Case claims Providence and Kadlec concealed decades of patient complaints

SEATTLE – Lawsuits continue to mount against Tri-Cities OBGYN, Mark E. Mulholland. Another, filed by Jane Doe 103, adds to the more than 100 other women who have come forward with abuse allegations. Represented by attorneys Elizabeth Hanley of Schroeter Goldmark & Bender (SGB) and Tamara Holder of Tamara Holder Law, Jane Doe 103’s lawsuit in King County Superior Court alleges physical and sexual abuse by Dr. Mulholland, who worked for Providence St. Joseph Health and Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland, Washington, from 1999 through June 2025.

Jane Doe 103 alleges that during her first appointment with Mulholland in 2022, he abused her by inserting his fingers into her vagina and rectum to perform an “exam.” He told her that she would need further treatment and directed her to return for another appointment. At the subsequent appointment, Mulholland performed the same “exam,” and complimented her figure and weight.

According to Jane Doe’s lawsuit, she continued to see Mulholland for an operation, and later, about a possible yeast infection. During her 2024 appointment regarding a yeast infection, Mulholland performed an “exam,” swabbing the inside of her vagina. He proceeded to sniff the swab and say, “It smells great,” and “You have a nice-looking vagina.”

Had she been notified by Kadlec Providence of the numerous complaints from female patients about Mulholland’s conduct, Jane Doe 103 would not have agreed to see him to begin with.

“As a medical institution, Kadlec Providence has an obligation to protect its patients,” said Hanley. “After receiving the first complaint about Dr. Mulholland’s crude statements and inappropriate conduct, they had the opportunity and, really, the duty, to investigate the patient’s claims or warn future patients of the prior complaints.”

“Dr. Mulholland treated his female patients in the most unthinkable ways. Additionally, despite Kadlec claiming to have ‘safe, compassionate care,’ it did not respond to the dozens of complaints about Mulholland that piled up over decades. We will not rest until we hold everyone accountable for this atrocious conduct on all levels,” Holder added.

Jane Doe 103’s lawsuit accuses the defendants of sex discrimination and abuse, failure to protect patients and institutional negligence.

If you or someone you know has information about Mark Mulholland or the institutions where he worked, please reach out as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the amount of time to come forward is limited.

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