AUBURN, Wash. — An Auburn doctor who was voted the city's best physician of 2011 in a local newspaper is now facing charges of unprofessional conduct.
Dr. R. Graham Reedy is well known in the community and served as team doctor for the Oakland Raiders in the 1970s.
Now, charges from the Washington State Department of Health said he put his hands in the shorts and bra of a female patient without explanation.
Dr. Reedy's attorney, Tammy Williams, said Reedy is innocent. She said while he has to touch patients for exams, he always explains what he's doing and that it's never appropriate.
"He hugs everybody," patient Teresa Anderson said. "He's not going to touch you inappropriately."
"Did Dr. Reedy do these things that the commission is charging him with?" KIRO 7 asked.
"No. Dr. Reedy has been a respected member of the medical community for almost 40 years," Williams said. "He adamantly denies them."
It isn't the first time Reedy, who's in his 70s, has faced charges.
In 2010 the state found he had touched five women's breasts during examinations. The state acknowledged the touching may have been inadvertent, but said it was unnecessary and that Reedy failed to explain himself.
"Is there a pattern?" KIRO 7 asked.
"No," Williams said.
"He was very saddened to see that patients had felt uncomfortable, which was never his intention," she later added.
After the 2010 violation, Dr. Reedy was put on probation. He had to explain to patients why he was touching them in certain places and have a female chaperone in the room for exams.
The new charges said the chaperone was there but wasn't watching the examination.
Loyal patients said there was no misconduct to see.
"I have the utmost respect for Dr. Reedy," Anderson said. "He's never touched me inappropriately."
Williams said Reedy will defend himself in front of the state's Medical Quality Assurance Commission.. A hearing has not yet been scheduled.
KIRO
