A physician and child abuse expert criticized for lacking the credentials to do her job has left Mary Bridge Children's Hospital in Tacoma, Wash., according to the Kitsap Sun.
Tacoma-based MultiCare Health System, the hospital's parent company, said in a statement shared with Becker's March 12 that Elizabeth Woods, MD, left to pursue other opportunities.
Dr. Woods joined MultiCare in January 2018 and was medical director at Mary Bridge Children's child abuse intervention department.
In February 2020, NBC News and local TV station KING5 and local TV station KING5 published findings from their investigation of Dr. Woods that stated she diagnosed child abuse without key medical training for doing so. The investigation found she did not complete a three-year medical fellowship to become a child abuse pediatrician, and played a key role in decisions by state child welfare and law enforcement officials.
In response to Becker's email inquiry about Dr. Woods, MultiCare said: "Mary Bridge Children's remains committed to providing expert child abuse prevention and treatment services to the communities we serve. Our child abuse intervention department is an important piece of that care, and we are proud to continue to provide those services to patients and their families."
Dr. Woods has left Mary Bridge, and the department is undergoing physician staffing and leadership model changes as part of continuous care improvement efforts, the health system said.
Dr. Woods has an active physician license, according to the Washington State Department of Health. The department and the Washington Medical Commission did not immediately return messages sent March 11 by Kitsap Sun.
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