Sex With Patient Causes Bergen County Physical Therapist To Lose License: State

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — A Bergen County physical therapist has lost his license for having sex with a patient, and was accused of "inappropriate comments" toward another, the state of New Jersey said Thursday.

Danny O. Steffens, who practiced in at least two facilities in Bergen County, agreed to having his license permanently revoked in order "to resolve allegations stemming from complaints filed by two female patients," according to Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division of Consumer Affairs.

The state said that on Oct. 22, Steffens appeared before the Board of Medical Examiners to answer questions about the allegations.

According to the state, he admitted to "multiple sexual encounters with Patient #1 while treating her at a facility in New Milford, NJ. He also admitted to sending Patient #1 text messages and explicit photos of himself that were sexual in nature."

But he said he didn't remember whether he made inappropriate comments to the second patient, whom he treated in Fort Lee, the state said.

The consent order filed on Dec. 4 prohibits Steffens from re-applying for his license to practice physical therapy in New Jersey.

“Any sexual activity between a healthcare practitioner and a patient is an egregious exploitation of trust that violates the most basic rules of professional conduct and can cause long-lasting harm to the patient,” said Cari Fais, director of the Division of Consumer Affairs.

“Protecting patients from sexual exploitation at the hands of healthcare professionals is a commitment we take seriously,” said Attorney General Platkin. “The action announced today demonstrates our continued success in working with our professional licensing boards to investigate and remove sexual predators from our professional ranks.”

The Enforcement Bureau within the Division of Consumer Affairs conducted the investigation.

Patients who believe that they have been treated by a licensed healthcare professional in an inappropriate manner can file an online complaint with the State Division of Consumer Affairs by visiting its website or by calling 1-800-242-5846 (toll free within New Jersey) or 973-504-6200.