Skip to content 
Photo: Providence St. Vincent Medical Center; via Wikipedia.
KIRO Channel 7 News reported Wednesday that five additional lawsuits have been filed against Providence Health & Services, Kadlec Regional Medical Center, and Kadlec Clinic – Associated Physicians for Women, alleging that the institutions failed to protect patients from suspected sexual abuse by Dr. Mark Mulholland, a longtime OBGYN.
Attorneys for the plaintiffs say the abuse occurred during routine OBGYN visits, prenatal and postnatal appointments, and even surgical procedures tied to pregnancy loss. Complaints have also been filed with the Washington State Department of Health seeking to revoke Mulholland’s medical license.
According to patient testimony and legal filings, concerns about Mulholland’s behavior date back nearly two decades. One attorney representing survivors described the case as potentially “one of the biggest known cases of sexual abuse in a medical setting in Washington State history.”
Court filings and complaints reveal a troubling history, including that in 2005, a former employee and patient reported inappropriate sexual comments by Mulholland. When brought to the clinic’s management, she was reportedly told, “That is just Mulholland being Mulholland.”
In a 2017 case, it was alleged that Mulholland performed a vaginal exam without gloves, restrained a patient during the procedure, and made inappropriate contact. In 2020, two separate patients reported alarming encounters: one said Mulholland pressured her 16-year-old daughter with invasive questions about her sex life, while another claimed he blocked her from leaving an exam room and only relented when she threatened to call 911. In June 2023, a patient alleged she was left in pain and bleeding after an invasive exam during which Mulholland made sexually inappropriate remarks.
Attorneys say many of these reports were “dismissed” or ignored by medical leadership. The Washington State Medical Commission has echoed survivors’ concerns, stating that both staff and patient complaints were not adequately addressed.
Attorneys representing the women say more survivors are likely to come forward, alleging a longstanding pattern of abuse that Kadlec leadership knew about but failed to stop. One attorney stated, “Instead of upholding their legal and ethical obligations to take action to protect patients from sexual abuse — these medical institutions turned a blind eye and enabled it.”
Seven lawsuits and multiple complaints are now pending, with allegations stretching back to 2005.
If you or someone you know was abused by a medical professional, you may still have legal options. Learn more about filing a sexual abuse lawsuit against an institution here. You can also fill out the contact form to get your free case review process started.
