>>>
>>> TONIGHT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IS BEGINNING TO LOOK
INTO A BIZARRE INCIDENT AT A
CLINIC RUN BY PROVIDENCE HEALTH
AND SERVICES.
AND SERVICES. >> PROVIDENCE IS WASHINGTON
STATE'S BIGGEST HEALTH CARE
PROVIDER.
PROVIDER.
PROVIDER. KING 5 INVESTIGATOR SUSANNAH
FRAME IS HERE NOW WITH WHAT
SHE'S TURNED UP ON THIS CASE,
SUSANNAH?
SUSANNAH?
SUSANNAH? >> MARK AND JOYCE, WE'VE HEARD
OF INITIATIONS TAKING PLACE AT A
FRATERNITY OR A HIGH SCHOOL
FOOTBALL TEAM, BUT HOW ABOUT
INSIDE A MEDICAL CLINIC?
THAT'S THE ALLEGATION FROM A
PATIENT WHO SAYS UNBEKNOWNST TO
HIM, WORKERS AT A CLINIC IN
OLYMPIA USED HIM IN A TYPE OF
INITIATION OR PRANK MEANT TO
EMBARRASS A NEW EMPLOYEE.
BUT THE PATIENT SAYS THE
INCIDENT WAS HUMILIATING FOR HIM
AND MUCH WORSE IT'S DERAILED HIS
LIFE.
LIFE.
LIFE. >>
LIFE. >> ONE, TWO, THREE, UP.
OKAY.
OKAY.
OKAY. >>
OKAY. >> THANK YOU.
>> INTO THE KITCHEN.
>> Reporter: RICK BATTLES A LONG
LIST OF HEALTH PROBLEMS --
PROGRESSIVE MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS.
HE HAS DIABETES, AND HE'S A
CANCER SURVIVOR.
CANCER SURVIVOR. >> THANK YOU, LOVE.
>> Reporter: HE AND HIS WIFE
KAREN HAVE A NEW BATTLE ON THEIR
HANDS.
HANDS.
HANDS. NOT FROM A MEDICAL CONDITION BUT
FROM A MEDICAL PROVIDER.
>> THIS IS NOT RIGHT.
PROVIDENCE PLACES EVERYTHING ON
DIGNITY AND DIGNITY WAS JUST OUT
THE DOOR THAT DAY.
>> Reporter: THAT DAY WAS IN
FEBRUARY AT THE PROVIDENCE
UROLOGY CLINIC IN OLYMPIA.
RICK WENT IN FOR A ROUTINE
PROCEDURE THAT FROM THE
BEGINNING SEEMED OFF.
>> IT WAS JUST DIFFERENT SLASH
BIZARRE FROM THE GET GO.
>> Reporter: IT WAS SO
UNSETTLING, HE FILED THIS
COMPLAINT WITH THE STATE
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.
HE EXPLAINED HE AND HIS WIFE
WERE BOTH IN THE PROCEDURE ROOM
WHEN TWO FEMALE MEDICAL
ASSISTANTS CAME IN.
>> AND THE ONE THROUGH THE DOOR
FIRST SAID TO ME, HI, TODAY WITH
ME I HAVE A BRAND NEW CLINIC
EMPLOYEE.
EMPLOYEE.
EMPLOYEE. HER FIRST DAY.
>> Reporter: HE RELUCTANTLY
AGREED TO HAVE THE TRAINEE STAY
AND OBSERVE.
AND OBSERVE. THEN HE AND HIS WIFE SAY THE
NURSE YANKED OFF HIS DRAPING,
LEAVING HIM COMPLETELY EXPOSED,
EMBARRASSED, AND APPALLED.
>> SHE SUDDENLY SAYS, WELL, YOU
DON'T NEED THIS ANYMORE, AND SHE
REMOVED THE COVER, THREW IT
AWAY.
AWAY.
AWAY. I
AWAY. I WAS EXPOSED.
>> Reporter: RICK SAYS THE LEAD
ASSISTANT THEN LEFT THE ROOM,
LEAVING THE FIRST DAY EMPLOYEE
INSIDE.
INSIDE.
INSIDE. >> AND I'M JUST BEING LOOKED AT.
>> AND WHAT WAS THE NEW EMPLOYEE
DOING AT THE TIME?
>> JUST STARING.
>> AT YOU?
>> AT ME, YEAH.
>> Reporter: THIS TENSE SCENE
WENT ON FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES
BEFORE THE DOCTOR CAME IN.
HE WROTE DURING THAT TIME I WAS
HAVING TERRIBLE FLASHBACKS AND
MEMORIES OF MY PAST.
RICK, THE 61-YEAR-OLD, WAS
FLASHING RIGHT BACK TO RICK THE
7-YEAR-OLD.
7-YEAR-OLD. >> I WAS ABUSED YEARLY FROM THE
AGE OF 6 AND 7 UNTIL 11 AND 12
BY A DOCTOR THAT VISITED THE
SCHOOL FOR THE PURPOSE OF
PHYSICALS.
PHYSICALS. >> Reporter: THAT'S RIGHT.
RICK SAYS A MEDICAL DOCTOR AT
HIS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SEXUALLY
ABUSED HIM THROUGHOUT HIS
CHILDHOOD.
CHILDHOOD. IT'S A SECRET HE'S KEPT HIS
ENTIRE LIFE UNTIL NOW.
THE INCIDENT AT THE UROLOGY
CLINIC BROUGHT EVERYTHING TO THE
SURFACE.
SURFACE.
SURFACE. >> NIGHTS ARE SCARY AND DREAMS
ARE AWFUL.
ARE AWFUL. AND FLASHBACKS ARE HORRENDOUS.
>> Reporter: A FEW DAYS LATER,
AN ANONYMOUS CLINICAL EMPLOYEE
CALLED THEM WITH INFORMATION
THAT STUNNED BOTH OF THEM.
>> SHE ADDED, THE INCIDENT AT
THE CLINIC WAS AN INITIATION FOR
THE NEW GIRL.
>> IT WAS SHOCKING.
WHEN WE HEARD THE NEWS THAT IT
WAS INITIATION WE SAT AND WE
LOOKED AT HER, WHAT?
>> Reporter: THE COUPLE TOOK
THIS TO MEAN RICK HAD BEEN USED
THIS A DOCTOR'S OFFICE IN A TYPE
OF PRANK MEANT TO DEMEAN A NEW
EMPLOYEE.
EMPLOYEE.
EMPLOYEE. >> THERE YOU GO.
>> Reporter: INSTEAD, IT
HUMILIATED HIM AND SENT HIM
RIGHT BACK TO HIS PAINFUL
CHILDHOOD.
CHILDHOOD. >> IT'S ABSOLUTELY EGREGIOUS.
I MEAN WHOEVER EVEN CAME ONE IT,
IT'S SHOCKING.
IT'S SHOCKING. >> Reporter: DR. JOHN IS ONE OF
OUR REGION'S FOREMOST EXPERTS ON
TRAUMA AND CHILDHOOD SEXUAL
ABUSE.
ABUSE.
ABUSE. HE'S NOT SURPRISED THE
EXPERIENCE WOULD CAUSE A
SURVIVOR TO SPIRAL INTO CRISIS.
>> WOULD YOU CALL THAT ABUSE?
>> OH, NO QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, IT SERVED NO USEFUL
PURPOSE.
PURPOSE.
PURPOSE. IT WAS FOR THE BENEFIT OR
INTEREST OF THE ADULTS ONLY.
AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, IT
BECOMES OVERLOADING TO THE
INDIVIDUAL.
INDIVIDUAL. ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'VE DENIED IT
FOR SO LONG AND YOU'VE KIND OF
NOT DEALT WITH IT.
THEN IT COMES BACK FRESH.
>> I MADE SO MANY CALLS TO
PROVIDENCE.
PROVIDENCE. >> Reporter: THE COUPLE WAS
DESPERATE FOR ANSWERS FROM
PROVIDENCE.
PROVIDENCE. THEY SENT CERTIFIED LETTERS TO
THE CEO, THE CHAIR, AND VICE
CHAIR OF THE BOARD.
ACCORDING TO THEM, NOTHING, NOT
A WORD.
A WORD.
A WORD. WEEKS WENT BY AS MEDICAL RECORDS
SHOW RICK'S MENTAL HEALTH
DETERIORATED TO THE POINT OF
BECOMING SUICIDAL.
BECOMING SUICIDAL. >> I FELT MORE LIKE MAYBE I
SHOULDN'T BE HERE.
>> Reporter: MORE THAN A MONTH
LATER, THE COUPLE FINALLY HEARD
FROM PROVIDENCE.
FROM PROVIDENCE. A TOP EXECUTIVE SAID THE ISSUES
OF INITIATION HAVE BEEN
INVESTIGATED AND APPROPRIATELY
ADDRESSED.
ADDRESSED. AND YOUR SPEAKING UP WILL
PERMANENTLY CHANGE THE WAY WE
CONDUCT OUR CARE DELIVERY.
>> AND THEY'RE ALL GEARED TOWARD
LOVE, COMPASSION, CARING,
DIGNITY, JUSTICE, AND THOSE ARE
ALL PARTS OF THEIR MISSION
STATEMENT.
STATEMENT. >> AND AND DID YOU GET ANY OF
THAT AT PROVIDENCE?
>> NO.
>> NO.
>> NO. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEIR CORE
VALUES WAS SHATTERED.
>> WE REACHED OUT TO PROVIDENCE
FOR THIS REPORT.
THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T COMMENT
DUE TO PATIENT PRIVACY LAWS.
IT APPEARS THIS CASE HAS MADE AN
IMPACT ON THEIR ORGANIZATION.
WE'VE SEEN WRITTEN MATERIALS THE
EXEC SENT TO THE COUPLE AS WELL
AS NEW MANDATORY TRAININGS FOR
EMPLOYEES.
EMPLOYEES. PROVIDENCE WOULDN'T CONFIRM
THEY'RE DOING THAT OR EXPAND ON
THEIR PLANS, BUT FROM WHAT THEY
SENT THIS COUPLE, IT LOOKS LIKE
THEY'RE REVAMPING WHAT HAPPENS
IN THEIR CLINICS.
>> JUST HORRIFYING LISTENING TO
WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM.
HOW IS HE DOING NOW?
>> YOU KNOW, JOYCE, IT IS NOT
GOOD.
GOOD.
GOOD. I'VE SEEN A LOT OF HIS MEDICAL
RECORDS.
RECORDS.
RECORDS. HE'S SEEING A PSYCHIATRIST.
HE'S BEEN ACCEPTED INTO THE
HARBORVIEW TRAUMA PROGRAM FOR
SEXUALLY ASSAULT SURVIVORS.
AND ALL OF US HAVE BEEN PUSHED
DOWN BEFORE, SO I THINK WE'RE
REALLY SEEING A HUMAN BEING IN
CRISIS.
CRISIS.
CRISIS. AND WE DEFINITELY HOPE HE GETS
HELP AND STARTS TO RECOVER.
>> DO YOU THINK THIS WILL LEAD
TO A LAWSUIT?
>> I KNOW THEY'RE TALKING TO AN
ATTORNEY AND DEFINITELY LOOKING
AT THEIR LEGAL OPTIONS.
IT WOULD NOT SURPRISE ME AT ALL.
>> IT MAKES YOU WONDER WAS THIS
THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED.
>> WE DON'T KNOW IF THESE WERE
ROGUE EMPLOYEES OR SOMETHING
THEY'D DONE BEFORE BECAUSE
PROVEDNESS WOULDN'T TALK TO US
ABOUT IT.
ABOUT IT.
ABOUT IT. WE DON'T HAVE