A recent lawsuit against a Chicago area hospital system for claims of sexual abuse of over 300 women.
A recent lawsuit against a Chicago area hospital system claims that the institution was complicit in the sexual abuse of over 300 women.
Endeavor Health’s former gynecologist, Dr. Fabio Ortega, was arrested in 2017. His last patient before the arrest is asking for $50,000 in damages, and it is only the first lawsuit out of many filed against Ortega and the hospital system.
Ortega was previously employed at various hospitals before joining Endeavor Health’s team. He worked for Swedish Covenant from 1989 until 2007 and NorthShore from 2006 until 2017. During this time, numerous reports were made against the former gynecologist. Female patients felt uncomfortable during examinations, stating that Ortega performed pelvic exams without gloves and visited them outside of the work environment.
Many Latina patients who were not fluent in English were sent to Ortega for treatment, as he spoke Spanish. He utilized the language barrier to gain patients’ trust and violate their boundaries.
"Ortega was a sexual predator who targeted young women who did not have experience with gynecological examinations… he knew that patients from these populations were less likely to understand that they were being sexually abused and report his abuse," the lawsuit states.
Multiple female patients requested a female chaperone or a different provider during the time Ortega was employed at Swedish Covenant. The lawsuit asserts that NorthShore should have taken these reports into consideration when they hired the doctor.
“They were told to question their very experiences as women. They were told that the very abuse that they complained about was medically necessary and normal,” attorney Symone Shinton said in a press conference.
Although an 18-month criminal investigation was already underway, Ortega was still able to practice at NorthShore. In 2017, a patient was abused while visiting the facility for prenatal care. According to the lawsuit, Ortega “digitally penetrated the patient with a motion similar to intercourse to sexually stimulate her without clinical or medical reasoning.”
At the time, the patient trusted both the institution and Ortega. She truly believed that his conduct was “medically proper and necessary,” but has since realized that she was mistreated and violated.
In September 2018, Ortega was arrested and charged with sexual abuse. In 2021, he was found guilty of two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and sentenced to three years in prison.
The recent lawsuits claim that Endeavor Health and its hospitals concealed survivors’ complaints and allowed the former gynecologist’s abuse to continue for years. The hospital system has not responded to requests for comment.
"To the survivors who have yet to come forward: we believe you, we stand with you, and we will fight for you," said attorney Parker Stinar. "Do not let the silence imposed upon you by these institutions prevail any longer."
Authors: Alexis Kabat and Andy Goldwasser
