The Montana Supreme Court this week sided with Helena’s St. Peter's Health in a lawsuit over the hospital’s termination of Dr. Tom Weiner.
The Court unanimously ruled that the hospital was immune from liability because it followed proper procedure in an internal review process that culminated in Weiner’s firing in 2020.
Weiner, an oncologist, was investigated over concerns of substandard care and suspicious patient deaths. Those allegations were publicly reported last year by investigative journalism outlet ProPublica.
Weiner sued the hospital for wrongful termination and defamation. He argued St. Peter’s violated federal law that governs internal policing of physician conduct. Weiner’s argument was rejected by a Montana District Court in 2023. That rejection was upheld by the state Supreme Court.
St. Peter’s last year agreed to pay a nearly $11 million settlement for Weiner’s alleged fraudulent billing of federal insurance programs. An individual civil case brought against Weiner by Montana U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich is ongoing.
A spokesperson for St. Peter’s said the hospital was pleased with the court's ruling and was committed to patient care. Lawyers for Dr. Weiner did not immediately respond to MTPR’s request to comment.
