CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — In a television interview with a Columbus news station, Adena’s Chief Executive dodged many questions posed to him by an investigative reporter on recent allegations of sexual misconduct by doctors within the hospital he manages.
WCMH-TV, NBC 4’s investigative reporter Jamie Ostroff had a sit-down one-on-one interview with Jeff Graham at the hospital’s campus in a story that aired on Tuesday. As the CEO, Graham is in charge of more than 4,000 employees and a billion dollars in assets across six campuses; he makes nearly $2 million a year in a community that has a median household income of $35,000.
The interview between the two centered around allegations of sexual misconduct by numerous doctors in police reports filed with law enforcement. The complaints against the doctors have been reported by the Guardian and other media outlets, which have been made by former employees of Adena. They include allegations of inappropriate text messages, physical contact, and comments in the workplace. On Monday, the Guardian reported another police report was filed against one of the doctors at the center of the claims; this time, by a patient who said the doctor groped her and unbuttoned his clothes.
“Well, first of all, I think it’s sad,” Graham told Ostroff on camera. “And I take, and the organization takes, any time there’s any kind of allegation of any sort—whether it’s sexual harassment or any type of thing that involves people. and we take it very seriously.”
Despite “taking it very seriously,” the doctor in question on two of the cases remains on the job. When Ostroff confronted Graham with text messages from one of the alleged victims between the victim and the doctor, Graham took a long pause, leaned back in his chair, and deflected.
“I would just have to respond – I mean you’re showing me two or three documents from an individual. And I would just go back to what I said earlier, that when you look at the investigation and the process that you use during the investigation, they’re looking at all the facts in the case…. To answer your question if I was only looking at that, I would agree with you. But I can’t – I can’t base a judgment on what those three messages you showed me… Again, there are people involved, through the investigation process, internally and externally within the organization. And we just – I’m not going to comment—make comments about either of the individuals involved. But I can tell you that the results of those investigations and charges or whatever will be taken, will be appropriate.”
Ostroff has been following the allegations of sexual misconduct by several doctors at Adena. Her reporting has often led the nightly news on central Ohio’s NBC affiliate. She is the first journalist to be granted an interview or offered comment by Adena about the sexual assault allegations despite numerous requests by several media organizations.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, there are resources available: National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800-656-4673
