Whistleblower lawsuit filed against Illinois hospital over patient safety allegations

Three former surgical-services leaders at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford, Illinois, have filed a whistleblower lawsuit alleging serious safety violations in the hospital's neurosurgery department. The lawsuit, submitted to the Winnebago County Circuit Court, claims that patients were left anesthetized without surgeons present and that hospital administrators retaliated against employees who reported these incidents. The plaintiffs, Sofia Gudino, Tina Peppers, and Cindamon Proffitt, allege that beginning in late 2023, they observed repeated safety violations, including an incident on February 3, 2025, where two neurosurgeons left a patient under anesthesia for about one hour. Another incident on April 17, 2025, involved a neurosurgeon leaving a patient under anesthesia for approximately 37 minutes to attend a meeting. The lawsuit also claims that a neurosurgeon was seen falling asleep during a procedure on October 12, 2023. The plaintiffs allege that their reports of these incidents were ignored and that they faced retaliation, including exclusion from meetings and increased workloads. They ultimately resigned in 2025, claiming their work environment had become intolerable. The lawsuit seeks damages under the Illinois Whistleblower Act. OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center has declined to comment on the allegations, which have yet to be proven in court.