Topeka ? The state’s highest court Friday upheld the October 1996 firing of a KU Med employee who argued he lost his job after complaining about problems at the hospital.

William Edgar Wendt filed a lawsuit in Wyandotte County District Court, alleging his dismissal was retaliatory. He worked for the hospital for 10 years, mostly as a biomedical technician.

Administrators said Wendt’s performance led to his firing.

In 1996, Wendt contacted the governor’s and attorney general’s offices about what he said were problems in patient care.

At the time, the hospital was under scrutiny because of previous problems with its heart transplant program.

An investigation conducted by Atty. Gen. Carla Stovall found that between February 1994 and April 1995, many patients in the heart transplant program were not told of its serious problems. She said donors were being refused for nonmedical reasons.

KU Med and two foundations agreed in August 1996 to pay $265,000, including $11,000 each to 15 patients who had been on the heart-transplant list, or their families. Five of the 15 patients died.

Some of Wendt’s criticisms dealt with transplants, but he also made other allegations.

Wendt sued the hospital, located in Kansas City, Kan., and five administrators. District Judge John Bukaty Jr. dismissed some of Wendt’s claims and a jury sided with the defendants on the others.

Wendt then appealed to the Supreme Court. In an unanimous decision, it rejected all Wendt’s claims that Bukaty mishandled the case.