Providence settles lawsuit over Marysville ‘love den’ doctor

MARYSVILLE — An Island County woman has settled a lawsuit against Providence Health and Services that alleged her doctor had sex with her in his exam room.

The woman, a patient at Providence Marysville Clinic, alleged Dr. James Grierson committed professional misconduct by turning his exam room into “a love den, where he dispensed pills, billed for his services, and sought sexual gratification,” according to the lawsuit filed in January.

On Aug. 23, Snohomish County Superior Court Commissioner Soloman Kim dismissed the case as Providence and the plaintiff had come to a settlement, court records show. The terms were not disclosed.

Cheryl Snow, the patient’s attorney, declined to comment Tuesday.

“Sexual contact between a medical doctor and a patient is professional misconduct,” the complaint said. “It is an absolute and unambiguous breach of a doctor’s standard of care to his patient.”

The plaintiff, a former Providence employee, had reportedly been Grierson’s patient since May 2018. During an investigation into the allegations, Grierson, 51, acknowledged the relationship with his patient, but denied any sexual contact occurred at the clinic.

The doctor claimed he was “struggling” with his marriage at the time and knew his patient was in the process of divorce, according to a written statement for the Department of Health investigators.

“Providence Swedish is committed to maintaining a safe, respectful healing environment, and providing high-quality care that respects the dignity of all patients,” Providence spokesperson Erika Hermanson said Tuesday. “That said, the litigation concerning Dr. Grierson has been resolved.”

In February 2021, Grierson and the patient began an “improper relationship.” It turned sexual about two months later, the lawsuit says.

The complaint alleges the doctor and his patient had at least four sexual encounters, with one occurring in his exam room at the clinic. The two would also have “intimate and romantic” interactions through texts, calls and the clinic’s “My Chart” messages, according to the complaint.

For two years, Grierson continued to treat the patient, including delivering her baby in 2020, diagnosing her with post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety, as well as giving steroid injections, the complaint alleges.

In August 2021, the patient reported their relationship to a “mental health professional,” leading to a state Department of Health investigation and a report to the Washington State Medical Commission.

During the investigation, Grierson pressured the woman to sign a statement recanting that part of her allegations, the lawsuit alleges. She refused.

“I don’t understand,” Grierson reportedly told her. “I’m going to lose my license. You did this to me.”

In September 2022, Grierson admitted to having sex with the plaintiff in the exam room and urging her to take back her report to the hospital. That same month, the Department of Health suspended Gierson’s physician license for three years.

Grierson’s attorneys did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

Before getting his license reinstated, Grierson will have to pay a $2,000 fine and undergo a mental health evaluation with a focus on sexual misconduct.

A Providence spokesperson could not confirm whether Grierson had resigned as of Wednesday.

Maya Tizon: 425-339-3434; maya.tizon@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @mayatizon.