A lawsuit has been filed against Bridgeton, Mo.-based SSM Health DePaul Hospital, part of St. Louis-based SSM Health, and Craig Spiegel, MD, on behalf of 30 people alleging sexual abuse.
The lawsuit, which was filed in the Circuit Court of St. Louis County (Mo.), accuses the hospital of gross negligence and claims that it failed to protect patients despite multiple reports and warnings that span over a decade, according to a news release from a law firm representing the patients.
"Dr. Craig Spiegel was never employed by SSM Health," a spokesperson for SSM Health said in a Nov. 21 statement shared with Becker's. "Dr. Spiegel leased space from a third-party organization known as Ventas in a medical office building adjacent to SSM Health DePaul Hospital. As an organization dedicated to the safety and well-being of our patients and team members, we are deeply saddened by the unfound allegations directed towards SSM Health."
Complaints in the lawsuit alleged SSM Health ignored internal staff concerns, police reports and other "red flags" and allowed Dr. Spiegel to practice despite numerous sexual misconduct allegations, including the abuse of patients as young as five years old.
Plaintiffs are each seeking damages that exceed $25,000 each, citing ongoing medical needs, emotional distress and psychological harm.
The Justice Department also indicted Dr. Spiegel March 14 for allegedly prescribing controlled substances like pain pills in exchange for cash or sexual acts.