Saskatoon skin care doctor banned from medical practice
SASKATOON A Saskatoon cosmetic doctor behind a line of esthetic clinics in Western Canada is prohibited from providing health care in Saskatchewan following a series of complaints from patients in Ontario.
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan says Dr. Naveen Tandon of Physician Skincare Centre on Eighth Street was banned from providing primary health care in the province last month.
Documents from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario detail how that college investigated Tandon in the past, with investigations finding that he falsified a document, would charge for unnecessary procedures and tests and cut corners.
In one instance, an investigator found Tandon failed to diagnose a patient with cancer until it was incurable.
College documents say that in 2014 a patient complained that Tandon failed to provide her with diagnostic testing after she complained of pain. The cause of the pain was later identified as breast cancer.
The independent assessor contracted by the college said Tandon’s failure to meet the standard of care resulted in the cancer being discovered after it was incurable. According to college documents, Tandon did not co-operate with a college investigation into the complaint.
A summary of a decision of a College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario committee says the committee found Tandon “struggles with a very abrupt, cavalier, impulsive and inconsiderate approach to patient care” and may have “directed or participated in a practice structure designed to optimize financial gain at the expense of patient care and compliance with laws and regulations.”
In response to the investigations against him, Tandon signed an undertaking on Sept. 5, 2019, agreeing not to provide health care in Ontario. The undertaking states Tandon would inform all jurisdictions where he holds a licence about the restrictions within five days.
The undertaking ’s letterhead indicates Tandon was then working in Saskatoon at Physician Skincare Centre, a cosmetic centre offering services like Botox injections and skin tightening.
Bryan Salte, associate registrar of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan, said Tandon did not inform the regulator about the restrictions imposed on him in Ontario.
Salte said the college’s council recently learned of the restrictions from its Ontario counterpart and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan banned Tandon from providing primary care in Saskatchewan last month.
The website for Physician Skincare Centre says it operates facilities in Edmonton, North Vancouver, Regina and Saskatoon and is “poised to revolutionize modern self-care opportunities of medical esthetics, offering luxury, hightech and natural products and services to all, and simultaneously building individual confidence.” Tandon’s name is not listed on the website.
According to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan registry, Tandon has worked as a general practitioner at the Westgate Medical and Minor Emergency clinic in Saskatoon, a private walk-in clinic that is not affiliated with the Saskatchewan Health Authority. That clinic did not respond to requests for comment on when Tandon last worked there.
Tandon did not respond to multiple requests for comment sent to Physician Skincare Centre. A lawyer who has made submissions on Tandon’s behalf declined to say whether Tandon was still a client.