Credentialing & Privileging | 10.28.20
Yakima Hospital Sued for Not Firing Doctor When He Was First Accused of Sexual Assault
by Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima Herald-Republic (10/22/20) Meyers, Donald W.
A woman who says she was sexually assaulted by a doctor is suing Virginia Mason Memorial in Yakima, Washington. In the lawsuit, the woman — identified only by her initials — alleges that hospital administrators permitted Dr. Alberto Roman-Cabezas to keep his hospital privileges and see patients after receiving a sexual assault complaint from another patient he treated. While the lawsuit does not specify monetary damages, the alleged victim's lawyer hopes it prompts changes to safeguard other patients from sexual assault. "We’re hoping that . . . since [Memorial] is owned by Virginia Mason in Seattle, it will reverberate in other cities and this will be a national movement," remarked Bryan Smith, an attorney with Tamaki Law. The 34-year-old Roman-Cabezas is charged with two counts each of second-degree rape and indecent liberties. Recent blog posts reportedly posted by Roman-Cabezas indicate he is working at a hospital in Chile.
Read the full story from the Yakima Herald-Republic.