It took 14 years for Dr. Christian Guier's alleged history of throwing scissors, berating OR team members and other disruptive behaviors to reach the breaking point for St. John's Medical Center in Jackson, Wyo. The hospital pulled the orthopedic surgeon's surgical privileges in 2006 after the entire OR staff signed a "Work Refusal Petition" over his alleged abuse — a disciplinary action that was lawful and justified by the evidence, the state Supreme Court affirmed last week.
Dr. Guier has allegedly thrown scissors, yelled at OR team members when a suction device didn't work properly and once ripped the drapes off a patient when he was angry, according to court documents detailing the surgeon's 14-year history of disruptive behavior in the operating room. The OR staff's October 2006 "Work Refusal Petition" complained of "psychological abuse in a hostile work environment" when working with Dr. Guier.
St. John's Medical Center was not out of line when it revoked Dr. Guier's surgical privileges in 2006, the Supreme Court of Wyoming ruled on Feb. 24. The hospital's credentialing "board's decision is supported by substantial evidence, is not arbitrary or capricious, and is otherwise in accordance by the law," wrote the 3 judges in their opinion.
Earlier in 2006, as a condition of renewing his privileges, Dr. Guier had signed an agreement that he would not yell or verbally abuse or criticize any staff member. "Dr. Guier was aware that his professional behavior was under intense scrutiny," wrote the judges.
According to court documents, just 8 days after Dr. Guier signed the agreement, when an OR team member opened an extra set of sponges, Dr. Guier "stopped what he was doing, became angry and red in the face, was shaking, and yelling "˜like level 10 yelling,'" an OR staff member testified.
Dr. Guier appealed the state-owned hospital's decision in state court and he is suing the hospital and several physicians in federal court for $13 million for "malicious destruction of his medical career," according to his complaint filed in October 2010.
Dr. Guier claims the he was not given a proper hearing and wasn't notified when hospital staff had complained about his behavior. When reached by phone, Dr. Guier declined to comment for this article. However, in the federal lawsuit Dr. Guier says that he "has a strong work ethic and is demanding" when it comes to "compassion, concentration and effort helping others."
The attorney for the hospital did not respond to a request for comment on the lawsuits.
Kent Steinriede
