MELFORT – A four-month suspension was handed down to Dr. Robert Steffen of Melfort by the Council of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan on Nov. 28.  

The CPSS held a discipline hearing charges of unprofessional conduct, improper prescribing and dishonesty. The charges were admitted to by Dr. Steffen, according to information provided by the CPSS by email to SaskToday.  

The information describes the charges:

The first charge described him pulling an eight-year-old patient off of a clinic bed and then spanking him across the buttocks area on or about Feb. 29, 2023.

The second charge was to have happened on Feb. 3, 2019, where Dr. Steffen is said to have struck a nine year old in the face for disobeying a direction. 

The third charge was of inappropriately prescribing himself medication between 2019 and 2023 on one or more occasions. 

The fourth charge was of unbecoming, improper, unprofessional, or discreditable conduct by providing false and/or misleading information to the CCPS. 

According to information from the CPSS, the council suspended Dr. Steffen for a period of four months, commencing Dec. 2, 2024 to March 31, 2025. There is also to be a reprimand, which will be in written format. Dr. Steffen was also directed to pay the costs of and incidental to the investigation and hearing in the amount of $8,853.55 by the date of May, 31, 2025.  

The CPSS also required Dr. Steffen to successfully complete an ethics and professionalism course and an anger management course. If Dr. Steffen fails to complete the course in the directed timeframe, his licence will be suspended until the courses have been successfully completed, states the information. 

The CPSS information also stated, in answer to a question posed by SaskToday, “While a fine is a possible term of a penalty order when there is a finding of unprofessional conduct, that is not common except in response to unprofessional conduct involving a financial benefit to the physician. Dr. Steffen was not fined.” 

Subject to complying with the terms of the penalty order, stated the email, Dr. Steffen will be able to return to practice when his suspension ends.