Pasco spine surgeon sues state for $500M, alleging ‘wrongful shutdown’
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Hudson spine surgeon Dr. Alfred Bonati announced he’s suing the state for $500 million after his ambulatory surgery center was shut down.
The nine-count lawsuit against the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) and three of its employees claims The Bonati Spine Institute was shut down based on “based on false allegations.”
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The lawsuit cites civil rights violations, including defamation, civil conspiracy and tortious interference with a business relationship to damage their reputation.
The center, which is licensed as the Medical Development Corporation of Pasco County, shut down in March 2023 after the state suspended its license. The state alleged the center put its patient’s health at risk, citing claims a certified surgical technologist—who was not licensed as a doctor— performed an “entire spine surgery.”
“These allegations were not only knowingly false, but done in a deliberate effort to damage our facility and the reputation of our owner, Dr. Bonati,” Kimberly Bonati, senior vice president of media and communications for The Bonati Spine Institute said. “A major piece of our success over the last 40 years has been the development of our unique approach to anesthesia where our patients remain awake and communicating with their surgeon throughout their surgical procedure.”
The suit names three AHCA employees who allegedly investigated the matter, and claims they were “hunting for any indication of potential wrongdoing to justify their failed investigation.”
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The company partnered with another surgery center, and patients still undergoing treatments were able to go there. Staff from the Bonati Spine Institute were credentialed to treat those patients.
According to the suit, AHCA employees showed up to the other surgery center on a regular basis to look for Dr. Bonati and were harassing employees.
The suit seeks $500 million in damages for suffering “substantial damage in the form of lost revenue and reputational harm.”
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