State: Bellingham doctor didn’t address symptoms for woman later diagnosed with cancer

A Bellingham doctor has been charged with unprofessional conduct after he allegedly failed to address the symptoms of a woman later diagnosed with rectal cancer, the state Department of Health said.

Dr. Craig K. Moore was charged on Feb. 28, the department said in a statement released Tuesday. Moore, who specializes in sports medicine and has a clinic at 1401 6th St. in the Fairhaven neighborhood, also works as a sideline doctor for high school football teams, according to his PeaceHealth online profile.

According to the Department of Health’s charge, the woman first visited Moore on May 5, 2015, and reported a variety of symptoms, including blood in her stool. Despite the symptoms, Moore did not perform any exams or tests, charges say. Instead, documents say, he recommended a prostate screening for the female patient.

The woman returned on May 29, 2015, with similar complaints. Moore, the charges say, documented the symptoms but again did not perform any examinations or tests.

The patient saw Moore again on June 18, 2015. He documented her chief complaint – neck and back pain – but he didn’t follow up with the patient about her earlier complaints of bloody stool and abdominal pain, charges say.

Moore again saw the patient on July 16, 2015, and examined her arms and legs. Moore’s documentation of that visit was identical to his notes from the June 18, 2015, appointment, charges say.

At the advice of her family, the woman saw another doctor in July 2015, had a colonoscopy that September, and was diagnosed with rectal cancer the following October, charges say.

Moore’s treatment was “below the standard of care” because he did not properly address the woman’s complaints of abdominal pain and bloody stool at least twice, charges say. His documentation on the appointments was also “incomplete, duplicative and incorrect.”

Moore has not responded to the charge in writing, but still has until March 20 to do so, said Sharon Moysiuk, a Department of Health spokeswoman.

But Moore, reached by phone at his clinic Tuesday, said he’s hired an attorney and plans to request a hearing before the Department of Health’s medical commission. He said he suspects the charge will be dropped.

This story was originally published March 14, 2017 at 5:38 PM with the headline "State: Bellingham doctor didn’t address symptoms for woman later diagnosed with cancer."