Dr. Andrea Boggild, the medical director of the University Health Network's (UHN) Tropical Disease Unit (TDU) in Canada, has filed a lawsuit seeking over $4 million (C$5.6 million) from the hospital network. The suit, lodged in Ontario Superior Court in 2024, alleges sex-based discrimination and harassment over a decade-long power struggle for leadership of the unit.
Boggild claims the hospital broke a promise to position her as the new "clinical face" of the TDU following the retirement of its founder, Dr. Jay Keystone. She is also seeking an additional $2.7 million (C$3.8 million) in damages from a colleague, Dr. Isaac Bogoch, a tropical medicine expert. Boggild alleges Bogoch attacked her reputation to position himself as the unit's next chief.
According to the lawsuit, Boggild was led to believe she would assume Keystone's clinical, teaching, and leadership responsibilities as he prepared to retire around 2012. However, Keystone remained in his role until his death in September 2019, with key positions reportedly going to Bogoch, whom the lawsuit describes as Keystone's "favored protégé."
The legal filing states that Boggild endured "over a decade of further broken representations, harassment, and sex-based discrimination" in her pursuit of the promised position. She alleges experiencing discriminatory treatment and "offensive jokes" while claiming Bogoch repeatedly sought to undermine her work and reputation.
Bogoch and UHN have denied the allegations. Bogoch's defense filing characterized Boggild's claims as "fabricated," suggesting they are the product of "hearsay, misinterpretation, miscommunication or the like." UHN spokesperson Ana Fernandes stated the hospital would not comment on the ongoing court proceedings but affirmed that UHN is "vigorously defending against the allegations."
UHN's statement of defense contends that Keystone's retirement date was never finalized and that no agreement was breached, pointing to Boggild's current role as medical director of the TDU. The hospital argues that Boggild has indeed become, and remains, the "clinical face" of the unit.
Escalating Tensions and Internal Disputes
The rivalry between Boggild and Bogoch reportedly intensified over clinic schedules, teaching duties, and patient referrals, leading to a series of allegations and internal investigations. Boggild first joined the TDU in 2008 on a temporary basis. She transitioned to a permanent role in 2011, with her recruitment letter indicating she would become the unit's new superior, overseeing clinics and educational duties.
Court documents suggest that Keystone informed Boggild of his nearing retirement around 2012. However, tensions reportedly escalated in 2012 when Boggild returned from maternity leave to find that new clinical assistants, including Bogoch, had been hired. Initial management decisions prioritized Boggild and Keystone for clinic days, with Bogoch and the other new physician filling in as needed. Around the same time, Boggild alleges Keystone enlisted Bogoch to help lead "Friday Rounds," a weekly educational session.
Bogoch, who gained public recognition as a health commentator during the COVID-19 pandemic, is accused by Boggild of maintaining his own clinic that drew referrals away from the TDU. She also accused the hospital of promoting him for media opportunities. UHN's defense stated that patient referrals are not exclusive to the TDU and that any qualified physician can treat tropical disease patients. The hospital also denied managing Bogoch's media opportunities, attributing their development to Bogoch himself.
When Bogoch secured a full-time role in 2014, he reportedly sought regular TDU clinic time, with Keystone supporting his bid. Boggild, however, maintained his clinic shifts to occasional fill-in roles. According to UHN's defense, Bogoch later raised concerns with an ombudsman, accusing Boggild of obstructing his advancement.
Boggild claims her relationship with Keystone deteriorated, alleging he made "offensive jokes and remarks" and publicly derided her. UHN acknowledged Keystone had a reputation for being "politically incorrect" but stated it had not received a specific complaint from Boggild regarding his conduct.
In July 2019, as Keystone neared the end of his life, Boggild allegedly stepped in to lead an event in his place. UHN's account indicates Bogoch took issue with this, believing Boggild was attempting to subvert his work. Boggild contends his subsequent complaint was an attempt to damage her reputation.
Internal Investigations and Legal Proceedings
Following these events, UHN management recommended leadership coaching for Boggild to address communication issues and tensions with Bogoch. The COVID-19 pandemic temporarily shifted focus, but by December 2020, UHN stated that significant tensions between Boggild and Bogoch continued to affect the work environment.
An internal review of the TDU's leadership yielded mixed results. After both doctors filed new harassment complaints in May 2021, UHN engaged an independent investigator. According to UHN, the investigator's report found Boggild's complaints against Bogoch to be supported, describing some of his conduct as "unprofessional, harassing, and inappropriate" and in violation of hospital policies. The investigator reportedly found Bogoch's complaints against Boggild to be unsupported and concluded that Boggild had not violated any policies. Bogoch reportedly objected to these findings.
The investigator also concluded that the treatment Boggild received from management within UHN’s Division of Infectious Diseases violated her rights under the Ontario Human Rights Code. UHN stated it implemented measures to address the conflict, while maintaining that Boggild's lawsuit is time-barred and denying any breach of agreement. The hospital asserts Boggild met her required clinic workload by 2017.
The legal battle is in its early stages, and the allegations have not yet been proven in court. Both Boggild and UHN have stated that patient care and the operations of the TDU have not been impacted by the workplace disputes.