The Facts About Dr. Gregory Sherr—
Nicole Chavez’s spokesperson

The Facts Behind Our Recent Mailer

Our recent mailer discusses the career of Dr. Gregory Sherr, a physician featured in Nicole Chavez’s advertising. Here, we share the story of a New Mexico patient, Dr. Sherr’s documented professional history, and the public records behind the mailer.

Why did we choose to share Eileen’s story?

Nicole Chavez has highlighted support from doctors throughout her campaign, including Dr. Gregory Sherr. Most doctors provide excellent, essential care to New Mexico families. But when patients are negligently harmed, there must be accountability.

Dr. Sherr has a documented history of concerns about his surgical care, and Eileen is among the New Mexicans who were seriously harmed by his treatment.

Nicole Chavez chose to feature Dr. Sherr in her campaign. Voters deserve to know his history and hear from patients like Eileen.

No patient should be denied their rights, and everyone deserves a fair path to justice.

What happened to Eileen S.?

Eileen S. developed an infection following spine surgery performed by Dr. Gregory Sherr at Presbyterian. She repeatedly sought follow-up care but was unable to see Dr. Sherr for months.

After the infection worsened, she underwent another surgery, and she was later hospitalized with a paraspinal abscess. Eileen now lives with a chronic infection and an open wound that has not healed. [Warning: Graphic image of wound]

In Eileen's words:

“After performing my surgery at Presbyterian, Dr. Gregory Sherr wouldn’t see me even though I was having problems with an infection on my incision site. I kept getting assigned to his assistant, but not him. What was a superficial infection spread to the hardware from my surgery because I wasn’t treated. When I finally got to see Dr. Sherr, months later, he scheduled me for redo surgery that could have been avoided if he would have just treated my infection in the first place.  After the second surgery, he again would not see me.  I ended up getting really sick. My primary care doctor’s nurse saved my life because she told me to go to the emergency room. Turns out I had a paraspinal abscess.  I now live with a chronic infection I will have for the rest of my life and an open wound that will not close.  My insurance is through Presbyterian, they refuse to pay for the care I need that is out of network for the harm they caused.

No one ever told me that Dr. Sherr lost his hospital privileges in Minnesota before he came here because too many of his patients were getting infections and he had too many “redo procedures”.  I would have trusted someone else with my care if I had known.”  — Eileen S., October 18, 2026

  • In 2015, medical staff at HealthEast raised concerns about surgical-site infections and other complications involving Dr. Gregory Sherr's patients. A hospital quality report found that his surgical-site infection rate was more than twice that of other surgeons reviewed.

    Dr. Sherr's hospital privileges were suspended following a peer-review process. A subsequent committee overturned the suspension but did not endorse his medical care or surgical competence.

    Dr. Sherr later sued HealthEast and several physicians. In September 2019, a federal judge dismissed his remaining claims.

    Source: Sherr v. HealthEast Care System, No. 16-cv-3075 (D. Minn. 2019).

  • The descriptions appeared in testimony discussed in the 2019 federal court opinion.

    Dr. Daniel Sipple testified that other neurosurgeons had used terms including “hack,” “not a good surgeon,” and “worst goddamn surgeon” when discussing Dr. Sherr.

    Those were statements attributed to other physicians, not the federal judge's own characterization of Dr. Sherr.

  • The following records provide the background for the claims discussed above:

    1. 2019 federal court opinion: Sherr v. HealthEast Care System, Case No. 16-cv-03075, U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.

    2. Florida Department of Health: Physician profile and reported medical liability payments for Gregory Truitt Sherr.

    3. New Mexico civil complaint: Eileen Sanchez and Orlando Sanchez v. Presbyterian Healthcare Services and Gregory Sherr, M.D., filed May 19, 2026, Case No. D-202-CV-2026-04994.

  • Yes. On May 19, 2026, Eileen and Orlando Sanchez filed a civil complaint against Dr. Gregory Sherr and Presbyterian Healthcare Services in New Mexico's Second Judicial District Court.

    The complaint alleges failures in surgical care, infection prevention, and follow-up treatment. These are allegations in pending litigation, not findings of liability.

    Case: D-202-CV-2026-04994