Surgeon Falls Asleep, Patients Left Unattended in OR

Three former surgical-services leaders at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford, Illinois, have filed a whistleblower lawsuit alleging dangerous patient safety violations and retaliation. The lawsuit claims that beginning in late 2023, neurosurgeons engaged in repeated safety breaches, including one instance where a neurosurgeon allegedly fell asleep during a procedure on October 12, 2023.

Further allegations state that patients were left under anesthesia for prolonged periods without a surgeon present, with one incident on February 3, 2025, lasting approximately one hour, and another on April 17, 2025, lasting 37 minutes. These prolonged anesthesia exposures allegedly led to fraudulent overcharging for operating room time.

The plaintiffs reported these concerns through various channels, including incident reports and to quality and safety officials. However, they claim the hospital administration ignored the safety issues and instead retaliated against them. This retaliation allegedly included verbal hostility, exclusion from meetings, and stripping of authority, contributing to their resignations in 2025 due to a hostile work environment.

The lawsuit seeks damages for violations of the Illinois Whistleblower Act. OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center has declined to comment on the allegations, which have not yet been proven in court. The hospital will have the opportunity to respond to the claims.