Liam Gannon, MD, former emergency department director of Morristown, Vt.-based Copley Hospital, is suing the hospital for allegedly firing him after he raised safety concerns surrounding the switch to a new records system, VTDigger reported March 14.
Dr. Gannon alleges that he tested a new records system in 2020 and found it could cause delayed or missed orders, according to court documents cited by VTDigger.
The hospital adopted the new system, according to the report, and numerous safety concerns relating to the new system were reported to the quality department. Leadership allegedly grew increasingly antagonistic toward Dr. Gannon until he stepped down from his leadership position in March 2023. He was terminated in November, allegedly after he raised concerns about the performance of the physician who replaced him.
Three current employees and one former staff member protested the termination in letters obtained by the publication.
"The lack of transparency with which you run our community hospital is abhorrent," emergency room nurse Roberta Pitkin wrote in a letter to hospital leadership. "The patterns of behavior you exhibit have created an environment of distrust and speculation."
The suit is seeking an unspecified amount of damages and for Dr. Gannon to be reinstated.
Emily McKenna, Copley's executive director of development, marketing and community relations, declined to comment to VTDigger on Dr. Gannon's firing.
"As a hospital, we do take seriously the responsibility to protect the right to privacy for our patients, providers, and all of our employees," Ms. McKenna said, according to the report.
Becker's has reached out to Copley Hospital and will update this story if more information becomes available.