LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Louisville foot doctor is still practicing after admitting dependence on alcohol and abuse of prescription drugs, while facing several lawsuits alleging negligence in treatment.
Dr. Timothy Hanna's license was briefly suspended last month in an "emergency" action of the Kentucky Board of Podiatry after it received complaints alleging Hanna had practiced under the influence of alcohol and drugs, with evidence including documentation of surgical results, pictures and X-ray images, according to documents obtained under the Kentucky Open Records Act.
In suspending his license on Aug. 12, the board said Hanna "admitted dependence on alcohol and abuse of prescription medicine." Hanna's admission, together with serious allegations regarding his treatment of patients and employees and disclosure of patient information, "constitute an immediate threat to the health, safety, and welfare of the general public," the board said in the emergency order.
Hanna's suspension didn't last long, however. A week later, on Aug. 19, the board and Hanna reached a settlement in which Hanna agreed to five years of monitoring by a recovery program and to obtain a psychological evaluation within the next two months. Hanna also agreed to pay $1,000 in fines.
In the Aug. 19 agreed order, the board said it has "sufficient evidence" to discipline Hanna for drug addiction, alcoholism and acting in "a grossly negligent or willful manner which is inconsistent with the practice of podiatry," among other offenses. His license was placed on probation, but he is still allowed to practice as normal.
Dr. Timothy Hanna (riseupankle.com)
Hanna told the board he completed a 90-day rehabilitation program on March 9, 2022, according to the emergency order and to the settlement a week later.
But while the emergency order said there was "insufficient proof of (Hanna's) rehabilitation," the settlement a week later doesn't disclose how the board verified Hanna's rehabilitation, other than noting he had registered with the Kentucky Professionals Recovery Network, a monitoring organization for professionals with addiction problems.
In the order suspending Hanna's license, the board described one complaint alleging his practicing under the influence as late as October 2021, while it's unclear the timing of the misconduct alleged in the other complaint.
One of the complaints against Hanna also alleged sexual harassment of employees and included text messages and email evidence, though the board was silent on those allegations in the Aug. 19 agreed order.
While the complaints are briefly described in the board's actions regarding Hanna, the board refuses to release copies of the complaints. The board said it has withheld 71 pages from disclosure to WDRB News under the Kentucky Open Records Act relating to an investigation involving Hanna.
The board — a group of four podiatrists and a consumer advocate, whose purpose is to regulate the field of podiatry in Kentucky — would not explain its decision to allow Hanna to continue practicing.
Keith Myrick, a Louisville podiatrist who is president of the board, did not return calls from WDRB News. Myrick recused himself from the board's actions regarding Hanna, records show.
Ricki Gardenhire of the Kentucky Public Protection Cabinet, which provides staff support for the podiatry board, said in an email that the board's agreed order with Hanna outlines "significant disciplinary actions."
"If the licensee fails to adhere to any of the terms, the board can take additional action," Gardenhire said.
It's rare for the podiatry board to take action against one of its regulated physicians. Hanna's case is one of 12 board actions disciplining podiatrists since the late 1990s, according to the board's website.
On his website, Hanna says he began his career in 2011 and became "one of the busiest foot and ankle surgeons in the country" before starting his own practice, Hanna Ankle & Foot, in 2018.
As of late last month, his office at 3901 Dutchmans Lane was taking appointments with no disclosure of his probation. Hanna is also licensed in Indiana with no restrictions, according to state records.
But Hanna is no longer working at hospitals and outpatient surgical centers where he once practiced. University of Louisville Health, which owns the facility previously known as Jewish Hospital and many outpatient surgery centers, said in a statement that Hanna's "medical staff privileges were suspended" on July 13. A spokesman declined to comment on whether Hanna's probation means he can return to U of L Health facilities.
A spokesperson for Clark Memorial Hospital in Jeffersonville, Ind., said Hanna resigned on May 4, while a spokesperson for Norton Healthcare said Hanna "resigned his medical privileges" in August 2020.
WDRB News has been investigating allegations against Hanna since April. In May, Hanna wrote WDRB an email in which he said, "I honestly have nothing to hide," while casting doubt on the credibility of a former employee speaking to the station.
However, Hanna only recently responded to WDRB's requests, and he said his attorney advised him not to comment.
'He always had liquor in the office'
Dr. Timothy Hanna’s office in the St. Matthews area. Hanna's license was briefly suspended in August 2022 an “emergency” action of the Kentucky Board of Podiatry after it received complaints alleging Hanna had practiced under the influence of alcohol and drugs, with evidence including documentation of surgical results, pictures and X-ray images, according to documents obtained under the Kentucky Open Records Act.
One of the people who filed a complaint with the podiatry board spoke with WDRB News on condition of anonymity. She was the office manager for Hanna and a certified podiatric medical assistant before Hanna fired her in March for falsifying hours worked, which she disputes.
"He always had liquor in the office. His trash cans were full of it," the former employee said.
Another former employee showed WDRB a photo of empty mini bottles of Fireball cinnamon whisky in a trash can, which she said came from Hanna's office. She claims she and others took out the office trash weekly and this wasn't an isolated incident.
In September 2021, a patient complained to the podiatry board, saying that Hanna was unstable.
"He was shaking so badly, he should not have been practicing podiatry with sharp instruments," according to the complaint.
Much of the document released to WDRB in an open records request is blacked out. But in it, Hanna blamed the shaking on his not having "eaten all morning."
The former office manager said Hanna also made unwanted advances toward her via text message.
One evening, at 11:55 pm, Hanna sent her a text: "Tell me something sexy," according to an image she shared with WDRB News.
He also once told her, "I like you so much my wife hates it."
In May, Hanna reached out to WDRB to caution against relying on the word of a "disgruntled" employee, whom he did not name.
"I honestly have nothing to hide and this employee is going through some hard times so I did not want to engage her further ... I would highly advise against believing this person."
In the email, Hanna offered to speak to WDRB, but then he did not respond to numerous calls and messages until this week, when he said his attorney advised him not to comment.
Lawsuits allege negligence
Hanna also faces at least four lawsuits alleging negligent medical care, according to court records.
Patricia Martin alleges that the surgery Hanna performed in November 2019 did not relieve the pain in the ball of her foot, which was "even worse" after the operation. In November 2020, she sued Hanna and two other doctors who treated her.
Martin's attorney, Greg Joyner, applauded the actions of the podiatry board.
"We're glad the profession is self-policing physicians to make sure the public gets good medical care in a safe fashion," he said.
Hanna also faces three lawsuits from former patients alleging they sustained serious injury as a result of his negligence, though the complaints do not detail what happened. The suits were filed by Alberta "Abby" Duerk, who says she was treated in March 2021; Andrea Hawkins, treated from June through December 2021; and by Makinzie Kellerman, treated in December 2020.
Hawkins' lawsuit says she discovered on Sept. 21, 2021, that the "hardware from her operation became visible through the skin and was subsequently treated for infection and removal of hardware on February 9th, 2022."
None of the lawsuits allege a cause for Hanna's behavior. David Gray, the attorney representing Hawkins, Kellerman and Duerk, declined to comment.
Hanna has denied wrongdoing in court filings responding to the lawsuits. His attorney declined to comment.
Dr. Timothy Hanna (riseupankle.com)
Editing and contributions by WDRB's Chris Otts. Copyright 2022 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
