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Doctor fired for inappropriate behavior, hired by Dignity Health

April 15, 2017

Dr. Andrew L. Koninsky

A doctor fired for having a sexual relationship with a patient, was hired by San Luis Obispo Oncology and Hematology Health Center, which is part of the Dignity Health network. [Bellingham Herald]

Andrew L. Kominsky allegedly had a sexual relationship with a woman he was treating for breast cancer. Kominsky began treating the woman in 2011. She died in April 2016.

A person with power of attorney over the woman reported the relationship to Kominsky’s former employer, PeaceHealth Medical Group. After investigating the claim, PeaceHealth fired Kominsky on May 10, 2016.

Kominsky than applied for a medical license in California and began working for Dignity Health.

On March 30, the Washington State Medical Quality Assurance Commission filed a statement of charges against Kominsky.

“The oncologist-patient relationship is one where the patient is exceptionally vulnerable,” according to the statement of charges. “Respondent’s (Kominsky) conduct is an egregious example of a physician taking advantage of a vulnerable patient whom he was treating for a life-threatening condition.”


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Taking bedside manner to a whole new level.


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What does her family say? Maybe they fell in Love, and not just him “taking advantage”? I understand the conflict, but Love usually wins.


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Maybe the person who had the power of attorney was just jealous? Sounds like vengeance..


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Indignity Health does it again! All this fake “non-profit” cares about is profiteering.


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Dignity Health where you can die with Dignity!!


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There are professional boundaries in place for a reason. Medical professionals are placed in a high position of trust, and this kind of behavior blurs the lines. If he wanted a relationship with this woman, he should have terminated the doctor/patient relationship FIRST– set her up with another doctor, give her time to re-establish, and THEN continue with the roles clearly defined.


He violated all rules of ethics here, he knew it. He made a choice and those choices have consequences.


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Thank you, CentralcoastRN- very well put.


As you aptly stated, “He violated all rules of ethics here, he knew it. He made a choice and those choices have consequences.”


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Everyone deserves a second chance.


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Maybe he’s one of those “professionals” who claim sex is therapeutic and therefore medically necessary. Hey, they’re out there!


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As a breast cancer survivor I can tell you if this person or any person was kindly supportive of me during my terminal illness or near terminal illness I wouldn’t care who he was or what he did. Not everyone stands by you, not many support you and very few people are able to put you ahead of their fears and needs. I say more power to him, leave him alone.


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Maybe this note was a bit forgiving of what really happens when you’re diagnosed with cancer. When the people you considered close friends stop calling and/or visiting, and when you family magically disappears, it’s takes a truly special person to actually support you. Consider this doctor: young, rich, and relatively good-looking… could probably have a wide selection of significant others, but he chose to be with a person with significant health challenges. This seems about a million miles away from the hoards of robot-like doctors out there, particularly in the field of oncology in the SLO area. Maybe medical school and the industrialized medicine machine didn’t quite beat 100% of the empathy out of this one doctor.


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Just because you are in a place where others are not supporting you–does NOT mean a physician (or nurse, or physical therapist, etc.,) should break their oaths to their profession, compromise their integrity, and move on into that role. The root of this issue lies within your statement “I wouldn’t care who he was or what he did”. Exactly. But just because your need was so great–does not mean the professional should go ahead and break the rules just for you.


I often wonder why people do not cultivate their own strength during such times–the resplendent Dark Night of the Soul. Or why they do not seek support groups. Or, why they seek physical relationships instead of spiritually based ones. Within our suffering lies stronger self-reliance and the ability to strengthen our connections with others, as well as our spiritual muscle. Cultivating a sexual relationship which is outside the rules of medicine and the law—is such a sordid second-hand choice.


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circlingthedrain: you make a lot of assumption here with your cynical and IMHO nonemphathetic response.

First of all, my need was not so great specifically, I have an amazing relationship with the Almighty God and had all the support I needed from Him. My strength came from Him and Him alone and it could have knocked you and this entire world off your feet. My spouse supported my decisions about treatment in a way that not many could have accomplished.

I was speaking of the population at large and in general in their attitude and fear about cancer and dying.

However, had I been single,and had I been terminal; let me assure that if there was a doctor, nurse or other “medical professional” that I developed a genuine passion for and it was returned; I would have been grateful to have the remaining time I spent on this earth being loved and cherished by that “professional” as a person.

I do not see anywhere in this article that she felt she was harmed, or left him a huge inheritance. This man (doctor) put his emotions at risk, and obviously his career to love a dying woman. Where is the problem?


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Here we have it: The therapeutic argument. Oh well.


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Wow. If 1/2 of this is true, SLOOHHC, you got some ‘splainin’ to do.


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Well that’s one way to get the bill down.(; )


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Dignity health. What more needs to be said? Except, garbage is, what garbage does. And of course, dignity sucks!


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