A surgeon at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center is suing the hospital for alleged retaliation, according to The Enquirer.
Charles Mehlman, DO, filed a lawsuit Oct. 16 in federal court, alleging he was targeted by hospital leadership after raising concerns about Abubaker Atiq Durrani, MD, who fled to Pakistan in 2013 to avoid federal charges. Dr. Durrani has been sued by hundreds of people over alleged medically unnecessary surgeries he performed, according to the report.
Dr. Mehlman claims he began raising concerns about Dr. Durrani in 2006 but was ignored by hospital leadership.
"Defendants were willing to sacrifice patients' lives and limbs at the altar of money," the lawsuit states, according to the report.
The lawsuit alleges Dr. Durrani's total billing at the hospital grew from $1.5 million in 2005 to $3.6 million in 2008.
Dr. Mehlman alleges there have been many instances of retaliation against him since he first began raising concerns about Dr. Durrani. Most recently, Dr. Mehlman was suspended for 14 days in September, according to the report.
Cincinnati Children's told The Enquirer that it does not comment on pending litigation.
Read the full article from The Enquirer here.