BOTHELL, Wash. — Dr. Timothy J. Smith also had his license suspended in 1997, when the department of health accused him of masturbating in front of patients and having sexual contact with them.
In a health department document from 1996, one of Smith’s patients reported Smith saying "you have a good looking dick" during an exam. The patient said Smith propositioned him for three-way sex.
Another patient reported that Smith masturbated while giving a rectal exam.
In a health department document from 1997, Smith admitted that “in years past he has engaged in sexual contact or behaviors with patients."
The document also states Smith regularly prescribed controlled substances for patients without documenting justification for them. In one case, the health department said Smith injured a patient by applying a solution of trichloracetic acid during treatment for venereal warts.
A spokesperson for Swedish Medical Group said Smith was credentialed to practice at their hospitals until 1999 and was also working at Puget Sound Foot and Ankle.
Smith later complied with a plan to reinstate his license, including paying a $10,000 fine, attending psychotherapy and having a chaperon present when he saw patients.
Then in 2013, the state investigated him again.
“Last year, somebody called the medical commission and informed the commission that Dr. Smith was smoking what appeared to be methamphetamine,” said Michael Farrell, a legal unit manager for the Washington Department of Health.
In a recent health department document, the medical quality assurance commission states “on several occasions in the summer of 2013, methamphetamine, glass pipes and marijuana were observed in respondent’s house.”
Farrell said Smith most recently had a geriatric practice and had patients at various assisted living facilities.
Smith’s neighbor, Sara Maddon, said Smith tried to recruit her to be his traveling nurse about a year ago. Maddon said she had just finished school and was only certified to assist nurses, not practice nursing. But she said Smith did not seem concerned with that.
KIRO 7 found Smith’s house abandoned and for sale. The real estate agent said the house had been vacant for a couple of months.
Maddon told KIRO 7 Smith and the man who lived with him moved to Mexico early this year. Maddon’s family is relieved.
“They hired a bunch of homeless people with the idea they were giving them a second chance to come and take care of the gardens and the animals,” Maddon said. “Between midnight and 4 a.m., maybe every 15 minutes – no exaggeration – one of their cars would be going up the drive way, gone 15 minutes, back. All night long. This went on for maybe a year or so.”
Maddon said at times, the employees would bang on her bedroom window during the night or stand on her property and refuse to leave. She said she called police on them many times.
Maddon also said she often smelled marijuana from their property and believed they were on meth.
She described one encounter the man Smith lived with: “He would say that there were people in centipede outfits crawling around and running away from him.”
KIRO 7 did not find any criminal charges for Smith. The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, Bothell Police Department and King County prosecutor all said they do not have an investigation related to Smith.
KIRO
