Bronson Sued For Defamation By Discharged Pediatrician

Two pediatricians at Bronson’s Rambling Road Pediatrics clinic in Oshtemo, Dr. Justine Bunka and Dr. Randall Dyk, were discharged by Bronson Healthcare on January 29th.  Dr. Justine Bunka just filed a lawsuit alleging defamation by Bronson Healthcare in Kalamazoo County Circuit Court.

Bunka claims she and Dr. Dyk were abruptly fired on January 29 for speaking out against policies which increased patient load and clinical hours for doctors, and limited time with patients, which were implemented at the Oshtemo Township practice.  The complaint alleges that Bronson's Susan Shahwan, Dr. William Workman, Dr. Hussein Akl and Dr. Paul Fu mounted a defamation campaign to derail growing public support for Bunka:

https://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/2025/06/fired-kalamazoo-pediatrician-files-defamation-lawsuit-against-bronson-healthcare.html

Fired Kalamazoo pediatrician files defamation lawsuit against Bronson Healthcare
By Ryan Boldrey | June 05, 2025

KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MI — One of two pediatricians fired from Bronson Healthcare in January has filed a defamation lawsuit against her former employer.

Dr. Justine Bunka, who was a doctor at Bronson’s Rambling Road Pediatrics, filed the lawsuit on Wednesday, June 4, in Kalamazoo County Circuit Court.

Bunka claims she and Dr. Randall Dyk were abruptly fired on Jan. 29, allegedly for speaking out against policies that had been recently implemented at the Oshtemo Township practice, 5629 Stadium Drive.

The policies, she said, increased patient load and clinical hours for doctors, limited time with patients and created critical patient risk.

Bunka is being represented by Katherine Smith Kennedy of Grand Rapids law firm Pinsky Smith. The complaint says Bronson administrators damaged Bunka’s reputation during and immediately following her dismissal.

Bronson leaders listed in the complaint include Susan Shahwan, Dr. William Workman, Dr. Hussein Akl and Dr. Paul Fu.

The complaint alleges the four mounted a campaign to justify the termination and thwart growing public support for Bunka and other fired practitioners.

Fu is alleged to have spoken to Bunka’s entire clinic staff the day after her termination, stating incorrectly she was not fired, but that Bunka chose on her own not to renew her contract. When questioned by a staff member why she was escorted out of the clinic six months before her contract was up, he allegedly responded by saying Bunka “had many warnings before this happened.”

Fu is also alleged to have told doctors and nurse practitioners at her former clinic that day she was a “bad apple spoiling the cart.” Four days later, he allegedly told them Bunka was lying about there being patient or safety concerns at the clinic.

He is later alleged to have stated she took two-hour lunch breaks and that there were multiple times a “solution” was tried with Bunka to no avail.

The lawsuit disputes all of that, saying Bunka did not take two-hour lunches, at no point did anyone talk with her about performance issues and never were any “solutions” tried with her prior to termination.

Workman is also accused of stating Bunka took two-hour lunches and did non-billable work on hospital rounds. Workman also allegedly stated, on Feb. 7, that he met with Bunka and Dyk about their performance last summer.

According to the court filing, not only did no such meeting take place, but Bunka only met Workman once at a social event in 2018. She also did not do non-billable work on hospital rounds, the suit states.

Defendant Susan Shahwan allegedly told providers at a panel meeting that Bunka’s claims online and in the media of why she was terminated were false. Shahwan is also alleged to have posted under a social media alias of “Mona Shaw,” pretending to be a parent and blaming the termination on Bunka.

Aki is alleged to have made statements to internal medicine providers that Bunka used her lunch time to go to spinning class, which is why she was a bad employee.

Bunka is asking for a judgment against the defendants and the hospital that would include reimbursement for attorney fees, cover all remedies permitted under defamation law — including exemplary damages — and make her whole.

In the month after her termination, Bunka collected 4,004 signatures in an online petition that asked for her job to be reinstated.

A public rally was also held in support of her.

According to a legal exhibit filed with the court, she submitted that petition to Workman on Feb. 27, along with a letter pleading her case for reinstatement.

Bunka asked Workman to consider asking for an independent assessment in the firings of her and Dyk.

She also asked that, in the issue of rebuilding trust, hospital administration be required to provide “complete and unfiltered physician and provider engagement and satisfaction survey data” and “employee survey results” to employees.

Bunka told the Kalamazoo Gazette/MLive in February she and Dyk were fired without cause or explanation after efforts to organize with colleagues to address critical patient safety concerns that increased patient loads.

She was in the middle of seeing patients on Jan. 29, when she was told she didn’t fit into the culture anymore and was escorted out of the building, she said.

The pediatrician said she began working at Rambling Road in 2017. She spoke out against the policy changes during last summer and fall, she said.

Bunka, like Dyk, routinely handled patients with complex medical issues. The changes limited the time she could spend with patients, respond to medication requests and chart, she said. As a result, doctors were asked to shorten lunches and increase hours in the clinic without any pay, she said in February.

A Bronson spokesperson responded then by stating the amount of time spent with patients was determined by doctors. The spokesperson did not address issues about time spent in the clinic, pay or lunches.

Bunka said she also spoke out against doctors at the clinic who were no longer being allowed to see the patients at the newborn nursery. It happened suddenly, creating a poor transition of care over the summer, she said.

The approach, while new to Bronson, is considered a best practice at hospital systems across the country, the Bronson spokesperson said.

“We have specially trained, hospital-based pediatricians who care for newborns in the hospital, freeing pediatricians to focus on patients in the office,” the spokesperson said. “As a result of this change, we’ve been able to see at least 200 more patients per month at Bronson Rambling Road Pediatrics.”

In addition to the defamation lawsuit, Bunka also previously filed an unfair labor practice complaint with the National Labor Relations Board against Bronson.

A Bronson spokesperson responded Thursday morning with the following statement:

“Bronson is disappointed that Dr. Bunka chose to file this lawsuit. We disagree with her allegations. We will continue to focus our time and attention on our patients while our attorneys respond to the lawsuit in court.”