Doctor sues CA hospital, claiming retaliation for state report

Wed, 28 May 2008 06:59:54 -0400

An obstetrician and gynecologist has sued a California hospital, claiming his former bosses there are giving him bad recommendations in retaliation for his filing a complaint about conditions there. Dr. John Brannigan filed a complaint about conditions at Memorial Hospital Los Banos' labor and delivery area with the California Department of Health Services in 2004. When it investigated, the Department found that the hospital's quality of care was deficient. Later, when Brannigan tried to get another job, he was told that Los Banos officials gave him poor recommendations. Now, he's filed a civil case against the hospital and its parent company Sutter Health. Brannigan, meanwhile, is being investigated by the state medical board in a separate case involving gross negligence, repeated negligent acts and incompetence.

To learn more about the case:
- read this San Francisco Examiner piece

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LA bill offers legal protections for MD care during emergencies

Tue, 20 May 2008 06:59:55 -0400

The Louisiana state legislature is close to passing a package of bills that would protect medical professionals from lawsuits arising from care delivered during declared emergencies. Two of the bills are inspired and backed by Dr. Anna Pou, the New Orleans doctor who was accused of euthanizing patients after Hurricane Katrina. (Pou still faces civil suits related to the deaths in question.) The bills would provide protection against lawsuits for paid medical professionals who aren't covered under the existing Good Samaritan Act, which offers immunity from civil lawsuits for providers who voluntarily offer care to an emergency victim in need. This immunity would protect medical personnel from suits relating to simple negligence, but would still leave room for suits related to gross negligence. The protection would apply only to individual workers, not only to owners of medical facilities.

To learn more about the bills in question:
- read this item from The Times-Picayune

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