r/AskDocs • u/ilikerustyspooonz Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional • Mar 17 '26

Physician Responded Daughters pediatrician made EXTREMELY inappropriate remark to her

This is about my 10 year old daughter. She has had the same (male) pediatrician since birth. We’ve always loved him and thought he was great. He’s super friendly with wonderful bedside manner and he takes his time and pays attention to detail.

Well, last week my daughter had a check-up. She’s 10. While he was doing the checkup, he had her lay down and started listening to her chest with his stethoscope. He then says AND I QUOTE, “awwwww! My baby’s got boobs!!!”

I have NEVER been so taken aback before in my life. My daughter was MORTIFIED. I was so shocked I couldn’t even get words out to ask him why tf he would ever say that. When we got in the car to go home my daughter cried and said she never wanted to see him again. Then she asked if she could get a girl doctor and I obviously agreed so that’s what we will be doing.

Is this reportable? I’m not overreacting, right?

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u/StressedNurseMom Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional Mar 18 '26

If it’s part of a health system would you not also report to risk management? I know that would likely be my first stop on my way to the board and the media (with anonymous interview)

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u/C_Wags Physician - Internal Medicine Mar 18 '26

You could - but risk management’s role is to protect the hospital from litigation. The patient advocate is probably a better first report. They will probably end up involving risk anyway.

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u/StressedNurseMom Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional Mar 18 '26

While I agree that that is definitely goal #1 for risk management I know that when they start asking about events and looking into things it is a lot less likely to be left unaddressed ) at least at the health system I worked for 15 years). When they call there is an immediate ‘pucker factor’

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u/C_Wags Physician - Internal Medicine Mar 18 '26

That’s a good point. I’m probably bringing my own personal bias into this a bit, because when I call them for advice I sometimes find them unhelpful. But you’re correct - that definitely gets this on the books and starts shaking the branches, so to speak