Whistleblower Lawsuit Alleges Patient Safety Violations at Illinois Hospital
Three former leaders in surgical services at an Illinois hospital have filed a whistleblower lawsuit. They allege alarming patient safety issues, including a neurosurgeon sleeping during procedures and patients left unattended under anesthesia. The claims are part of an 18-page lawsuit accusing OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford of ignoring these safety complaints while retaliating against employees who raised them.
Lawsuit Details
The complaint, filed in Winnebago County Circuit Court, centers on the hospital’s neurosurgery department. According to the plaintiffs, Sofia Gudino, Tina Peppers, and Cindamon Proffitt, the problems began in late 2023. They describe “repeated and dangerous safety violations,” including an incident on February 3, 2025, when two neurosurgeons allegedly left a patient under anesthesia alone for about an hour.
Other accusations involve a neurosurgeon leaving a patient under anesthesia for 37 minutes on April 17, 2025, while attending a meeting.
The plaintiffs claim these actions led to prolonged anesthesia exposure and billing misconduct. “The patients were fraudulently and unethically overcharged for OR time,” the complaint alleges.
Additional Allegations
Further allegations of misconduct are mentioned in the lawsuit. On October 12, 2023, a neurosurgeon reportedly fell asleep against a surgical microscope. Despite warnings from Peppers that the surgeon was fatigued, the procedure continued.
The lawsuit claims no investigations were conducted and no corrective measures were taken, allowing “unsafe behavior” to persist. Additional violations cited include incomplete surgical counts, breaches of sterile technique, and use of unauthorized equipment.
The plaintiffs report facing intimidation for raising their concerns. They allege being warned against filing reports, excluded from meetings, and given increased duties related to neurosurgery. Reports were filed through various channels, but the hospital allegedly took no action.
Hostile Work Environment
The complaint suggests the hospital prioritized retaining surgeons over resolving complaints. Comments from Regional CEO August J. Querciagrossa allegedly reflect this attitude, saying, “We cannot afford to lose any surgeon.”
The work environment reportedly became intolerable, leading the plaintiffs to resign in 2025. Their lawsuit claims these resignations amount to constructive discharge due to hostile conditions.
No patient claims are included in the case. Instead, it alleges violations of the Illinois Whistleblower Act, seeking damages for retaliation against the employees. OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center has yet to respond to the allegations, which remain unproven in court.