Former DaVita dialysis clinic medical director accused of sexual harassment

Dr. Rex L. Mahnensmith, a former medical director at DaVita's New Haven Dialysis Clinic in Connecticut, who worked as a nephrology professor at Yale University for more than 20 years, is the subject of two federal lawsuits filed in Connecticut that allege sexual misconduct. The cases were filed on behalf of seven present and former employees of the dialysis center, including nurses, a social worker and a dietitian, The New York Times reported April 13. The DaVita dialysis center is a defendant in the cases, along with Yale and Mahnensmith.

According to the Times, the plaintiffs' complaints include unwanted sexual contact from Mahnensmith, and a lack of action on the part of the university and DaVita, when they reported specific incidents.

"While we can't comment on the specifics of the case, we are confident that when the facts come out, they will show that upon learning of the allegations, DaVita acted swiftly and appropriately," a DaVita spokesperson told NN&I.

DaVita said it had removed the doctor from practice at the clinic in January 2014.

The Times reported that DaVita stressed to its staff its “intent to keep Dr. Mahnensmith happy to protect its contracts with Yale,” the complaints say, because “the Yale contracts afforded DaVita both financial gain and status.” To preserve that connection, court papers say, DaVita failed to act when clinic administrators reported Dr. Mahnensmith’s misbehavior.

“This has been going on for years,” Jennifer Zito, the lawyer for six of the plaintiffs, told the times. “But staff were just told to try and work around him.” -by Rebecca Zumoff

Read more about the cases at The New York Times.