General practitioner Dr Peter Alexakis was recently found guilty of malpractice and admonished for his "obtuse" and "suspicious" behavior by the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT). The Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) presented the case against him, resulting in a guilty verdict for professional misconduct and unsatisfactory professional conduct.
Dr Alexakis, an inherited $24 million from a patient whom he formed a "friendship" with in the months leading up to the execution of the will. The patient, known as Patient B, left the doctor a significant portion of his $27 million fortune, including the title to his $3 million home in Strathfield. The HCCC accused Dr Alexakis of exploiting the patient for financial gain and alleged that he visited the patient almost daily prior to the will being changed.
The tribunal expressed suspicion regarding Dr Alexakis' actions, stating that he was "obtuse or naive" in not considering the possibility of being named in Patient B's will. However, they couldn't conclusively determine if Dr Alexakis had acted with the specific intention of benefiting financially from the inheritance.
In addition to the inheritance issue, the tribunal found that Dr Alexakis had also violated professional boundaries and interfered with treating doctors while Patient B was in the hospital. They criticized his record keeping and inappropriate Medicare claims related to home visits to the vulnerable patient.
Dr Alexakis will face further consequences in a later hearing, where the tribunal will determine appropriate measures to protect the public's health and safety. These could include conditions on his practicing certificate or the revocation of his license. Currently, he is permitted to continue practicing medicine.
