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Melfort doctor may face discipline by College of Physicians and Surgeons

Dr. Steffen of Melfort faces charges of: Unprofessional Conduct, Improper Prescribing and Dishonesty from the CPSS
Nicole Goldsworthy / Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Nicole Goldsworthy / Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon.Google Earth

MELFORT – A Melfort physician may face potential discipline on charges that were filed with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan on June 8. The charges are: Unprofessional Conduct, Improper Prescribing and Dishonesty 

There are three charges against Dr. Robert Steffen. The first charge was to have allegedly happened on Feb. 3, 2019, where Dr. Steffen is said to have struck a nine year old in the face for disobeying a direction.  

The second charge was said to have happened on or about Feb. 29, 2023 when an eight years old attended his office for an appointment with his mother. It was stated in the CPSS report that when Dr. Steffen tried to provide care to the patient who was not cooperating and began to pull on a piece of medical equipment, at which point Dr. Steffen is accused of pulling the patient off of the clinic bed by their arms and placed them on the ground; then picked them to be spanked him across the buttocks area, then forcibly placed back into the chair. 

The third charge accuses Dr. Steffen of inappropriately prescribing himself medication between 2019 to 2023 on more than one or more occasions. When notified by the CPSS of the complaint it states that Dr. Steffen responded by letter. The CPSS said that the letter contained false and /or misleading information as to the following:  

  1. the number of times he had self-precribed medication,  

  1. types and/or number of medications he prescribed for himself; 

  1. the reasons for and/or circumstances in which you had self-prescribed medication. 

All the charges can be found on the CPSS website at College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan Home (CPSS) 

These allegations of unprofessional conduct as set out in the charge have been referred to the CPSS discipline committee. The allegations in the charges have not been admitted, nor has there been a hearing before the discipline committee to determine whether the allegations in the charge will be proved. 

A physician who denies some or all of the allegations in a charge is entitled to a hearing before the discipline committee to determine if the allegations in the charge are established by the evidence at the hearing. The role of the CPSS is to serve the public by regulating the practice of medicine and guiding the profession to achieve the highest standards of care.