A physician involved in a lengthy surgery was properly suspended from the hospital staff, the Court of Appeal has ruled, dismissing the physician’s challenge to the hospital’s peer review process.
A recent appellate opinion offers a memorable example of how strongly the law protects physicians who make reports to governmental agencies regarding the health and safety of their patients.
In California, a hospital’s administrative action affecting a physician’s staff privileges gets great deference from the courts. But what if the hospital’s action is alleged to be taken in retaliation for a physician’s complaints about hospital employees?
Does a hospital committee that includes outsiders qualify for protection against litigation inquiries that is typically afforded to hospital “staff committees?”