3 Former OSF Saint Anthony Leaders Sue Over Ignored Surgery Risks, Allege Retaliation
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jun 24
3 Former OSF Saint Anthony Leaders Sue Over Ignored Surgery Risks, Allege Retaliation
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 24
Summary
Three former surgical-services leaders filed an 18-page whistleblower suit in Illinois, alleging OSF Saint Anthony ignored repeated neurosurgery safety complaints and forced them out after they reported them.
The complaint cites incidents including a surgeon allegedly falling asleep during an October 2023 procedure, a patient left under anesthesia for about 1 hour on Feb. 3, 2025, and another left for 37 minutes on April 17, 2025.
The plaintiffs say they reported concerns through incident reports, the hospital integrity line, HR and senior executives, but were instead told to stop reporting, excluded from meetings, stripped of authority and given added neurosurgery duties.
The suit also alleges prolonged anesthesia led to improper minute-based OR billing and says hospital leaders prioritized retaining surgeons; all three plaintiffs resigned in 2025 and claim constructive discharge under the Illinois Whistleblower Act.
OSF Saint Anthony declined to comment, and the allegations—brought by employees rather than patients—have not been proven in court.
A surgeon falls asleep, another leaves mid-surgery. Is this an isolated case or a systemic hospital crisis?
When retaining surgeons is the priority, who protects the patient on the operating table?
Patient Safety Violations and Whistleblower Retaliation at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center: A 2026 Legal and Regulatory Analysis
Overview
In June 2026, three former employees filed a whistleblower lawsuit against OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center, alleging serious patient safety violations such as patients left unattended under anesthesia and a surgeon found asleep before surgery. Despite repeated internal reports, hospital leadership allegedly took no corrective action and instead retaliated against the whistleblowers, leading to their resignations. These claims sharply contrast with the hospital’s public image of safety and its prestigious accreditations. The case highlights how external ratings may not reflect internal realities and underscores the importance of legal protections for whistleblowers in driving accountability and systemic change in healthcare.