Hospital wrongful termination lawsuits embroiled in EHR safety controversy

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Executives at Sonoma West Medical Center have denied allegations that the electronic health record system used by the facility can adversely affect patient safety amid reports that they may be benefiting financially from use of the tool, according to an article in the North Bay Business Journal.

The hospital’s former chief nursing officer, Autumn AndRa, sued the hospital for wrongful termination earlier this summer, claiming that she was forced out after raising concerns that the EHR, called HarmoniMD, endangered patients’ lives. The EHR intermingled charts and had problems tracking and displaying information, among other issues. 

This month, the hospital’s former CFO, Douglas Goldfarb, also filed a lawsuit for wrongful termination, retaliation and discrimination, alleging that Dan Smith, an entrepreneur on the hospital's board, was using the facility to test his “defective” EHR. Goldfarb also claimed that he was told to “cook the books” of the financially troubled hospital.

James Gude, medical and intensive care director for the facility, has denied claims that the EHR can endanger patients’ lives. Gude, who also is the Medical Director of E-Health Records International, which was created to develop and sell HarmoniMD, noted the software has had some glitches, but “we’re running it well,” according to the article.

Sonoma West is the only facility in the United States using HarmoniMD EHR.

To learn more:
- read the article