Patient Of New Hyde Park Oncologist Files Civil Suit Over Alleged Sexual Misconduct

NEW HYDE PARK, NY — The alleged sexual misconduct of a New Hyde Park oncologist that was already the subject of a criminal trial is now at the center of a civil trial filed by one of the doctor’s former patients, per a civil complaint obtained by Patch.

In March, New Hyde Park oncologist Mark Hoffman pleaded not guilty to charges of forcible touching and third-degree sexual abuse, charges that stem from a May 2025 incident with a woman who said he had made unwanted sexual contact with her in an exam room.

Hoffman’s criminal trial is ongoing, and his defense attorney in that trial could not be reached for comment Monday.

As for the civil suit, a former patient of Hoffman’s is seeking compensatory and punitive damages from Optum Medical Care, Prohealth Corporation and multiple subsidiaries in connection with what they claim is negligent handling of Hoffman’s conduct and a willful infliction of emotional distress upon patients who reported the conduct.

According to the suit, Hoffman was a doctor with Optum and Prohealth during a timespan in which the healthcare companies “received complaints that Dr. Hoffman had sexually abused patients” on Optum and ProHealth property, after the companies had “held Dr. Hoffman out to the public and to Plaintiff as having been vetted, screened, and approved” to provide medical care.

“Despite these complaints, defendant Optum Medical Care, P.C. failed to take any action to protect future patients,” the suit alleges. “Optum Medical Care, P.C. knew or should have known that its negligent conduct would inflict severe emotional and psychological distress, as well as personal physical injury, on others, including Plaintiff.”

In one 2019 instance, the civil complaint reads, a patient brought a similar complaint against Hoffman and was met with the response that the doctor “was a hugger.”

In an interview Monday, plaintiffs attorney Rachel Jacobs said what her client was looking for went beyond the damages sought in the suit.

“It's challenging for her, and what she really just wants are answers to how the institutions that were responsible for her safety let this happen to her,” Jacobs said.

“Unfortunately, this is part of a pattern of other ‘bad doctor’ cases that we've handled,” Jacobs said. “We're repeatedly seeing the same patterns of doctors using their position of authority to sexually abuse vulnerable patients — here, cancer patients. So it's always upsetting and disturbing to hear. But I think, unfortunately, at this point, it's not a surprise, because we're seeing it happen over and over again, here in New York State and across the country.”

In a statement Monday, a spokesperson for Optum said Hoffman had not been employed by Optum since summer of 2025.

While Jacobs said her firm was aware of multiple complaints against the New Hyde Park doctor, she said the list of complaints her firm is aware of may not be exhaustive.

“We know of multiple complaints at this point, but [Hoffman has] also been practicing medicine for over 40 years,” Jacobs said. “I anticipate that there are more women out there that he touched inappropriately.”

As for the complaints in this case, Jacobs said the damages sought as relief are secondary.

“What we're really looking for, here, is accountability and answers as to what happened,” Jacobs said.

Hoffman is due back in criminal court on Sept. 1, court documents show.