Two physicians of the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic have filed a lawsuit Sept. 12 against Los Angeles-based Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, its nonprofit foundation and affiliated outpatient surgical facilities.
Orthopedic surgeons Daniel Kharrazi, MD, and Ronald Kvitne, MD, allege that Cedar-Sinai prioritized profits over patient safety at the Kerlan-Jobe Surgery Center and Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic, according to a Sept. 15 news release from the Kerlan Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic.
The claims from Dr. Kharrazi and Dr. Kvitne include:
- Sex and gender discrimination and harassment. The pair allege Cedars-Sinai sidelined senior male surgeons while promoting younger, lesser-trained female surgeons.
- Age and disability harassment. The plaintiffs claim Cedars-Sinai spread false rumors about Dr. Kvitne’s ability to practice medicine after he underwent and recovered from spinal surgery.
- Whistleblower retaliation. They claim Cedars-Sinai attempted to push Dr. Kharrazi and Dr. Kvitne out after they spoke out against the unsafe practices.
- The physicians also claim that Cedars-Sinai refused to schedule follow-up appointments for hundreds of post-surgical patients, blocked firefighters and police officers from receiving treatment, spread defamatory claims about physicians and interfered with direct athlete care.
The surgeons seek unspecified monetary relief and coverage of attorney fees. The case is pending before Los Angeles Superior Court.
Read the full suit here.
Cedars-Sinai said that it does not comment on pending litigation.
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