Irvine Psychologist Accused in Sex Case Gives Up License

An Irvine psychologist accused of sexual misconduct has surrendered his license, and a Brea doctor accused of sexually touching his women patients faces the possible loss of his license, state authorities said Thursday.

Tom O’Connor, executive officer of the Department of Consumer Affairs’ Board of Psychology, said that Irvine psychologist Charles H. Horn voluntarily surrendered his license.

Horn, who had been licensed to practice in California since 1974, was charged by the board with gross negligence, sexual misconduct with a patient and presenting false insurance claims from 1984 to 1987.

The licensing board, in its complaint, said a former patient alleged that she had sought Horn’s expertise to deal with depression and high anxiety stemming from marital problems and two miscarriages.

After a year of treatment, the complaint alleged, Horn entered into a sexual relationship with the patient that continued after the therapy ended in 1987. After the affair, the patient allegedly was “devastated,” according to the complaint.

The complaint also alleged that toward the end of the therapy sessions, when the patient could no longer afford them, Horn gave her $60 in cash at the beginning of each session and then billed her insurance company.

Any sexual relationship between a psychologist and his patient constitutes exploitation of a patient and merits loss of professional license, O’Connor said.

O’Connor said Horn, in surrendering his license, has agreed to admit to the validity of the charges in the event he applies for relicensing. He said Horn also waived his right to a hearing and any possible appeal.

The law office representing Horn had no comment Thursday.

In another case, the California Medical Board is seeking to revoke the license of Dr. Lloyd K. Hamady after four women patients alleged that he touched them sexually. Hamady, a family-practice physician, treated the women between November, 1992, and last June 17.

San Diego Administrative Law Judge Joyce Wharton on Wednesday ordered Hamady to cease treating women patients until Nov. 22, when he will have an opportunity at another court hearing to address the charges and seek to have the restriction on his license removed.

Paul Spackman, Hamady’s lawyer, complained Thursday that “Dr. Hamady was denied any meaningful opportunity to explain the patient complaints or his medical practice” at Wednesday’s hearing.

He said that the alleged inappropriate touching actually was a legitimate part of routine examinations during which Hamady would measure a patient’s femoral pulse.

“This test measures the blood flow to the lower extremities of a patient’s body,” Spackman explained in a statement. “It only requires that a doctor place his or her fingers briefly on each upper groin of a patient to test their femoral circulation.”

He said Hamady performed this test as “an important component in a thorough examination of both male and female patients.”