On September 7, 2018, a jury awarded more than $10 million to seven healthcare professionals based on allegations that the hospital failed to protect the women from two male doctors with troubling histories. According to the news reports, neither of the physicians were employed by the hospital, although both doctors were members of the medical staff and had clinical privileges at the hospital.
The bulk of the award, more than $7 million in punitive damages, went to a female anesthesiologist who was allegedly choked and pushed up against the wall in a locker room by a surgeon. The attack was witnessed by other hospital staff and patients, according to the complaint. The anesthesiologist reported the incident to hospital leadership and was asked to consider dropping the matter. The surgeon was reported as having a long history of workplace violence that was known to the hospital and the chief of the surgery department. While the chief met with the surgeon after each incident, according to the anesthesiologist’s attorney, no formal disciplinary action was ever taken.
Shortly after the alleged choking incident in the locker room, six female nurses and technicians who used the locker room were unlawfully recorded by a different doctor, as they used the restroom and changed their clothes. Criminal charges were brought against the doctor for the secret videotaping, but according to the complaint, the hospital delayed in suspending the doctor’s medical staff privileges. The remainder of the jury award went to the six nurses and technicians who were secretly videotaped.
The take away – juries are willing to find hospitals responsible for the acts of their non-employed medical staff members. Hospitals need to take prompt and appropriate action at the first sign of inappropriate behavior. While this case involved medical staff members, prompt and appropriate action is also required at the first sign of inappropriate behavior by anyone on the hospital’s premises.