Title: Three Female Physicians File Lawsuit Against Harbor-UCLA Medical Center Alleging Years of Misconduct Ignored by Management
In a significant legal development, three female physicians at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in California have taken Los Angeles County to court, accusing the hospital’s management of turning a blind eye to years of sexual harassment, retaliation, and discriminatory behavior by Dr. Louis Kwong. The physicians allege that Kwong created a toxic work environment and put patients’ lives at risk.
According to the plaintiffs – Drs. Haleh Badkoobehi and Jennifer Hsu, both orthopedic surgeons, and Dr. Madonna Fernandez-Frackelton, a former program director of emergency medicine – Kwong engaged in sexual misconduct with unconscious patients, needlessly delayed surgeries, and even insisted on watching a baseball game during a procedure, jeopardizing patient care.
The lawsuits go beyond Kwong’s alleged misconduct, suggesting that misogyny permeated the medical facility. One physician claimed that she was asked to step down from her position to make way for a less experienced male applicant, highlighting the gender bias prevalent at Harbor-UCLA.
Moreover, the plaintiffs assert that they faced demotion and retaliation when they reported Kwong’s behavior to management. The hospital, operated by Los Angeles County’s Department of Health Services, now faces further scrutiny regarding its handling of complaints against doctors at prestigious university-affiliated medical facilities.
Despite being placed on administrative leave, it has been revealed that Kwong earned up to $1 million in pay and benefits in a single year. Shockingly, he has been employed at Harbor-UCLA since 1990.
In response to the mounting allegations, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education recently placed Harbor-UCLA on probation after conducting a site visit prompted by complaints from Dr. Fernandez-Frackelton and her emergency department residents.
Disturbingly, similar incidents of patient abuse at hospitals affiliated with renowned universities have come to light in recent times. These incidents underline the need for immediate action to ensure patient safety and create a more tolerant environment for all.
When asked for comments regarding the ongoing litigation, the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services declined to offer any specific information but emphasized that patient care and staff safety were their topmost priorities. They assured the public that allegations of misconduct were being thoroughly investigated.
The lawsuits, filed in an effort to protect future patients and targeted groups, come after the plaintiffs exhausted all other avenues, including filing grievances and complaints, before resorting to legal action. Attorney Carol Gillam, representing the physicians, expressed that this was a common narrative where powerful doctors at teaching hospitals exploit their positions with misconduct.
The lawsuits provide explicit details of patient abuse, which include incidents of inappropriate behavior by Kwong during surgical procedures. Additionally, they allege that Kwong regularly prioritized elective procedures and delayed urgent trauma operations, with complaints about his actions going unanswered.
Furthermore, the court documents shed light on misogynistic incidents at Harbor-UCLA, including inappropriate comments by Kwong and instances where employees were taken to strip clubs without their consent.
As the director of the orthopedics residency program, the lawsuits implicate Kwong in making inappropriate remarks about Black candidates during faculty meetings held to select candidates. Since 2016, Kwong has received substantial payments from medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturers, along with associated research funding.
The pending litigation not only highlights the urgent need for justice and accountability but serves as a much-needed wake-up call for medical institutions to prioritize patient care and operate in an environment free from discrimination and harassment.
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