EDWARDSVILLE — Gateway Regional Medical Center in Granite City is suing three physicians for allegedly breaching their employment contract.
Granite City Illinois Hospital Company LLC, doing business as Gateway Regional Medical Center, filed a complaint Oct. 15 in the Madison County Circuit Court against the Center for Gastrointestinal Health (CGH), Shakeel Ahmed, M.D., and Kurt Sprunger, M.D., alleging breach of contract and breach of implied good faith and fair dealing.
According to the complaint, the defendants entered into a "recruitment agreement" with Gateway Regional Medical Center on Nov. 29, 2018, that would continue for 36 months over a 41 month period. The agreement included a "cash collections guarantee" period for 12 months over a 17 month period.
Gateway Regional Medical Center alleges Lederer left the practice for medical leave in April 2019 and again on Aug. 14, 2019. Center for Gastrointestinal Health and Ahmed were allowed to "amend the agreement" when "Lederer failed to uphold his duties and obligations."
Gateway Regional Medical Center claims Ahmed and Center for Gastrointestinal Health failed to find a replacement for Lederer for "approximately five months" and Ahmed "failed to perform" Lederer's duties as per their amended agreement. Gateway also claims Sprunger "abandoned the care of his bariatric surgery patients" and "ceased performing of his duties" under the agreement.
Gateway seeks compensation of more than $25,000, interest and all other just relief. They are represented by Richard Behr and Kelsey Farley. of Evans & Dixon LLC in St. Louis.
Madison County Circuit Court case number 20-L-001474