Whistleblower Lawsuit Alleges Retaliation After Patient Safety Complaints at Kentfield Hospital San Francisco

A former respiratory therapist has filed a whistleblower retaliation lawsuit against Kentfield Hospital San Francisco, alleging he was fired after raising concerns about dangerous patient care conditions.

“California law protects health care workers who speak up about patient safety, and retaliation for raising those concerns is unlawful,” said Maria Bourn of Gomerman | Bourn & Associates, who represents the whistleblower in the case.

According to the lawsuit filed in San Francisco Superior Court, Joe Abuzaid reported chronic understaffing and negligent care that he believed put patients at risk. Abuzaid documented his concerns with photos and texts and raised them internally. Three days later, he was terminated.

The lawsuit alleges that Abuzaid was responsible for managing as many as eighteen ventilators at once with only one other respiratory therapist on duty. His role involved maintaining life-sustaining breathing equipment for patients. The complaint also alleges that unsafe staffing made it impossible to properly maintain and monitor the machines.

KCBS Radio interviewed attorney Maria Bourn regarding the whistleblower retaliation lawsuit filed on behalf of a former respiratory therapist who raised patient safety concerns at Kentfield Hospital San Francisco.

“He had concerns about how the patients were being cared for at the hospital,” Bourn said in a KCBS radio report.

Kentfield Hospital San Francisco is owned by Vibra Healthcare. The hospital claims Abuzaid was fired for violating HIPAA by taking photographs related to his complaints. Bourn disputed that explanation.

“That’s just an excuse to cover up retaliation,” she said. “There’s just no dispute that the reason that they fired him was for reporting the health and safety complaints.”

In a separate KCBS report, Bourn noted that California law protects health care workers who raise patient safety concerns.

“What it does is protect employees that have concerns about patient care, and that’s exactly what happened with Joe,” she said.

The lawsuit comes amid broader scrutiny of Kentfield Hospital San Francisco. Another news article notes that the hospital has also been accused of malpractice in the deaths of two patients.

Abuzaid’s lawsuit alleges retaliation for reporting patient safety concerns and highlights legal protections for health care workers under California law.

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If you are a health care worker with concerns about patient safety or workplace retaliation, learning about your rights under California law can be an important first step.

Gomerman|Bourn and Associates specializes in employment law and personal injury cases. Since opening its doors in 2012, they have recovered well over $100 million for their clients. To learn more about Gomerman|Bourn and Associates, visit www.gobolaw.com