A judge has ruled Tulare (Calif.) Regional Medical Center may affiliate with a new medical staff.
Many Tulare Regional staff filed a motion seeking a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction to prevent the hospital from splitting with them and associating with a new medical staff. On March 17, Judge Davis Mathias denied the motion.
Judge Mathias made a number of findings that supported the board's decision, including that the medical staff failed to show the decision adversely affected the hospital's finances or patient safety, according to Tulare Regional.
Furthermore, Judge Mathias concluded that evidence shows the new medical staff is "meeting the needs of the hospital and appropriately addressing patient care issues," the hospital said.
The decision by the hospital's board dates back to January, when the board voted to end its affiliation with the former medical staff and to affiliate with the Professional Medical Staff of Tulare Regional Medical Center, according to a news release. Physicians previously serving at Tulare Regional retained all privileges.
In a statement, Benny Benzeevi, MD, chairman of HealthCare Conglomerate Associates, the company that manages Tulare Regional, called the judge's decision a "significant victory" for the hospital's patients and its physicians.
"This decision strengthens our commitment to our community to do what we said we would do, and that is to build the best integrated healthcare system and deliver the best healthcare possible," Dr. Benzeevi said.
Attorney John Harwell, who's representing the group of physicians previously serving at Tulare Regional, disagreed with the judge's decision.
"Asking a county judge to reinstate things back to before the medical staff was fired is a hard thing to do," he told the Visalia Times-Delta. "We thought, as a matter of law, he should have done it. I respect this judge. I disagreed with him."
Mr. Harwell told the publication he will take depositions and gather additional information related to the issue, with the two parties expected to come before Judge Mathias in about a month.
More articles on workforce and labor management:
5 hospitals, health systems adding jobs
RNs at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles push for pay increase, more staffing on 1st day of strike
Kentucky sees dramatic healthcare job growth after Medicaid expansion: 3 quick facts