allegations that had been investigated and closed without action over the previous 25 years.
Senate Bill 109 increases the authority of the State Medical Board of Ohio to hold sexually abusive medical professionals accountable. It includes provisions covering increased reporting requirements, earlier license suspensions, and additional transparency. The bill also prohibits certain healthcare providers from performing or authorizing another provider to perform an intimate examination on an anesthetized or unconscious patient.
According to Medical Board Executive Director Stephanie Loucka, the State Medical Board of Ohio is the only medical board in the country with a team dedicated specifically to sexual misconduct complaints. “We’re viewed as national experts and have trained other medical boards in best practices,” she said. Still, long-standing legal barriers caused detrimental delays for these cases. In their journey to justice, the board worked alongside the General Assembly, medical professionals, and other partners across the state to pass Senate Bill 109.
Board President Dr. Jonathan Feibel expressed gratitude for the courage of survivors and assured patients “today, and in the future, that when the unthinkable happens, the Board has the authority to act quickly and will do the right thing.”
Decades after Richard Strauss abused hundreds of patients, Governor DeWine believes that the new legislation represents significant improvement in the state’s efforts to better protect patients.
“It increases accountability for doctors, increases transparency for patients and the public, and gives our Medical Board the ability to intervene faster when misconduct is occurring. Ultimately, this bill will empower more people to take action when something is wrong,” he said.
Authors: Alexis Kabat and Andy Goldwasser
