Vote expected on license for doctor accused of touching teens’ breasts

Dr. Arun Aggarwal practiced at Dayton Children’s Hospital.

The State Medical Board of Ohio is scheduled to vote Wednesday on whether to take action against the license of a doctor at Dayton Children’s Hospital accused of improperly touching the breasts of two teenage patients.

A medical board hearing examiner in March concluded that pediatric gastroenterologist Dr. Arun Aggarwal “engaged in sexual misconduct” with the patients and recommended stripping Aggarwal of his license.

RELATED: State hearing examiner says local doctor’s license should be revoked

Aggarwal was not charged with any crime after a nearly yearlong Dayton police investigation in 2015.

RELATED: No charges in case involving doctor accused of touching girls’ breasts

But a Dayton Daily News investigation found police and the medical board only found out about the case after a former manager at the hospital reported it on her own after pushing hospital administrators for months to report it to children’s services.

Dayton Children’s administrators opted to set up chaperoning policies for Aggarwal, but not report the incident to law enforcement.

Hospital officials released a statement in response to the newspaper’s questions about the Aggarwal case. “When allegations are made, we investigate them thoroughly and work with law enforcement and state authorities, consistent with Ohio law,” the statement says. “We seek to do so in a confidential manner consistent with the privacy rights of everyone involved until such time as disclosures, if any, are appropriate.”

RELATED: Records reveal hospital debate over sexual misconduct allegations

Aggarwal practiced at Dayton Children’s Hospital under a contract with Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine. He sued Wright State after his termination in 2015. That lawsuit is ongoing.

Wright State officials cited the lawsuit as their reason for not commenting on the incident.

Aggarwal said in medical board hearings that everything he did was for a legitimate medical purpose, and he doesn’t know why the patients and their parents misunderstood his actions.

Wednesday’s medical board agenda says Aggarwal currently resides in Mayfield Heights, outside of Cleveland.

STORIES FROM OUR YEAR-LONG SERIES:

LICENSE REVOKED: Doctor's license revoked after accusations of improper touching

SUSPENSION: Doctor: Medical board 'overreacted' in suspension

HUBER HEIGHTS: Doctor accused of sexual advances toward 13 patients

PRACTICING AGAIN: Dayton doctor suspended for two years allowed to practice again

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