East Valley psychiatrist Dr. James Matthew Crowley Ryan has been suspended from practicing for inappropriate contact he had with three of his female patients.Investigators for the California Attorney General’s office said, “When one woman told the Gilbert resident, then practicing in the San Diego area, that she had had an extramarital affair, he told her that she should have more affairs – then had one himself with her.  When a second woman told him of her history of sexual assault and panic attacks, he replied ‘Honey, I’ll prescribe whatever you want’ – and made repeated efforts to seduce her while writing her prescriptions for powerful anti-anxiety medications.  When a third woman came to see a fellow psychiatrist, Ryan intervened and soon started dating her – writing prescriptions for controlled anti-anxiety medications but keeping no records to justify their use.”The second patient eventually submitted a complaint to the Chula Vista, California, police.  After she came forward, Ryan set up his practice in east Mesa.  He even went so far as to tell his wife in a birthday card that he was “treating CIA secret agents,” that one of the three women is “the highest rated assassin of the government,” that he is “the best psych that the U.S. government has and the only one to fix their agents.”  Therefore, obviously, he had to move and change his name, and she couldn’t know his new name.  Evidently, his wife bought it.

Photo by Charlz Gutiérrez De Piñeres on Unsplash

An extensive investigation by the California Attorney General’s office ensued despite his efforts, however, and in March, the Arizona Medical Board suspended his license, and in June, The California Medical Board did the same.  In its suspension, the Arizona Medical Board noted that Ryan “denied all allegations documented in the accusation.”  It noted further, “Respondent reported to board staff that during the time period covered by the accusation, he was experiencing delirium that affected his ability to recall specific events,” and adding, he “refused to enter into the practice restriction and that he did not intend to comply with the interim order” requiring that he undergo a physician examination.“Medical boards can be slow – years sometimes,” private investigator Kenneth Kramer said. “It’s not common for one state to wait for another to act, so, this is astounding!  No suspension in California with all the allegations but when Arizona decides to protect its citizens and suspend him, California follows suit.  That’s California for you – anything goes, permissive as hell!”Arizona Medical Board Executive Director Patricia McSorley explained, “Before the board summarily suspends a physician’s license, it must have evidence to conclude ‘that the public health, safety and welfare imperatively requires emergency action’…Once a license is suspended, the board has 60 days to present the case for a full evidentiary hearing.  The physician will remain suspended until such time as the matter is concluded.”Even though Ryan’s first encounter with a patient ended up going the way the doctor planned and the two engaged in a sexual relationship, he was not so lucky the second time around.  He actually had convinced the first woman to leave her husband around the same time he began courting the sexual assault victim.This woman told investigators that the doctor had made her feel uncomfortable from the very beginning, hugging her for “too long” at the beginning of their appointment.  She also said that she tried to set boundaries, telling him she didn’t want to be touched, but that he then attempted to hold her hand and rub her legs.  He told her that he would give her any medication she wanted and showed her shirtless pictures of himself while bragging about his gym routine.After telling her she had a perfect body, she met with police, Ryan wrote the note to his wife, and between February 2016 and January 2017, the psychiatrist wrote nine prescriptions for the third woman for controlled substances without justification.  Ryan will not be allowed to practice until his case is heard by an administrative law judge.

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EV psychiatrist runs afoul of 2 medical boardsBEFORE THE MEDICAL BOARD OF CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS STATE OF CALIFORNIA