Baptist Hospital Sued By Doctors
By: Import User
Updated: January 7, 2009
Baptist Health Center is being sued by a
group of doctors who claim the hospital is denying privileges to
physicians who have invested in other health facilities.
Baptist says the policy is needed to protect the kinds of
services it can offer.
The group of cardiologists sued in federal court yesterday,
claiming the hospital is illegally denying the clinical privileges.
The doctors are contesting a policy adopted by Baptist Health
trustees in May. The rule denies staff appointments or clinical
privileges to any doctor with a financial interest in a competing
hospital. The lawsuit claims two doctors have been told they will
lose their privileges this month and that privileges for others are
threatened.
The six doctors who sued are shareholders of Little Rock
Cardiology Clinic, which has a minority ownership in Arkansas Heart
Hospital. Two of the doctors also directly own shares in the
hospital.
The lawsuit seeks to have the hospital barred from enforcing the
policy and requests compensatory and punitive damages and
attorney`s fees.
