Antitrust case against Illinois hospital can proceed

An Illinois court has ruled that an antitrust suit alleging that one Peoria, Ill., medical center prevented another from entering into managed care arrangements will go to trial in a move that will be watched by physicians, hospitals and surgical centers.

In a years-long string of allegations and court movements, Peoria Day Surgery Center has alleged that St. Francis Medical Center violated antitrust laws and interfered with its prospective relationships with an orthopedic group through disparaging PDSC, misrepresenting PDSC's financial status and other moves.

The U.S. District Court Central District of Illinois found that PDSC "provided evidence sufficient to create a triable issue as to whether SFMC intentionally and unjustifiably interfered so as to prevent PDSC's expectancy from developing into a valid business relationship with [Midwest Orthopedic Center]." The court also found that PDSC offered evidence that "present[ed] material questions of fact as to whether SFMC's 2001 exclusive contract with Caterpillar led to anticompetitive effects," ruling that PDSC can pursue state and federal antitrust claims.

To learn more:
- read the full article
- here's the district court ruling