Dr. Spears at TRMC accused of inappropriate behavior

Accusations of molestation and inappropriate acts has a Three Rivers Emergency Room Physician under scrutiny.

Dr. Gregory Spears recently agreed to an order with the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure (KBML) that does not suspend his license to practice medicine but does restrict his interaction with patients.

This order came after nursing staff at TRMC expressed their concerns about his conduct including “the frequency and duration of his visits to female patients’ rooms,’ the amount of the sedative Midazolam prescribed and the frequency it was prescribed to female patients, “the number of rectal exams performed on female patients,” and collecting urine sample via catheter when the patient was able to walk.

The staff also voiced concerns about unprofessional comments made by the doctor that he gave his wife “gummies” which allowed him to “do whatever I want, and she doesn’t even know,” and his desire to give his wife the powerful sedative Ketamine to his wife.

Ketamine has a rapid onset that can cause temporary amnesia and has at times been described as the “date rape” drug.

When asked about the statements concerning his wife, Spears said he considered the statements as “guy talk” and when asked about administering the Midazolam to female patients he claimed it was used in agitated and violent patients who were exhibiting drug-seeking behavior.

The accusations went beyond the staff as patients and relatives of patients also voiced concerns with the actions of Spears during their ER visits at TRMC.

One patient said she was molested when Spears allegedly gave her a second pelvic exam without wearing gloves. He had already given her an exam with a nurse present before returning to do another one.

Spears said the woman was only making the accusation because he returned to her room to inform her that she had pubic lice and bed bugs and it was just a form of retaliation against him, but it has not been confirmed that this is the same patient he gave the pelvic exams to.

A second patient was a fourteen-year-old whose grandmother said Spears was going “way below the panty line” to check her granddaughter for abdominal pain.

The father of a third patient brought it to the hospital’s attention that he spoke with a hospital staff member and revealed that Spears came into his daughter’s room and “took down her panties and kept rubbing her privates.”

TRMC informed Spears in August of his immediate termination of his clinical privileges and staff membership.

Spears addressed the “guy talk” about his wife and only one patient complaint stating he medicated “a known methamphetamine addict who would become violent if not provided with pain medication.”

The KBML found sufficient evidence against Spears to enter into an agreed order to restrict his ability to practice, in which Spears acknowledged by signing the agreement on Friday, Dec. 6 and it was filed.

The agreement requires a board approved chaperone to be present during any sensitive examination of a patient, or any interactions with patients who are fully or partially disrobed.

The chaperones must sign all medical logs related to these interactions, and Spears is also required to keep a list of any chaperones utilized and present them to the KBML upon request. These restrictions remain in effect indefinitely.

Spears must also, at his own expense, perform a professional fitness for duty assessment as well as participate in a professional boundaries course.