Medicare bill from family doctor for his forbidden sexual affair

A GP had a sexual relationship with a vulnerable patient, claiming the affair as ‘treatment’ under national health insurance, and threatened to throw acid on her when she tried to end the relationship.

Melbourne doctor Faramarz Foroughi has been banned from practicing medicine for six years by the Civil and Administrative Court of the State of Victoria due to his misconduct.

The Australian Medical Association said Dr Foroughi and a vulnerable patient had sexual intercourse at the Sunbury practice where he worked until he stopped treating patients in December 2016.

For over a year, she was his last patient of the day, and he billed Medicare for her appointments.

The sexual relationship continued outside the practice until September 2019.

The court heard that his patient was particularly vulnerable and suffered from mental health and marital problems. The committee explained that Dr Foroughi’s relationship with his patient was characterised by manipulation on his part.

When the woman repeatedly tried to end the relationship and report him to the authorities, Dr. Foroughi threatened to take away her children and have them placed in an institution for medical reasons.

He also threatened to infect her with HIV, kill her and commit suicide.

On another occasion, he threatened to pour acid on her, but immediately retracted his threat and declared his love for her.

Dr. Foroughi himself admitted that the relationship had caused him “enormous personal costs” and acknowledged that he had “lost the career to which he had dedicated his adult life.”

He said medicine remains his passion, but he has not practiced medicine for nearly three years after the board immediately suspended him when his misconduct was brought to his attention.

The court, led by Jonathon Smithers, was clearly frustrated by his reluctance to admit his conduct and said there seemed to be a long way to go before the doctor accepted full responsibility for his actions.

“(It took) three years for his position to change to one of full acceptance of all the allegations made against him, including the manipulation and the threats of suicide and violence,” Smithers wrote in his report.

“It appears that providing the patient’s detailed information in October 2023, which included text messages and conversation transcripts, led to this acceptance.”

Mr Smithers said it was important that the court imposed a suspension for a specific period to make it clear to the doctor, the profession and the public that such “serious ethical breaches” carry serious consequences.

Dr. Foroughi is prohibited from practicing health care until he can apply for re-licensure in June 2030.

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