By EMILY GREEN/The Lund Report
A Newport doctor is suing Samaritan Health Services and Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital for nearly $20 million, alleging that his advocacy for a transgender health clinic and status as a transgender man prompted hospital managers to initiate a sham investigation into his conduct and disciplinary action against him.
According to a lawsuit filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court last week, Dr. Gavin Shumate worked as an obstetrician-gynecologist at the hospital’s Women’s Health Clinic from 2011 to 2020.
The lawsuit said Shumate earned accolades and had a stellar work-performance record during the majority of that time. This included winning the patient-nominated Shining Star Award in 2016, and in 2018 received invitations to serve as the hospital’s vice chief of staff and then the chair of the obstetrics and pediatrics departments.
But now he is suing the 25-bed hospital and Samaritan Health Services for $19.7 million for actions the lawsuit describes as career ending.
In a statement, Samartian officials told The Lund Report that “Although we will not comment specifically on this pending litigation, Samaritan Health Services does value the equity and inclusion of all persons, and is committed to treating everyone with respect and dignity, with the core goal of improving community health.”
Shumate’s lawsuit said during his employment at the hospital’s clinic he was “a physician advocate for sexual orientation and gender identity minorities, including providing medical care to transgender patients.” But it was periodically brought to Shumate’s attention that his status as a transgender man was the subject of disparaging remarks among hospital staff and clinic members, according to the complaint. In 2015, when a transphobic email authored by a coworker’s spouse was brought to the attention of hospital management, the then-CEO reassured Shumate that the hospital’s legal department would protect him from discrimination, the lawsuit said.
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