Attorney for Wellstar executives disputes hospital account

By Janel Davis

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

An attorney for two WellStar Health System administrators said his clients were fired and did not voluntarily leave their jobs leave as the hospital said this week.

Richard Lopes, president of the system’s medical group, and Ron Strachan, chief information officer, left the organization Monday, according to a statement released by WellStar. The statement said Lopes resigned, and Strachan left by mutual agreement.

“That is incorrect,” their attorney Ben Mathis, partner in Atlanta firm Freeman, Mathis and Gary, said Friday. “They were called into separate meetings and were terminated and escorted from the premises on Monday.”

WellStar officials declined comment until Monday.

The firings occurred days after Lopes and Strachan visited Mathis individually in preparation for presenting some concerns  to WellStar, the attorney said. He declined to disclose the concerns, or say whether they involved the improper Medicare and Medicaid billing issues that have plagued the hospital.

Mathis is the same attorney representing Gregory Simone, WellStar's former CEO, who was fired by the WellStar Health System's Board in September, also without explanation. WellStar’s general counsel, Bonnie Wilson, was fired the same week, but is not represented by Mathis.

The administrative turnover is extremely unusual and should be investigated, Simone told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution this week.