Background of the Lawsuit
BREMER COUNTY, Iowa — A Bremer County hospital is facing legal action from a former surgeon who claims that the hospital has endangered patient safety. Dr. John Matthew Glascock, a bariatric surgeon, has filed a lawsuit against the Waverly Health Center and its CEO, Jodi Geerts, in Bremer County District Court. According to court records, Glascock was employed by the hospital from July 2018 until December 22, 2024, when he was terminated.
Glascock specializes in advanced laparoscopic surgery and bariatric procedures. Prior to joining Waverly Health Center, he worked at Waterloo’s Covenant Medical Center from October 2002 through June 2018. The lawsuit states that Covenant hired Glascock to develop a surgical weight loss program, which eventually became known as the Midwest Institute of Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery. The program reportedly generated millions of dollars in revenue for Covenant.
In 2017, the Waverly Health Center began recruiting Glascock to leave Covenant. He joined Waverly in July 2018, where he conducted advanced laparoscopic and bariatric surgeries under the brand name "Healthy You." The lawsuit claims that the program grew each year and became a profitable service line for the hospital, with Glascock performing approximately 1,000 surgical cases that generated significant revenue.
Patient Safety Concerns Lead to Termination
In January 2023, Geerts was named CEO of the hospital. In August 2024, Glascock's first assistant, Jason Jampoler, accepted a traveling-nurse position and gave the hospital two weeks' notice of his departure. The lawsuit alleges that Glascock met with Geerts to stress the importance of retaining Jampoler. However, Geerts allegedly responded that the hospital would not prevent Jampoler’s departure and that Glascock would have to work with whoever the hospital assigned him.
Shortly after Jampoler left, Glascock attempted to perform a sleeve gastrectomy. The nurse assigned to assist had no prior experience working with Glascock or participating in bariatric surgery. The lawsuit claims that it was evident from the start that the nurse lacked the necessary skills and experience. Glascock stopped the procedure, citing concerns about patient safety.
Glascock then met again with Geerts to emphasize the importance of having a qualified first assistant. Geerts allegedly reiterated that he would have to work with the hospital’s chosen personnel. Before a scheduled meeting with the hospital’s board of trustees, Geerts handed Glascock a termination notice, stating that he was being fired without cause.
The lawsuit argues that this termination jeopardized the health and safety of patients enrolled in the "Healthy You" program. It further claims that the firing violated public policy and constitutes wrongful termination and breach of contract. The lawsuit also seeks damages due to alleged interference with Glascock’s contract.
Previous Legal Disputes
This is not the first time Glascock has been involved in legal action against a former employer. Court records show that his employment agreement with Covenant included a noncompete clause that restricted him from practicing in his specialty for 18 months. The agreement allowed for a buyout in exchange for one year’s compensation. When Glascock left in 2018, he requested release from the noncompete but refused to pay the buyout fee. Covenant denied the request, and Glascock moved to Waverly, less than 25 miles away.
Covenant eventually hired another bariatric surgeon, who worked for less than two months before being fired for misconduct. The bariatric clinic later closed and lost its accreditation. Glascock filed two lawsuits against Covenant, one over unpaid incentive payments and another seeking to void the noncompete clause. Covenant countered with a claim for damages, and a judge ruled in favor of Covenant, awarding nearly $1.2 million.
Glascock appealed, but the ruling was upheld. Covenant then sued again, alleging that Glascock had fraudulently transferred assets to avoid paying the judgment. The case was dismissed after a settlement was reached.
Malpractice Claims
In 2020, Glascock and Waverly Health Center were sued by the family of Byron Hesse, who died hours after bariatric surgery. The lawsuit claimed that during the operation, Glascock nicked Hesse’s spleen and failed to repair it properly. The case was dismissed without any public disclosure of a settlement.
In 2023, another patient, Erin Barker, sued Glascock and Waverly Health Center, claiming that her botched surgery left her in critical condition. She alleged that she was close to death and required emergency surgery. The lawsuit was dismissed after a judge ruled that the certificate of merit had not been properly filed.
Waverly Health Center has yet to respond to the current lawsuit. A spokesperson declined to comment on the case.