Three former surgical-services leaders at an Illinois hospital allege in a whistleblower lawsuit that a neurosurgeon fell asleep during surgery, patients were left anesthetized on operating room tables without surgeons present and hospital administrators retaliated against employees who reported the incidents.The 18-page lawsuit, filed in Winnebago County Circuit Court, accuses OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford, Illinois, of ignoring repeated patient-safety complaints involving the hospital's neurosurgery service line and instead targeting employees who raised concerns.According to the complaint, Sofia Gudino, Tina Peppers and Cindamon Proffitt held leadership positions responsible for operating-room safety, regulatory compliance and surgical operations.The lawsuit alleges that beginning in late 2023, the plaintiffs became aware of "repeated and dangerous safety violations" involving neurosurgery cases.Among the most serious allegations, the complaint claims that on Feb.
3, 2025, two neurosurgeons left a patient under anesthesia on an operating room table for approximately one hour.DENTIST WAS PREVIOUSLY ON PROBATION BEFORE TREATING 9-YEAR-OLD GIRL WHO DIED AFTER ANESTHESIAMedical personnel work in an operating room.A whistleblower lawsuit filed against OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center alleges patient-safety violations within the hospital's neurosurgery service line.
(Getty Images)It further alleges that on April 17, 2025, a neurosurgeon left another patient under anesthesia for approximately 37 minutes to attend a meeting while another neurosurgeon also participated, leaving "the patient under anesthesia with no surgeon present for a significant amount of time."Gudino, Peppers and Proffitt allege those incidents resulted in prolonged anesthesia exposure and improper billing practices.According to the complaint, "The patients were fraudulently and unethically overcharged for OR time, as patients are charged by the minute during OR procedures."MULTIBILLI...