Former Chief Medical Officer Files Lawsuit Against Only Public Hospital in DC

Julian Craig, who previously served as chief medical officer at United Medical Center, the only public hospital in Washington, D.C., recently filed a lawsuit against the facility and its management consultants. In the lawsuit, Craig alleges his termination was retaliation for testifying in front of district lawmakers about problems that have occurred at the facility.

Craig said he testified and acted as a whistleblower to shed light on “malfeasance affecting patient health and safety.” He also revealed submission of fraudulent statements to government programs, including Medicare and Medicaid.

Details of the suit

In the suit, Craig says these practices were encouraged by executives who worked for Veritas of Washington, a consulting firm that was received a no-bid contract in 2016 to run the hospital. The contract was worth $3.6 million and included additional money for travel expenses for executives. The hospital was (and still is) financially troubled at the time, which may have contributed to its actions.

Craig also claims that after testifying in court he was not paid the full amount of the salary agreed to in his contract, a violation of wage theft laws, and Veritas attempted to cut his hours in such a way that it hampered his ability to provide patients with high-quality medical attention.

For more information on the steps available to you if you have been the victim of wrongful termination and/or workplace retaliation, speak with an experienced Dallas attorney at Whistleblower Law for Managers.