Colorado Springs, Colo. – Four physicians and one nurse practitioner formerly employed by Peak Vista Community Health Centers have reached a settlement after a nearly two-year legal battle stemming from their termination for speaking out about patient care.
The providers, represented by the Union of American Physicians and Dentists (UAPD), filed unfair labor practice charges in August 2024 after Peak Vista leadership terminated them for raising concerns about excessive patient volumes, shortened appointment times, and the growing risk these conditions posed to patient safety and provider well-being.
“These clinicians did what ethical healthcare professionals are obligated to do—they spoke up for their patients,” said Dr. Stuart Bussey, UAPD president. “This settlement affirms that providers have the right to advocate for safe, high-quality care without fear of retaliation.”
The dispute arose after Peak Vista significantly increased daily patient encounter expectations and reduced patient visit times, while pressuring providers to work unpaid additional hours. Providers who questioned these changes or raised concerns about the impact on patient care were silenced, dismissed, or forced to resign, leaving thousands of patients without a primary care provider and creating widespread disruption across the community.
Patients and providers sounded the alarm in 2024, describing an atmosphere of intimidation and fear that discouraged staff from speaking openly about care conditions. In response, more than 90 Peak Vista providers filed to unionize in August 2024 and then voted overwhelmingly in favor of unionizing with UAPD in January 2025 to protect patient care, workplace dignity, and professional integrity.
“This settlement is an important step toward accountability and healing,” said Andrew Guttman, UAPD organizer. “While the terminations cannot be undone, we hope this outcome helps ensure that no other provider is punished for putting patients first.”
“We will continue standing with Peak Vista providers to ensure that speaking up for patients is protected and not punished,” Bussey added.
About the Union of American Physicians and Dentists
Established in 1972, the Union of American Physicians and Dentists (UAPD) is the largest bicoastal union for licensed doctors and advanced practice clinicians in the nation—representing more than 7,000 private and public-sector healthcare practitioners. Affiliated with AFSCME and the AFL-CIO, UAPD brings the strength of the labor movement to the aid of providers in the interest of better medicine for all. Learn more at www.uapd.com.
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