Columbia University Irving Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, both in New York City, have reached a $165 million settlement with 147 former patients who reported sexual abuse or misconduct by a former gynecologist.
The settlement will be distributed among the women, who were patients of former gynecologist Robert Hadden, according to an Oct. 7 hospital news release.
Mr. Hadden — who practiced at the facilities and has not worked as a physician since 2012 — was convicted in 2016 in New York state court after pleading guilty to a criminal sex act in the third degree and forcible touching, according to the hospital news release. In 2020, he was indicted in federal court over allegations he sexually abused dozens of OB-GYN patients, including minors, from 1993 through 2012 at his Columbia University medical practice and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan. Now, Mr. Hadden is awaiting trial in federal court on eight criminal counts for the alleged sexual abuse over 19 years.
"We deeply regret the pain that Robert Hadden's patients suffered and hope that these resolutions will provide some measure of support for the women he hurt," Columbia University Irving Medical Center, which is housed under the New York-Presbyterian system, said in a news release. "All those who came forward should be commended. We are committed to the safety and dignity of every one of our patients and have adopted policies to ensure they are protected and empowered while in our care."
The recent settlement comes after a similar $71.5 million settlement was reached last year between the hospitals and an initial group of 79 women who were also patients of Mr. Hadden.
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