Another Case Alleges Providence and Kadlec Ignored Patient Complaints of Abuse

SEATTLE – Following two similar sexual abuse lawsuits, Jane Doe 102, represented by attorneys Elizabeth Hanley of Schroeter Goldmark & Bender (SGB) in Seattle and Tamara Holder of Tamara Holder Law in Chicago, has filed a lawsuit in King County Superior Court. The complaint contributes to the growing number of female patients coming forward with allegations of physical abuse or sexual abuse by Mark E. Mulholland, a Tri-Cities OBGYN who worked for Providence St. Joseph Health and Kadlec Regional Medical Center, in Richland, Washington, from 1999 through June 2025.

Jane Doe 102 alleges that during an appointment in 2022, Mulholland explicitly asked her about her sex life and noted in her chart that she was a lesbian “and has never been in relationships with men.” During the appointment, a pre-operative meeting before Jane Doe 102’s hysterectomy, Mulholland performed a pelvic “exam” without informed consent and without explaining its purpose. Shoving his fingers inside her, he said, “You’re really tight in there.”

According to Jane Doe’s lawsuit, she worried that if she immediately complained, she risked affecting her upcoming medical care which included a hysterectomy. After surgery, however, she reached out to multiple people within the hospital’s hierarchy, including its CEO, and yet she received no response.

“Not only Dr. Mulholland, but Kadlec Providence, too, have failed these women,” said Hanley. “Had the institution responded properly to complaints by the hundreds of women who raised concerns about the numerous red flags and acts of abuse they experienced, we wouldn’t be in this position begging for answers and justice for so many victims.”

“Providence and Kadlec claim to be ‘the leading health care organization in the region’ while enjoying not-for-profit tax-exempt status. And despite allegedly being “committed to its mission of providing safe, compassionate care,” we have heard from hundreds of women who say this institution has chosen profits over female patient safety. ” Holder added

Jane Doe 102’s lawsuit accuses the defendants of gender-abusive conduct, failure to protect patients, and institutional negligence.

If you or someone you know has information about Mark Mulholland, OBGYN, or the institutions where he worked, please reach out to tamaraholderlaw.com or SGB as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the amount of time to come forward is not unlimited.

To learn more about the firms’ work representing survivors of abuse and discrimination, visit: tamaraholderlaw.com or sgb-law.com.