MUSKEGON, Mich. — A Muskegon-based cardiologist is suing his former employer, claiming he was fired after voicing concerns about another doctor.
Dr. Daniel West's attorneys tell FOX 17 he has been practicing in Muskegon for more than three decades.
It was around five or six years ago, attorneys say, when West started to notice something strange about a surgical procedure.
He sounded the alarm.
“It was only after he gave them the report showing that this doctor had been performing these unnecessary procedures that they retaliated against him by firing him,” the attorney for Daniel West, Shoran Reid Williams, said.
That report was shared with Trinity Health Muskegon officials in early June 2024.
It supposedly showed that a fellow doctor was misinterpreting test results for years.
“To make a patient appear more sick than they are,” Williams said.
The lawsuit claims those results would then lead patients to get a specific type of pacemaker, one the lawsuit alleges they didn't need.
“Three of the doctors from the practice then went to all of those patient files to see if in their professional opinion they agreed that a device implant would have been warranted. It was discovered that it was not. There was a pattern that was discovered, that the doctor was altering those results in order to justify implanting these devices,” Williams said.
According to the lawsuit, weeks after the report was shared with hospital officials, Dr. West was suspended over a concern related to his behavior.
The lawsuit goes on to say Dr. West was told to destroy his report, claiming it violated privacy laws. He says he complied, and returned to work on Aug. 5.
Dr. West then says he was fired without cause on Oct. 28.
"In our view, there's no other reasonable explanation other than what is in the complaint," attorney for West, Sarah Howard, said.
The lawsuit claims retaliation and violation of Michigan's Whistleblowers' Protection Act.
Trinity Health Muskegon released FOX 17 the following statement:
"While we are not able to comment on the specifics of active litigation, we will vigorously defend ourselves against any allegations which are inaccurate. We remain dedicated in our efforts to uphold high standards and integrity in all aspects of our healing ministry. We will continue to ensure that our actions are in the best interest of the patients and community we serve."
Dr. West's attorneys also note that he's shared his concerns with the U.S. Attorney's Office.
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