CLEVELAND, Ohio — University Hospitals and two pediatricians who sued the healthcare system last month — saying they were fired after raising patient safety concerns — have jointly asked a Cuyahoga County judge to pause the case while they try to work out a resolution in mediation.
A joint motion, filed Wednesday, says both sides have agreed to sit down with a private mediator and are in the process of choosing one. In the meantime, they’re asking Common Pleas Judge Kevin Kelley to put the lawsuit on hold.
UH was set to respond to the lawsuit complaint by Jan. 16.
The case is still in its early stages. No hearings or schedules have been set, and the lawyers say it makes more sense to focus on whether the dispute can be settled before the court gets involved. If mediation is successful, it would end the lawsuit entirely.
Dr. Lauren Beene and Dr. Valerie Fouts-Fowler sued on Dec. 15, saying they were fired after warning UH leaders about delays in lab results, short staffing in the emergency room at Ahuja Medical Center and shortages of key vaccines and medications. They also say the hospital falsely claimed they misused an internal messaging app.
UH has denied the allegations.
The lawyers told Kelley they’ll update him once a mediation date is set and will report back within a week after the session ends. Kelley has not yet responded to the motion.
After cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer reported the lawsuit in December, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders criticized UH’s decision to terminate the pediatricians.
“University Hospitals must immediately reinstate these doctors,” he wrote on X.