State suspends Clark County physician’s license

The state department of health immediately suspended the license of a Clark County physician and surgeon for alleged misuse of controlled substances and alcohol.

The department’s Medical Quality Assurance Commission announced Tuesday it had suspended the license of Daniel A. Clayton. Clayton cannot practice as a physician in the state until the charges are resolved. He has 20 days to respond.

It’s unclear where Clayton was last practicing medicine, but state health officials said his last known address was in Clark County.

The commission alleges Clayton is unsafe to practice medicine due to his misuse of controlled substances and alcohol.

Clayton also failed to complete a treatment program and made misrepresentations to the commission, according to a news release from the health department.

Clayton has been a licensed physician and surgeon in the state since April 2009.

In February 2017, the medical commission ordered Clayton to undergo additional training, attend spine conferences and complete 100 proctored spine instrumentation procedures. The order was the result of unprofessional conduct charges against Clayton, alleging he misplaced screws in lumbar fusion surgeries on two patients in the Everett area.