Ex-MetroHealth CEO's lawsuit against system dismissed

Ex-MetroHealth president and CEO Dr. Akram Boutro’s lawsuit against the healthcare system was dismissed after Boutros filed a notice of voluntary dismissal last week, citing health issues.  

In a notice filed Friday, Dec. 8, in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas, Boutros asked to dismiss the case because of a “serious health issue that requires intensive treatment, including week-long inpatient admissions every three weeks.”

Catch up: MetroHealth releases independent audit into former CEO's bonus practices

Boutros’ medical team advised he may not be able to participate fully in trial or pretrial proceedings, the notice says. He plans to refile the suit once his treatment is finished, according to court documents. 

The court dismissed the case without prejudice Monday, Dec. 11, according to court documents. A jury trial slated to start Feb. 12 also has been canceled.

Boutros filed two lawsuits against his former employer, the first in November 2022, shortly after he was fired by the MetroHealth board of trustees. 

MetroHealth alleged it had discovered that Boutros paid himself more than $1.9 million in unauthorized bonuses between 2018 and 2022. It uncovered the unapproved bonuses during the transition between Boutros, who planned to leave the post at the end of 2022, and current CEO Airica Steed.

Boutros has denied the allegations and said the board authorized the bonuses. 

In the first lawsuit against MetroHealth, he accused the board of violating the state of Ohio’s Open Meetings Act and board bylaws in the hiring of Steed and the investigation of his compensation. 

He filed a second lawsuit against MetroHealth on Dec. 15, 2022, claiming defamation of character, wrongful termination and breach of contract.

Messages to Boutros’ attorneys were not immediately returned Monday afternoon. 

A spokesperson for MetroHealth said in an email that the filing speaks for itself and that the system wishes Boutros a speedy return to health.

Steed, who took over as CEO at the beginning of 2023, came to MetroHealth from Sinai Chicago. In a Q&A with Crain’s Cleveland earlier this year, she said it was unfortunate for anyone to come into a new position at a time of crisis, but that she hoped to shift the spotlight away from the negativity surrounding the health system.

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“MetroHealth is all about the people and all about the community,” Steed told Crain’s in January. “And that's where I want to turn the spotlight back on. So, I don't want to get distracted by the negative. That's not fair to the organization. That's not fair to the people that are serving this organization every single day, making that level of investment. And it's certainly not fair to the people that we're serving.” 

This story first appeared in Crain's Cleveland Business.