Dr. Richard Luftus, a former physician and assistant program director for medical residents at Eisenhower Medical Center, has been awarded $1.6 million in a landmark whistleblower lawsuit. The case stems from early 2020, when Luftus raised alarms about COVID-19 safety measures that he believed were critical to protecting staff and patients.
According to his lawsuit, Luftus repeatedly requested masks and testing for medical residents, but hospital administrators resisted. As the pandemic escalated, he continued to warn about the potential for widespread illness and death in the Coachella Valley, a region with a vulnerable, older population. The suit alleges that Eisenhower not only ignored these warnings but also fostered a toxic environment, including misogyny and intimidation of medical residents over their evaluations, which could have financially burdened them through unpaid tuition.
The court ruled in Luftus’s favor, validating his claims that the hospital violated its own bylaws by silencing him and forcing his resignation. He has since moved to Fargo to care for an ill family member but continues practicing medicine. The lawsuit now moves into the punitive damages phase, where experts will testify on the hospital’s financial capacity and insurance coverage.
Eisenhower Medical Center has issued a written statement disputing Luftus’s allegations and announcing plans to appeal. The hospital has not publicly addressed concerns raised by employees over the years. While...
Banking stocks across the globe sold off on Friday, as fears about bad U.S. loans spilled over into equity markets beyond the United States. U.S. stock markets were rattled on Thursday amid mounti...