PROFESSIONTexas surgeons sue network over hospital "monopoly"A court order stops the hospital from revoking the doctors' privileges while the trial is pending, so patients won't lose access to medical care.By Amy Lynn Sorrel, amednews staff. Jan. 23, 2006. A physician-owned specialty hospital in Texas is taking on the local hospital network in a lawsuit that has the sides wrestling over competition and control in providing patient care. Two Amarillo surgeons say they've opened a doctor-owned facility because patients don't have many choices of where they can seek care, adding that Baptist St. Anthony's Health System has too much control through its hospital and physician network. The surgeons see doctor-owned hospitals as a way to address the void. But the physicians say that since they've opened their facility, Baptist has penalized them by trying to keep them out of its network. Officials from Baptist St. Anthony's Health System, the parent company of BSA Hospital and BSA Network, say it saves them money to contract with big hospitals. That, in turn, allows them to pass those savings on to the hospital and patients. Consequently, they don't contract with smaller, physician-owned specialty hospitals that bear higher costs. The idea, they say, is to make it financially advantageous for doctors to stay in the network. But doctors and attorneys say concerns about patient access to care and antitrust violations arise when a network monopolizes the market for medical services. They also say it restricts a doctor's ability to make decisions in the best interest of the patient. The Texas case is an example of a problem going on in states across the country. The increasing number of incidents prompted the AMA to get involved in the Texas case. The Association said when networks do not contract with doctor-owned facilities it restricts patient access to care. [...]Full text of American Medical News content is available to AMA members and paid subscribers.
Copyright 2006 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.
|
Feature articlesHealth reform review The Massachusetts experience Litigation stress Being sued is personal as well as professional Comprehensive coverage
Most-viewedNov. 23 issueAMA meeting: Delegate vote refines AMA stance on system reform Liability premiums stay stable, but insurers warn this might not last Columns and series
From the vault: 5 years agoState tort reform ballot wins set stage for further battles Nov. 22, 2004 
|
SHARE
