Cardiologist sues to regain privileges

In a complicated spat involving contract disputes, a fight for high-margin services and long-standing bad blood between two competing hospitals, a Georgia cardiologist backed by one of the facilities is suing to regain his privileges at the other. Dr. John Madonna Jr. has sued Satilla Regional Medical Center of Waycross, GA, asking the courts to force Satilla to re-establish his privileges there. Madonna had formerly worked under a contract held by Baptist Specialty Physicians (BSP), which provides cardiology services at the hospital. When he left, Satilla suspended his privileges, maintaining that it had the right to do so since Madonna wasn't affiliated with BSP any more. Madonna, in turn, says that Satilla can't kick him out, as it already works with 12 other cardiologists who aren't affiliated with BSP.

What makes the dispute nasty is that Dr. Madonna's legal bills are being paid by competing hospital, Jacksonville, FL-based St. Vincent's Medical Center, which would like to grab as much cardiology patient volume as possible. I guess all's fair in love and contracting.

Learn more about the legal dispute:
- read this article in the Florida Times-Union

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