Former MetroHealth CEO files lawsuit against hospital

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Former MetroHealth CEO Dr. Akram Boutros has filed a lawsuit in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common pleas, against MetroHealth Board of Trustees for violations of the Ohio Open Meetings Act, according to his attorney Jason Bristol.

Dr. Akram Boutros was fired on Nov. 21 after an investigation found he authorized more than $1,900,000 in supplemental bonuses to himself between 2018-2022 without disclosing it to the Board, MetroHealth System Chair Vanessa Whiting said.

The following statement was released from Cohen, Rosenthal, and Kramer LLP, Attorneys for Dr. Akram Boutros:

In response to the wildly reckless, illegal, and damaging actions to the reputation of MetroHealth and Dr. Akram Boutros, he has filed a lawsuit in the Court of Common Pleas detailing multiple violations of Ohio’s Open Meetings Act and the MetroHealth System Board of Trustees Bylaws by the MetroHealth Board and its Chair, Vanessa L. Whiting. The suit is the result of an investigation that clearly demonstrates the wanton disregard for Ohio’s Open Meetings Act and the Board Bylaws by its Board and Chair Vanessa Whiting in both the hiring process for the health system’s new CEO and the so-called investigation of Dr. Boutros’ compensation.

The lawsuit requests declaratory and injunctive relief to void the actions taken by the Board in violation of the statute and to require the Board to comply with its requirements in the future. Specifically, we are asking the Court to nullify the unlawful investigation of Dr. Boutros and to nullify Dr. Boutros’ termination for cause as The MetroHealth System’s President and Chief Executive Officer.

The lawsuit further sheds light on how Chair Vanessa Whiting and the Board retaliated against Dr. Boutros and used the investigation into Dr. Boutros’ compensation as a weapon to damage Dr. Boutros’ reputation and provide cover for the Board’s pattern of violating Ohio’s Sunshine Laws. The defendants have taken these actions without concern for the impact on the institution, the employees of MetroHealth or its patients.

MetroHealth Hospital released the following statement from Vanessa Whiting, Chair, regarding the lawsuit:

“We’re disappointed, though not surprised, that Dr. Boutros has filed a lawsuit. His allegations are little more than a distraction from these fundamental facts: That he awarded himself nearly $2 million in bonuses without proper review or authorization and that he concealed those payments from MetroHealth’s trustees and the public.

“We are confident the board acted in accord with Ohio law, but no one should lose sight of the irony that someone who for five years actively cloaked his actions is trying now to recast himself as a champion of sunshine.

“We will file our response in due time, but urge everyone to read the Tucker Ellis report that resulted from the investigation we launched into Dr. Boutros’ actions. It speaks for itself.”

We have no further comment at this time.