More Women Come Forward Against Advocate Christ Doctor, Police and Attorneys Say

Criminal and civil investigations are mounting against an Advocate Christ Medical Center doctor accused of touching a female patient inappropriately.

Chief Mike Kaufmann said a second woman has come forward to make a report against Dr. Rajat Prakash, but no charges have been filed.

“It’s her word and without anything else to corroborate it we don’t have anything to go forward with,” he said. “It’s still a matter of investigation.”

Prakash, 46, of Oak Brook, appeared in court Tuesday on a misdemeanor battery charge .

Rick Murphy, an attorney representing at least five women, said he and others have been working on an investigation of their own involving patients and family members of patients, leaving the door open for a civil suit. Since the first allegation was made public, Murphy said, others have come forward.

“There have been more phone calls than clients we’re representing,” he said. “Some just wanted to share their stories and some were past the statute of limitations (to sue). This isn’t something new.”

Murphy said one woman was so severely affected by her encounter with Prakash that she has been receiving on-going therapy, and he’s looking into whether the doctor was intentionally over-prescribing pain killers.

Prakash declined to speak with Patch, but his attorney, Nicholas Faklis, said he had no knowledge of other complaints, adding, “It seems to me that these lawyers are trying to stir up stuff for their civil case.”

Prakash has been a licensed physician in Illinois since 1993, according to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, which ordered late last month that a chaperone be present during any patient encounters while charges were pending in court.

Bob Olson, an attorney for the first woman to accuse Prakash, said the doctor has been employed at Advocate Christ for 18 years.

The hospital has issued a statement: “The physician is on leave of absence pending a full review of this matter. Our top priority is to provide the highest quality of care for our patients in an environment that is safe and consistent with our Mission, Values and Philosophy. Our team continues to cooperate fully with the Oak Lawn Police Department as they complete their investigation.”