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The trio claim a culture of misconduct and harassment from surgeons at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center.(Nathaniel Langley)<\/p>\nROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) – Three former employees from OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center trade the operating room for a conference room Tuesday.<\/p>\n
In their attorney\u2019s office in Oak Brook, the women take their experiences at the Rockford hospital public.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been really emotional. It still is,\u201d described Cindamon Proffitt, who served as operating room manager at Saint Anthony from 2018 through 2025. \u201cIt\u2019s just hard. You want to do the right thing for the patients.\u201d<\/p>\n
Proffitt joins two other former operating room leaders at OSF in a lawsuit against the medical center: Sofia Gudino, previously an operating room manager, as well as Tina Peppers, a former director of surgical services.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery step that we took and measure that we took was to ensure that the outcomes of our patients were the best that they could be,\u201d detailed Gudino.<\/p>\n
Represented by Jeffrey Law Office, the trio alleges the hospital put profit and efficiency over patients\u2019 health and safety. The 18-page suit lays out claims neurosurgeons reportedly violating hospital policy as well as OSF leadership ignoring complaints from staff.<\/p>\n
The lawsuit \u2014 brought by the Illinois Whistleblower Act \u2014 centers on a pair of neurosurgeons and their actions between 2023 and 2025, when the trio became aware of \u201crepeated and dangerous safety violations within the hospital\u2019s neurosurgery service line,\u201d it reads.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had a new group come in for our neuro providers,\u201d said Peppers. \u201cThey were struggling a little bit to follow rules.\u201d<\/p>\n
One example from the former employees includes patients reportedly left unattended on the operating table while under anesthesia. On February 3, 2025, one surgeon allegedly left a patient for nearly an hour; on April 17, 2025, another doctor departed the OR and an induced patient for a meeting which lasted 37 minutes.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe patient\u2019s asleep. They can\u2019t advocate for themselves,\u201d said Proffitt. She mentioned the longer a patient stays on anesthesia, the higher the risk for postoperative complications.<\/p>\n
The trio claim a culture of misconduct and harassment from surgeons at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center.(Nathaniel Langley)<\/p>\n
The trio also says patients paid for this unattended time on their bills \u2014 possibly without knowing a surgeon wasn\u2019t in the room for a period.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re being billed for that time by the minute,\u201d explained Proffitt. \u201cEfficiency is important, but patient safety is number one.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another concern for the OR staff appeared October 12, 2023. The trio said a surgeon was found asleep against a surgical microscope just before an operation was to begin.<\/p>\n
Peppers allegedly warned a chief medical officer of the danger with proceeding, but the surgery continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was an elective procedure, not emergent in any way,\u201d mentioned Peppers.<\/p>\n
According to the lawsuit, other safety concerns from the trio include:<\/p>\n
The women asserted they reported these incidents and behaviors to hospital leadership through \u201cmultiple channels,\u201d such as incident reports, OSF\u2019s Integrity Line and email\/verbal reporting.<\/p>\n
\u201cDespite repeated reports, no investigations were initiated, no corrective actions taken, and the unsafe behavior continued,\u201d reads the lawsuit. \u201cIn fact, instead of corrective measures, Defendant retaliated against Plaintiffs, warning them to stop filing reports and assigned them disproportionate neuro-only duties.\u201d<\/p>\n
The women say most of their reporting went disregarded, but Peppers mentioned one response from her boss.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis response to me exactly was, \u2018We can\u2019t afford to lose another surgeon.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
The women described an alleged lack of responses as deflating for their faith in the hospital and medical care.<\/p>\n
\u201cI got very stressed because I felt like I couldn\u2019t protect my frontline staff. I felt like I couldn\u2019t protect my managers. I felt like I didn\u2019t have a voice in keeping my patients safe,\u201d said Peppers.<\/p>\n
Prior to these alleged incidents, Gudino saw OSF\u2019s values as \u201cto take care of patients as if those patients are your loved ones that are on the table.\u201d<\/p>\n
She says without responses from hospital leadership, she struggles to believe in that practice.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnything that seems that it\u2019s off in any sense of the word, we should always follow up on so that you can make it better for the next patient that\u2019s in there,\u201d said Gudino.<\/p>\n
By May 2025, the trio left their positions at Saint Anthony. All but one of the women remain in the medical field. Proffitt\u2019s experience trying to find a new career brought her to tears.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve applied to over 34 positions. I have two Bachelor\u2019s degrees. I have a master\u2019s, and it\u2019s just been really difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n
The women mentioned claims of sexual harassment also prompted an environment that \u201cbecame intolerably hostile,\u201d with the trio allegedly verbally abused and ostracized, and supportive staff warned to stay silent.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were forced out as a result of the management there at OSF,\u201d said Antonio Jeffrey, who represents the former employees. When asked what justice looks like in this case, the attorney hoped for change at OSF.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s about ensuring public safety,\u201d he maintained. Jeffrey felt his clients were owed millions of dollars in damages following their experiences.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want every patient out there to know that we always fought for them,\u201d added Gudino.<\/p>\n
OSF tells WIFR \u201cno comment\u201d regarding the lawsuit.<\/p>\n
To the best of the trio\u2019s knowledge, patients who may have been left unattended on anesthesia may not be aware they were ever a part of this alleged ordeal. <\/p>\n
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