A Guelph psychiatrist has had his licence to practice in Ontario revoked for sexual abuse of a patient and a host of other professional misconduct findings.
George Glumac, who worked out of his south Guelph home, is no longer eligible to practice in Ontario after the Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons found him guilty of sexual abuse of a patient, failing to maintain standards of the profession and engaging in disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional conduct.
“The Discipline Committee also found that Dr. Glumac is incompetent,” read the discipline committee’s findings.
Glumac did not appear at his discipline committee hearing to answer to the charges and did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The charges stem from a relationship started with a patient that came to him for therapy beginning in 2008.
Things got unprofessional very quickly.
“Dr. Glumac would begin his sessions with Patient A by praying with her, either by placing his hands on her shoulders and invoking a blessing; or by having Patient A kneel on the floor at his feet with her body between his knees, placing his hand on her head, and invoking a blessing,” reads the ruling.
He called the patient “little buddy” and she called him “George.”
Next, Glumac introduced the patient to his friend who she proceeded to hire as her business advisor. The patient later incurred significant debt, the ruling says.
In 2009 the patient underwent a mastectomy and was recovering at a respite facility when Glumac visited her, went to an isolated area of the home and kissed her for 15 minutes.
A few days later he visited the patient again and lay with her on a bed, spooning her from behind. She reported feeling his erection pressing against her.
He later borrowed $20,000 from his patient for a charity he said he ran that he initially failed to pay back. When the patient threatened to report him, Glumac went to her home and threatened to stop prescribing medication to her. Later he offered her an additional $20,000 if she didn’t report him.
In 2012 the patient and her husband reported Glumac to the college.
He has since paid back the patient.
An investigation by the college determined that Glumac had treated the woman poorly, including potential overmedication.
There were several incidents that the college felt showed unprofessional behaviour and incompetence in his treatment of the woman.
The doctor that conducted the investigation into the allegations for the college felt Glumac “poses a risk to other patients.”
Glumac also has been ordered to reimburse the college $16,000, pay a fine of $5,000 and appear before the college’s discipline committee for reprimand.