A local doctor is breaking his silence after being suspended from Windsor Regional Hospital.

Dr. Albert Kadri was suspended on a temporary basis effective June 1, 2018.

In a small news conference on Saturday, Dr. Kadri told reporters he feels he’s being targeted by the hospital.

Kadri says there’s been a change in hospital policy leading to limited interaction between patients and their physicians. In a May 30 memo signed by Windsor Regional Hospital Chief of Staff Gary Ing, the change Kadri alleges is flatly denied.

“I believe that they targeted me with regards to suspending my privileges as a result of my opposition to what they are doing,” says Kadri.

Kadri's lawyer Norm Assiff goes further.

“He stood up for his patients’ right and there’s consequences to that because now he’s seen as the whistleblower."

Dr. Kadri is one of five Nephrologists who work as part of the hospital's Renal Program. He also has his own practice, focusing on kidney disease and hypertension.

He makes another serious claim, telling reporters he brought up cases of deaths he felt could have been avoided.

"I asked the hospital to review concerning and unexpected deaths that I felt illustrated the risk to patients and surprisingly they declined to do so," says Kadri. "Subsequent deaths occurred that I feel are related and may have been preventable."

The hospital said Kadri was suspended under the direction of the Medical Advisory Committee (MAC) until at least November.

MAC gave five reasons for the suspension, including billing the OHIP Chronic Dialysis Team Fee even when he wasn’t on-call — which the committee says leaves the Nephrologist on-call to the Renal Program without pay.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons has also been advised of the suspension.

Dr. Kadri has requested a hearing regarding his suspension in accordance with the Public Hospitals Act.

That hearing will start in late October.

The hospital said it has communicated with all patients and referring physicians and will continue to provide care for patients.

“The suspension has no impact on Dr. Kadri’s ability to see patients in his private practice,” the hospital said in a statement.

Dr. Kadri is suing the hospital for $20.5-million. In a statement of claim filed in January, he alleges Windsor Regional copied a kidney care program he created and poached his patients.

None of the allegations have been proven in court.