Hospital Investigates Its Former President

A Harvard-affiliated hospital is investigating its former president, who admitted last month to sexual misconduct with a patient, to determine whether any misconduct took place at the psychiatry hospital.

Jack M. Gorman was the president of McLean Hospital for four months before resigning abruptly in May 2006. He later reported the sexual misconduct to the Board for Professional Medical Conduct in New York, his native state.

“I have stepped forward and voluntarily acknowledged any mistakes I have made and in doing so have paid a huge personal price,” Gorman said in a statement yesterday.

The New York Department of Health declined to say where the misconduct had occurred. This week, the Mass. Department of Public Health asked McLean Hospital to investigate whether any patients at the Belmont, Mass. institute were harmed.

“Our main concern is the health and safety of the patients in the facilities that we licensed,” said Donna E. Rheaume, a spokeswoman from the Mass. Department of Public Health.

On Wednesday, The Boston Globe, quoting an anonymous colleague, reported that Gorman left his post at McLean Hospital because he had an attack of conscience after engaging in sexual relations with a patient.

The investigation into Gorman’s professional conduct surprised at least one of his colleagues.

“My past relationships have always been fine,” said Gerard E. Bruder, chief of the biopsychology division at the New York State Psychiatric Institute, where Gorman directed the Mental Health Clinical Research Center. “I’ve never had any problems with him.”

McLean Hospital representatives declined to comment on the incident. They did not return calls seeking comment on the investigation.

Gorman signed a consent order last month that suspends his medical license indefinitely and for a minimum of six months, and also imposes a probation period of five years. The conditions of probation require that Gorman be with another doctor when meeting with patients, according to Claudia Hutton, a spokeswoman for the New York Department of Health.

Anthony Z. Scher, Gorman’s lawyer, said that the punishment is reasonable given the circumstances. He said Gorman reached a mutual agreement with the New York Department of Health after reporting his actions to the board.

Gorman has also worked at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and Columbia University. He said in his statement that he hopes to “continue to make significant contributions in the field to which I have dedicated my professional life.”