On the eve of trial, a settlement between a highly respected physician and a top U. S. hospital has apparently been reached to resolve claims the physician brought in 2008. Dr. Carol A. Warfield contended that she was unfairly forced out of her position at Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess, a Harvard-affiliated hospital, due to complaining about mistreatment by another physician.
Dr. Warfield is board certified in anesthesia and sub-boarded in pain management and serves as the Distinguished Lowenstein Professor of Anesthesiology at Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Warfield had served as chief of anesthesia at the well known facility when she says she was targeted for professional abuse by a fellow medical staff member. While not accepting fault for its actions in a literal sense, the payment of millions to resolve the case suggests the hospital realized its vulnerability in the litigation.
Dr. Warfield is credited with bringing national acclaim to Boston Israel Deaconess’ pain management program. As a non-financial term of the settlement, the pain management clinic will now be named in her honor. The hospital will also review its discrimination and anti-retaliation policies.
Virginia Buchanan is a shareholder at Levin, Papantonio. She has served on the Board of Directions of the Florida Bar Foundation and has been Treasurer of ABOTA, Chairperson of the Civil Process Server Grievance Committee and has been a member of the Chief Judge’s Council on Children. She currently is a member of the Women’s Caucus of the Florida Justice Association.
