Each state has its own set of statutes and regulations on licensing doctors, accommodating patients who wish to file complaints, and releasing information about physicians who have been subject to discipline and legal action. On this page, we’re sharing the key findings regarding Minnesota, which we will continue to update as the series progresses.
Key fact: State law says that the license of a physician convicted of a felony-level criminal sexual conduct offense is automatically revoked. The state board in 2015 was in the process of implementing criminal background checks for doctors, as a result of new legislation. Deadline for completing them is 2018.
“Notwithstanding Respondent’s egregious conduct, it is recognized that it is not the function of Board to punish. … Our primary mission is to protect the public from further harm.”
— Minnesota Board of Medical Practice, commenting in the 1995 case of a doctor who had pleaded guilty to criminal sexual conduct with patients and was accused of having 21 victims. The board allowed him to return to practice, limiting him to male patients only. In 1999, it revoked his license, saying he had violated his agreement.
In January 2008, the board received a complaint that Kovanda had engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct, including suggestive language and suggestive touching, with a patient during clinic visits to discuss plastic surgery. The board investigated but decided that September to close the matter.
In December 2008, the board received another complaint alleging Kovanda had engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct with a patient during clinic visits following cosmetic surgery. The board decided then to ask the attorney general’s office to investigate his conduct with both patients. But after he appeared before the Complaint Review Committee in April 2010, the board decided to close the matter. But in January 2011 a third patient made similar allegations and also alleged that she and Kovanda had had sexual intercourse at his home following a post-operative exam at his clinic. The doctor said that the day of the sexual encounter, he had terminated his doctor-patient relationship with her.
The board noted that the complaint resembled those made by the first two patients and that Kovanda had said he “can’t explain why the three patients report similar experiences” during clinic visits and said he had implemented changes to his practice to prevent further complaints.
The board reprimanded him and required the presence of a female chaperone and other conditions.
Kovanda has not yet responded to a request for comment.
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