GENEVA – A woman is suing her former employer, a former co-worker and Delnor Hospital, claiming private medical information was released to get her fired.
The woman, called "Jane Doe," filed suit Tuesday in Kane County court against Jeffrey Grosskopf, a physician at Fox Valley Orthopaedic Institute in Geneva, along with the Geneva hospital, and the practice.
Grosskopf works at the orthopaedic practice with the woman, who was an anesthesiologist working on contract until she lost her job, according to the complaint.
The complaint states the woman lost her job because on June 23, 2009, Grosskopf looked up her private medical records in Delnor's database – which included records of mental health treatment – and released that information to employees at Fox Valley Orthopaedics in an attempt to get the woman terminated.
"Grosskopf's disclosure of [Jane Doe's] confidential information was, on information and belief, calculated by him to bring about her termination," the lawsuit states.
Grosskopf did not return phone calls Wednesday. A Fox Valley Orthopaedics employee referred comment to the group's CEO, who was unavailable for comment Wednesday.
Delnor spokesman Brian Griffin said he could not comment because the issue involves pending litigation.
The lawsuit claims Grosskopf abused his physician privileges at Delnor to access Grosskopf's records, even though she was never under his care. As a result, Delnor launched its own investigation, according to the complaint.
The woman also claims Delnor should not have allowed Grosskopf to access the woman's records and that Fox Valley Orthopaedics "allowed and facilitated … Grosskopf's wrongful inspection and disclosure of the [woman's] confidential and private records," the lawsuit states.
Besides loss of employment – which resulted in about a $200,000 loss, according to the suit – the woman suffered "humiliation, embarrassment, severe emotional distress, loss of income and other injuries or losses," the complaint states.
She is seeking at least $1 million in punitive damages, along with court costs, lost wages and other damages. The lawsuit refers to several violations of the law, including negligence, invasion of privacy, and violations of the Illinois Mental Health Act and the Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act.
The matter is scheduled to appear in court Sept. 9 before Circuit Judge Judith Brawka.
