Policy: Sex abuse by doctors 'profound betrayal'

The nation's largest pediatricians' group has issued its first policy on protecting children from sexual abuse by doctors, citing a recent Delaware case and urging medical facilities to screen employees for previous abuse. Parents and patients also should be informed that they have a right to have a chaperone present during children's exams, according to the policy from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Training programs should educate future doctors about appropriate boundaries, and healthcare institutions should report suspected abuse to authorities and not quietly pass the problem doctor along to another institution. The marketing strategy is unique among hospital systems in the San Diego region and apparently uncommon nationwide. Some hospital systems have produced shows on medical issues, but programs that follow patient stories appear to be rare.