SANTA CLARA, Calif., Aug. 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- A jury trial has been set for January 8, 2018 in a doctor's lawsuit against Sutter Health. The case involves claims that Sutter Health retaliates against doctors who advocate for patient care.
The lawsuit filed by Barta Law on behalf of Dr. Diana Blum, a Neurologist who was a Shareholder Physician with the Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group, accuses Sutter Health of engaging in unlawful and unfair business practices, including wrongfully terminating and punishing doctors who disagree with, and refuse to follow, various policies and practices of the giant health care system. Those policies and practices, as detailed in the lawsuit, include reducing "Leakage" (the referral of patients outside the Sutter Health Network), pressuring physicians increase their productivity and "Through put" (seeing more patients and billing more RVUs), and pressuring physicians to prescribe only generic medications regardless of specific patient needs.
The lawsuit alleges that Sutter Health violated California law and public policy aimed at protecting physicians from retaliation. California law states: "a physician and surgeon is encouraged to advocate for medically appropriate health care" and "no person shall terminate, retaliate against, or otherwise penalize a physician and surgeon for that advocacy."
The lawsuit also alleges that Sutter Health intentionally interfered with, and disrupted, Dr. Blum's patient-physician relationships with her patients.
Trial will take place at the Santa Clara Superior Courthouse located at 191 North First Street, San Jose, California. Dr. Blum is represented by Theresa Barta, principal of Barta Law, a Physician Advocacy firm located in Newport Beach, California.
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The lawsuit filed by Barta Law on behalf of Dr. Diana Blum, a Neurologist who was a Shareholder Physician with the Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group, accuses Sutter Health of engaging in unlawful and unfair business practices, including wrongfully terminating and punishing doctors who disagree with, and refuse to follow, various policies and practices of the giant health care system. Those policies and practices, as detailed in the lawsuit, include reducing "Leakage" (the referral of patients outside the Sutter Health Network), pressuring physicians increase their productivity and "Through put" (seeing more patients and billing more RVUs), and pressuring physicians to prescribe only generic medications regardless of specific patient needs.
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The lawsuit alleges that Sutter Health violated California law and public policy aimed at protecting physicians from retaliation. California law states: "a physician and surgeon is encouraged to advocate for medically appropriate health care" and "no person shall terminate, retaliate against, or otherwise penalize a physician and surgeon for that advocacy."
The lawsuit also alleges that Sutter Health intentionally interfered with, and disrupted, Dr. Blum's patient-physician relationships with her patients.
Trial will take place at the Santa Clara Superior Courthouse located at 191 North First Street, San Jose, California. Dr. Blum is represented by Theresa Barta, principal of Barta Law, a Physician Advocacy firm located in Newport Beach, California.
View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/trial-date-set-in-doctors-lawsuit-alleging-sutter-health-retaliates-against-doctors-who-advocate-for-patient-care-like-dr-blum-300506209.html
SOURCE Barta Law
