Supreme Court Rejects Challenge to HCA's Sale of Putnam Hospital
Posted on: Monday, 21 November 2005, 21:00 CST
By Lawrence Messina
The West Virginia Supreme Court said Friday that it won't interfere with the Health Care Authority's ongoing review of the proposed sale of four hospitals owned by industry giant HCA Inc.
By a vote of 3-1, the justices turned down a request from lawyers alleging malpractice by osteopath Dr. John King while he practiced at one of the hospitals, Putnam General in Hurricane.
Justice Larry Starcher voted to grant the lawyers' petition, which was filed last week. Chief Justice Joseph Albright did not take part in the case.
HCA, based in Nashville, Tenn., has proposed to sell five hospitals - four in West Virginia and one in Virginia - to former spin-off LifePoint Hospitals Inc. for $330 million.
Because it regulates health-care facilities in the state, the Health Care Authority must approve the sale.
The lawyers appealed to the Supreme Court after the authority rejected their efforts to request more information about the sale.
The lawyers allege that HCA is trying to dump Putnam General amid mounting claims alleging King killed, maimed and otherwise hurt patients during a six-month stint there.
With the firm of Curry and Tolliver, the lawyers represent 71 patients of King or their survivors.
They believe the lawsuits will result in hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. Putnam General suspended King's privileges in May 2003. Since then, he has surrendered his West Virginia medical license and left the state.
HCA has said the sale has nothing to do with King's stint in West Virginia. The company attributes the sale to a push to shed all rural facilities.
Besides Putnam General, HCA wants to sell St. Joseph's Hospital in Parkersburg, St. Francis Hospital in Charleston, Raleigh General Hospital in Beckley and Clinch Valley Medical Center in Richlands, Va.
Source: Charleston Gazette, The
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