Two New Jersey health systems have taken a spat over who can lay claim to having "top docs" all the way to the state's Supreme Court. The two systems, which are fighting for mindshare in South Jersey, both want desperately to prove that they deserve the title.
Of late, the two have largely been fighting over a "top docs" study, Cooper contends was based on a study created and funded by the health system and its advertising agency. (Virtua had said that the assertion was based on an independent study.)
This week, Cooper Health System won a significant victory in the dispute. It managed to convince the state Supreme Court that its rival, Virtua Health, was out of line when launched a major ad campaign insisting that it had "the most top docs."
The court has issued an injunction demanding Virtua to shut down its website, www.sjtopdocs.org. It also told Virtua to stop advertising the claim.
Of course, Cooper continues to make the "most top doctors" claim on its website--but it shouldn't be long before Virtua strikes back. These kinds of battles never end.
To learn more about this battle:
- read Philadelphia Inquirer piece