Former MetroHealth CEO files new suit against hospital: I-Team
Former MetroHealth CEO files new suit against hospital: I-Team
Editor's Note: The video above is previous coverage on this story.
CLEVELAND (WJW) – Former MetroHealth CEO, Dr. Akram Boutros has refiled his lawsuit against The MetroHealth System and its Board of Trustees listing several allegations, including breach of contract, and defamation.
The new lawsuit was filed on Tuesday.
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Dr. Boutros spoke exclusively to Fox 8. He told us he voluntarily dismissed his original lawsuit in December 2023 after receiving a cancer diagnosis.
He said the allegations made by MetroHealth against him ruined his reputation, and health. He said he has not been able to even find a job.
'Over Dr. Boutros's tenure of nearly a decade, he led the transformation of MetroHealth from a troubled county hospital into a multi-billion-dollar enterprise. Rather than celebrating his accomplishments, the MetroHealth Board orchestrated his discharge just weeks before expiration of his contract based on a disagreement over the System's compensation policies,' said Jason R. Bristol of Cohen Rosenthal & Kramer LLP. 'The Board publicly condemned and vilified Dr. Boutros, attacking him as a criminal and a villain for receiving bonus payments that were allegedly unauthorized. This campaign extinguished Dr. Boutros's future employment opportunities and destroyed his reputation,' adding that 'we've made multiple requests to resolve the dispute amicably, all of which have been rebuffed by the Board.'
Last week, the state auditor released a report stating Boutros did not commit any crime in connection with the compensation dispute and did not conceal the information from the health system or outside consultants.
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A press release issued by The Dilenschneider Group, a public relations firm representing Boutros, states 'Dr. Airica Steed, who succeeded Dr. Boutros as MetroHealth CEO and was recently terminated, issued a press release reacting to the Auditor's report. Dr. Steed reported 'the alleged unlawful destruction of public records by MetroHealth staff under the direction of the legal department to cover up knowledge of Dr. Boutros' participation in the SPBVC [bonus] program' – the very knowledge and authorization the Board had publicly denied.'
'The County Executive and County Council should move swiftly to correct the lawlessness at MetroHealth and should urge the current leadership to remedy the inequitable treatment that destroyed Dr. Boutros's reputation, career, and health,' Bristol said.
Boutros told us he had hoped to settle the matter without refiling the lawsuit.
'Due to the MetroHealth Board's persistent failure to understand their own compensation policies and legal delegations of authority, we unfortunately have been forced to refile our lawsuit,' Boutros said. 'At the same time, I will continue to remember my 10 years at MetroHealth as the most gratifying of my career. I love the staff and patients and am honored to have served the residents of Cuyahoga County, particularly the most under-served ones.'
We reached out to MetroHealth to discuss the matter but have not yet received a response.
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