Manchester doctor disciplined for sexual relationship with employee/patient

A Manchester family practice doctor was disciplined by the Iowa Board of Medicine last week for having a sexual relationship with an employee who also was his patient, and for failing to report his hospital suspension which resulted from the relationship.

Dr. Nikolas May, a family practice and obstetrics physician with Regional Family Health in Manchester, received a citation and warning from the board for engaging in “sexual misconduct” and failing to report hospital discipline “in violation of laws and rules governing the practice of medicine in Iowa,” according to the final order of the Iowa Board of Medicine filed Oct. 17.

He also must pay a $3,000 civil penalty.

The board alleged May committed “unprofessional and unethical misconduct” by engaging in sexual conduct with a patient, “regardless of whether the patient consented” to the relationship, the document states.

The documents don’t explain the employment of the patient.

May also failed to report a hospital disciplinary action to the board. He received a 30-day suspension from the hospital where he worked as a result of the relationship.

May accepted a settlement agreement and waived a contested hearing, including his right to have a judicial review of the board’s order. He was cited and warned that engaging in similar conduct in the future may result in “further disciplinary action against (his) Iowa medical license.”

The imposed $3,000 civil penalty must be paid within 20 days of the order and be made payable to the Treasurer of Iowa, which is deposited into the State General Fund, according to the board document.

The board also required May to complete a board approved “professional boundaries” course within 90 days of the order.

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