Dr Suman Khulbe, an Indian-origin physician in Canada, lost her registration to practice medicine in her province after she admitted that she engaged in sexual abuse of one male patient and conducted herself unprofessionally with two others whom she professed her love. A panel was set up to look into Dr Khulbe’s conduct and they concluded that Dr Khulbe did not see her patients as patients. “She saw them as her friends, her social life, her athletic life and her business partners,” the panel noted adding that the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario has a zero tolerance policy to sexual contact between a doctor and a patient even when the contact would be otherwise considered consensual.Khulbe “had a sexual relationship with one patient and deep personal relationships with others. She had business relationships with two of these patients,” said the decision.According to the National Post, Khulbe will now appeal against the outcome. “Many facts of my case were omitted and not brought out during the public hearing. Attending this contested hearing came at considerable financial and personal sacrifice to both me and my parents in order for my voice to be heard,” Khulbe issued a statement to NP.
Parties at clinic with patients, use of procaine, alcohol
The tribunal said Dr Khulbe hosted social gatherings with her patients at her clinic where alcohol was consumed and procaine was administered. Procaine is a local anesthetic used for anesthesia, peripheral nerve block, and spinal nerve block.
Gym trainer claimed Dr Khulbe gave him deep tissue physical therapy
Khulbe started practicing as a family physician in 2001, boughgt a house in Kanata which became her private clinic. She joined a local gym in 2015 and one of the gym trainers was one of the complainants. The trainer said he was under her treatment for vitamin therapy which then converted to physical therapy for muscle recovery etc. Dr Khulbe would do breathing exercises while she had her hands on his genitals, he said, according to court documents.The trainer claimed the sexual acts between them included Dr Khulbe performing oral sex, kissing and manual stimulation. He said he was under the influence of procaine everytime those acts took place. In 2018, Dr Khulbe gave up family practice and started an executive practice where patients get a holistic approach to healthcare. Khulbe and the trainer discussed about starting a business of sports nutrition. Other patients claimed they were given procaine by Dr Khulbe and Dr Khulbe told them that she loved them. Dr Khulbe has earlier called the witch hunt against her an extortion tactic. She said she had a close relationship with the gymtrainer whose statements have been weaponized in the case.
‘Raised in Indian home with traditional values’
Dr Khulbe, while testifying before the tribunal, said she was raised in an Indian home with traditional values. She admitted to having engaged in sex with the trainer and claimed that they were in a relationship. She told the tribunal that she called her vitamin shots ‘procaine’ as it rhymed with cocaine.
