Toronto anesthesiologist charged with sexual assault of three patients

TORONTO - Allegations that a Toronto doctor sexually assaulted three female patients while they were under anesthetic had police making an appeal Thursday for other potential victims to come forward.

Dr. George Doodnaught was charged with three counts of sexual assault after three women alleged they were assaulted while undergoing surgical procedures at North York General Hospital between August 2007 and last month.

None of the allegations have been proven in court and Doodnaught has not yet had the opportunity to defend himself from the charges.

Investigators said Doodnaught worked at a number of facilities in the Toronto area and believed there may be more alleged victims.

"I cannot imagine how painful this must be for the patients and their families who have come forward," said Bonnie Adamson, the hospital's president and CEO.

"I speak for our entire hospital team when I say we are deeply shocked and devastated that something like this may have happened."

Doodnaught, 61, agreed to stop working at the hospital in February after a patient complained and the police investigation was launched, Adamson said.

"We've ensured he is not working at the hospital at this time," said Adamson, who wouldn't say if the action was temporary.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario has also been notified, and the hospital is co-operating with police in their investigation, Adamson said. The allegations involve one doctor and patients should feel safe at the hospital, she added.

While Adamson wasn't able to provide an exact figure, she said Doodnaught, who was a "very busy physician," would have been involved in several operations a day during his 28-year career at the hospital.

The police investigation will also probe whether the allegations are the result of vivid dreams that some patients experience as a result of the various medications and types of anesthesia, said Dr. David White, the hospital's chief of staff.

"One of the things that we know that anesthetics can do is cause dreams, vivid hallucinations, you know if you want to call them false memories, I don't know, but those are recognized side effects of some of the medications that are used under anesthesia," said White.

"When someone comes out of anesthesia... they can have a variety of experiences and memories."

While there are no cameras in an operating room, it one of the safest and most secure areas of the hospital, White added.

"A surgical environment is a busy place with many people coming and going," he said.

During an operation, a surgeon, surgical assistant, scrub nurse, circulating nurse and an anesthetist are usually in the room but they can come and go. It is possible for an anesthetist be alone with a patient, he said.

"In some settings it may occur," he said. "In the operating area that we have, usually there are a number of people who are present with a patient."

Adamson said the police investigation will identify whether any areas need improvement at the hospital.