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Stark case proceeds against SC hospital

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A judge has given the U.S. Department of Justice the go-ahead to pursue a pending whistle-blower lawsuit against a South Carolina health system. A surgeon filed the whistleblower suit against Sumter, SC-based Tuomey Healthcare System in 2005, and the DOJ picked up the suit late last year. The suit accuses Tuomey of overpaying physicians, through its specialty group subsidiaries, in exchange for their exclusively referring patients to its hospital. It apparently did so because it feared losing surgical income to a competing surgery center, the suit contends. Not only did the hospital pursue such contracts, it did so despite receiving explicit legal advice that the contracts in question weren't kosher, according to the DOJ complaint. The whistleblower suit was filed by Dr. Michael Drakeford, a physician who was approached to sign one of the contracts.

To learn more about the case:
-read this Modern Healthcare piece (reg. req.)

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Comments

Dr. Drakeford deserves a standing ovation.
He stood up to the heads of Tuomey, and the chiefs turned him away, refusing to let him even speak in front of the board. The board consists of a Dr. Mark Mitchiner who is a very very rude and obnoxious person, and who also wrongfully fired Dr. Ronnie Dennis for successfully delivering a beautiful bouncing baby. I cannot believe that Dr. John Mitchiner or Dr. Mark Mitchiner, whichever name he is going by now, could do such a horrible thing. Shame on Dr. John Mark Mitchiner, the chief of staff of Tuomey. He should resign immediately.

How can a big shot like Tuomey with its big Heads go down like this? How long are these people going to tramp all over the poor people? The Tuomey Chiefs, don't they hear the complaints of the public? What kind of authorities are the Tuomey Heads and Chiefs?

First, Dr. Mitchiner fired Dr. Dennis because he delivered a baby. Then Dr. Dennis sued Dr. Mitchiner and Tuomey for wrongully firing him. Then Dr. Drakeford sued Tuomey for cheating the insurance companies. Then the government took over the case. See the pattern here? What next?

Are not the Tuomey Board of Governors ashamed of themselves? Is it not wrong to use their position and power to abuse and harass their employees, like the Board not listening to Dr. Drakeford, firing physicians who are doing good work like Dr. Dennis? Shouldn't justice be served. Dr. Mitchiner should take back the letter in which he wrote the things he wrote. Dr. Mitchiner should apologize and reinstate Dr. Dennis, and pay for what he did.

Clarification. Stark case is not about Dr. Mitchiner or Dr. Dennis or Dr. Drakeford. It is about Tuomey. Mitch and Dennis have a fight among themselves which is another lawsuit separate from this one. Drake just notified the authorities about Tuomey. Govt. has very strict laws about money, false billing, kick backs/bribes, fraud, etc...

Clarification!! The roots to this problem run deeper than one is lead to believe. Money is changing hands in more ways than you think. These two docs are nursing some very large bruised egos, but one's conflict of interest comes into play when "the good old boy system" is used to prevent certain doctors from getting privleges at Tuomey while others are made to loose theirs so certain practices cannot be opened in Sumter other than the ones "they" deem necessary. "They" refers to certain docs in private pratices that also sit on boards at the hospital. Misconduct doesn't even scratch the surface when you have old Sumter money determining who can and can't practice in this town.

EXACTLY. WE AGREE 100%.THANKS A LOT.

Dr. Ronnie Dennis is a wonderful doctor. Why did Dr. Mark Michener use his power in office as Chief to fire Dr. Dennis? Is not that abuse of power? Also, why did the Board which consists of Dr. Mark Michener NOT let Dr. M. Drakeford speak before the Board? Dr. M. Drakeford is more qualified to be the Chief. Maybe he should be the next C.E.O. of Tuomey. He has Tuomey's best interests at heart, and he is doing justice for the laypeople.

It is Mark Mitchiner who should have his privileges taken away. Dr. Ronnie Dennis did nothing wrong. He followed Tuomey's own bylaws/procedures. Mark Mitchiner was very unfair to Dr. Dennis. Among other things, Mark Mitchiner has a communication barrier refusing to even listen to what Dennis had to say. What kind of a doctor is he??

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