Tacoma physician’s license suspended over relationship with patient

A Tacoma physician has temporarily lost his license after accusations of sexual misconduct with a patient were brought forward.

The state Department of Health suspended John Gillman’s license, which he obtained in February 2012, and gave him 30 days to appeal the decision.

Gillman worked at a clinic that treats people injured on the job. He treated the victim 36 times between March 2013 and September 2014.

The state alleges he had sex with the woman for nearly a year of her treatment, made inappropriate comments about her undergarments while treating her and kissed her in the clinic.

The patient “was vulnerable and (Gillman) groomed her for his own sexual gratification,” according to state documents.

Gillman allegedly called the patient to check on her after treatment and the conversations stretched for hours and veered onto topics unrelated to health care.

He is accused of buying her gifts such as a nude portrait and a book of love poems and often met her for breakfast.

Gillman told his patient “he was going to make her pain go away, and the more time they spent together, the easier it would be for him to do that,” records show.

The physician told state officials the woman pressured him into a physical relationship.

This story was originally published July 29, 2015 at 2:38 PM with the headline "Tacoma physician’s license suspended over relationship with patient."