Healthcare professionals, like many other social media users, take to various online platforms like Instagram and TikTok to show different aspects of their careers, inform and educate, and even hop on viral trends. While some content can be seen as harmless fun, for those in the medical profession who took an oath to uphold certain standards however, the line between what is entertaining and appropriate is often blurred.
An Ohio physician learned this hard way when her medical license was permanently revoked by the State Medical Board of Ohio. Dr Katherine Roxanne Grawe, known on TikTok as ‘Dr. Roxy’, was accused of injuring multiple patients as she live-streamed their surgeries. Using the TikTok app, Dr. Roxy would speak directly into the camera and even answer questions from her followers while performing surgery.
One patient needed to have emergency treatment just one week post-surgery after Grawe perforated the patient’s intestine. The patient developed bacterial infections in her abdomen and loss of brain functions due to the amount of toxins in the blood. Two other patients would also experience issues as a result of Dr. Grawe’s care, or lack thereof.
Concerns over Grawe’s conduct date all the way back to 2018 and in November of 2022, her medical license had been suspended. Dr. Grawe told the Ohio Medical Board that she intended to educate her followers about cosmetic surgeries but can now see how some of her videos appeared to be ‘silly and inappropriate.’
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