A gynaecologist faces being struck off after being accused of a string of offences, including abandoning a woman in labour to have sex with another of his patients.
The New Mexico Medical Board took the decision to suspend Dr. Christopher Driskill, 42, from practising medicine, stating that not to do so would present 'a clear and immediate danger to the public health and safety'.
Chief among the accusations levelled at the veteran gynaecologist was that he repeatedly admitted women in labour only to leave them before they gave birth, despite efforts of staff members to summon him.
On at least one of these occasions, the board heard that married father-of-four Driskill's absence from the delivery room was due to his having 'sexual relations with another patient'.
On another occasion, an emergency caesarean had to be delayed due to his lateness in arriving at the medical centre.
Driskill is also said to have entered 'inappropriate notations of a personal nature' into patients'
medical charts, performed a pelvic exam without the required chaperone, and prescribed a controlled substance without maintaining medical records accordingly.
Furthermore, the board found that Driskill was 'under the influence of alcohol' at work, and kept a secret stash of booze in his office.
Even more shockingly, the explosive accusations came to light just five months before Driskill was due to become president of the New Mexico Medical Society.
After being asked to leave his practice in August, he allegedly requested a leave of absence from the Lea Regional Medical Center, where he also worked, without informing them of the allegations or his termination.
Driskill has the right to appeal before the board makes their final decision as to whether to permanently suspend his medical license.
Surprisingly, Driskill retains an improbably positive rating of 3.7 out of 5 on patient review website HealthGrades.com.