Pharmacist Fired for LinkedIn Comment About Staffing Concerns Sues

A North Carolina pharmacist who was allegedly fired over a comment she made on LinkedIn about staffing concerns at the hospital where she worked has sued the hospital, Mission Hospital, and its owner, HCA Healthcare Inc, for wrongful termination and unfair and deceptive trade practices.

Just the Facts

The pharmacist, Andrea Leone, was hired by Mission Hospital as a pharmacist supervisor for transitions of care and medication reconciliation in October 2021. In her role, Leone was responsible for supervising 10 technicians, 3 pharmacists, 2 residents, and 3 interns. However, Leone alleged that after HCA Healthcare acquired Mission Hospital, cost-cutting strategies were implemented that reduced staffing to what Leone considered to be dangerous levels. A hiring freeze ensued, and Leone’s department was held at a 60% staffing rate, which, according to the complaint, meant that “patients’ medication history reviews were not receiving the attention required by industry standards for keeping patients safe.” Leone made repeated requests for additional staffing, and complaints to human resources, all of which were allegedly unaddressed.

In May 2024, Leone posted a comment on an article about Mission Hospital on LinkedIn. In her comment, she mentioned that her department was staffed at only 60% and expressed concern about patient safety.

Two days later, someone forwarded Leone’s post to HCA administrators. The next day, Leone was notified that she was being terminated from Mission Hospital for “policy violations.” The violations were Leone’s sharing Mission staffing ratios and questioning whether understaffing was leading to safety issues and burnout. The notification stated: “Expectation is that any social media postings by team members would avoid voicing any particulars around staffing ratios and proprietary information related to how staffing and productivity is measured.”

Since her termination, Leone claims that finding new employment has been hindered.

The Complaint

Leone’s complaint, filed in North Carolina State court, demands a jury trial and seeks damages, legal costs, and punitive damages.

Will this case go to trial? The statistical odds are against it, although it is possible. Most cases are settled long before they get close to a jury. We will follow this case to see where it goes.

Reference

Andrea Leone v HCA Healthcare Inc; MH Mission Hospital LLLP; Christie Dresback. No 24CV209567-100. State of North Carolina County of Buncombe; 2025. https://avlwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Andrea-Leone-VS-HCA-Healthcare-Inc.pdf