Washington DOC Physician Assistant Surrenders Medical License in Wake of Malpractice Allegations
by Sam Rutherford
On July 18, 2024, a physician assistant employed by the Washington Department of Corrections (DOC) complied with an order to surrender his medical license by the state’s medical commission, which accused him of multiple instances of incompetent and negligent care of prisoners who were his patients.
Richard T. Oliver, Jr. was employed as a physician assistant at Washington State Penitentiary (WSP) in Walla Walla. He had held a state medical license since 2012. On April 27, 2023, the Washington Medical Commission filed a statement of charges accusing Oliver of incompetence, negligence and malpractice for care that he provided to eight prisoners, who were identified as Patients “A” through “H” between 2019 and 2021.
The Commission alleged that Oliver was “slow to implement the evaluation and treatment of potentially life-threatening illnesses” and failed “to completely assess or follow-up on the evaluation and management of chronic medical illnesses.” It also found an “absence of documentation of thoughtful analysis, including a plan for evaluation and treatment that maximizes safety and benefit of each patient when they had potentially serious health care concerns.” Oliver was further found to be “prescribing medications without documenting review of potential adverse effects.”
For example, Oliver saw Patient A in May 2019 for a skin lesion on his back that was cracking, bleeding, and painful. Failing to appropriately diagnosis possible skin cancer, despite the patient’s history of malignant melanoma, Oliver also delayed referring the prisoner-patient for a biopsy. That ultimately revealed that A’s melanoma had returned. Moreover, even after providing what care he did in removing the lesion, Oliver failed to properly remove A’s stitches and did not refer him for follow-up treatment to ensure the cancer had not spread.
Oliver also failed to properly diagnose and treat Patient D’s COVID-19 infection and other diabetes-related conditions, the Commission continued. Patient D was subsequently seen by another physician assistant who promptly adjusted his insulin dosage and prescribed glucose tablets to better control his diabetes and prevent potential life-threatening low blood sugars that could occur during insulin therapy.
In each of eight cases listed in the statement of charges, the Commission found that the standard of care Oliver provided amounted to unprofessional conduct, violating RCW 18.130.180(4) with “[i]ncompetence, negligence, or malpractice” which resulted in “injury to a patient” or created “an unreasonable risk that a patient may be harmed.” Rather than contest the allegations, Oliver voluntarily surrendered his medical license and agreed not to practice medicine in Washington again. See: In re the Matter of Richard T. Oliver, Jr., PA-C, Wash. Medical Comm’n, Case No. M2021-896 (July 2024).
Oliver’s case is a rare instance where a prison medical practitioner was sanctioned by a state medical board. Typically, far worse examples of malpractice by prison doctors and nurses go unreported or unsanctioned. He is now retired.
Additional source: Tri-City Herald
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