BC doctor reprimanded for promoting his religious beliefs to Indigenous patient

A BC doctor has had his registration downgraded after he tried to sway Indigenous and vulnerable patients with his religious beliefs.

According to a Sept. 25 College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC decision, Dr. Bryan David Skrenes crossed professional boundaries by proselytizing his religious beliefs to two separate patients.

In 2020, and again in 2022, Dr. Skrenes talked about his religious beliefs in an effort to convert the patients.

The decision said he spoke about his own mental health challenges to an Indigenous patient who was vulnerable, and on a separate occasion, offered another vulnerable patient mental health services through his spouse.

The decision didn’t say what the Burns Lake doctor said to the patients or what religion he was pushing. It also doesn’t mention whether his spouse is a mental health professional, or in what way he was pitching his partner’s services.

Both incidents took place during virtual medical appointments.

Dr. Skrenes signed a consent agreement admitting to his behaviour.

“The Inquiry Committee was critical of the (doctor’s) conduct and noted that the conduct was contrary to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC practice standard,” the decision read. “The Inquiry Committee determined that disciplinary action was warranted due to the (doctor’s) failure to maintain professional boundaries and the need to deter similar conduct within the profession.”

The regulator downgraded the doctor’s registration, and placed him on a “Conditional – Disciplined” class of registration and ordered him not to work more than 40 hours per week or do any “on call” work.

The doctor also agreed to refer trauma-related psychiatric care issues to the appropriate specialist providers.

“And defer to other members of the health-care team to facilitate any necessary referrals when spiritual guidance might be indicated,” the regulator said in the decision.

The doctor also agreed to “cease and refrain” from any discussion of his personal beliefs, “including but not limited to refraining from proselytization.”

Along with the public reprimand, the doctor also has to complete a Professional Boundaries and Ethics course.

The College’s website showed Dr. Skrenes practices as a Tele-Health Primary Care Physician at the Carrier Sekani Family Services in Burns Lake Clinic.

The doctor graduated medical school in South Africa in 1986.