The Illinois hospital OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford is facing a whistleblower lawsuit alleging serious patient-safety incidents and retaliation against employees who raised concerns.
Three former surgical-services leaders, Sofia Gudino, Tina Peppers, and Cindamon Proffitt, claim in the lawsuit that a neurosurgeon fell asleep during surgery and patients were left anesthetized on operating room tables without surgeons present. The lawsuit also alleges that hospital administrators ignored repeated patient-safety complaints and instead targeted employees who raised concerns.
The complaint states that the plaintiffs became aware of "repeated and dangerous safety violations" involving neurosurgery cases beginning in late 2023. The most serious allegations include incidents in which patients were left under anesthesia for prolonged periods. On February 3, 2025, a patient was left under anesthesia for approximately one hour, and on April 17, 2025, a patient was left under anesthesia for 37 minutes while the surgeons attended a meeting.
The lawsuit alleges that these incidents resulted in prolonged anesthesia exposure and improper billing practices. The complaint also claims that a neurosurgeon was observed falling asleep during a procedure on October 12, 2023. Despite warnings from staff, the surgery was allowed to proceed, and no investigations were initiated.
The plaintiffs claim they raised their concerns through various channels, including Midas incident reports, OSF's Integrity Line, and senior executives. However, they were warned to stop filing reports, excluded from meetings, and subjected to verbal hostility and intimidation. The lawsuit alleges that hospital leaders were more concerned about retaining surgeons than addressing complaints.
The three plaintiffs ultimately resigned in 2025, claiming that the work environment had become intolerably hostile after they raised patient-safety concerns. The lawsuit seeks damages for retaliation against employees under the Illinois Whistleblower Act. OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center declined to comment on the matter.
The allegations in the lawsuit have not been proven in court, and OSF will have an opportunity to respond to the claims. The case does not involve claims brought by patients, but rather allegations of violations of the Illinois Whistleblower Act and retaliation against employees who raised concerns about patient safety.
