Whenever someone loses a job, licenses or privileges to perform their job, the loss of income or employability can have far-reaching effects. For a doctor, having privileges to work out of a hospital can be a professional necessity in order to practice medicine. Recently, a gynecologist filed a wrongful termination suit against a hospital who terminated his right to practice at the hospital in question. Any Colorado medical professional concerned about their privileges or dealing with licensing issues may want to follow the status of the case.
The doctor asserts that the hospital suspended his privileges. He claims the hospital automatically suspended him, saying he could not accept Medicaid or Medicare payments, which is a necessary component for having privileges at that hospital. However, he says the claims that he is not eligible to accept the payments are false.
To be restricted from taking payments from Medicare or Medicaid, the doctor must be convicted of a medical-related crime, such as abuse or fraud. The doctor contends he has not been convicted of anything. He cites lost wages over a two and a half year time span, totaling $4.05 million. The doctor was placed on suspension from the hospital after he was found to have violated state law, but that finding was irrelevant to a suspension of eligibility for participating in the programs for payment.
Wrongful termination can be difficult to prove in a civil complaint. However, in Colorado and elsewhere, if a wrongful termination suit is successful, there may be a number of ways that any damages awarded can help the person who was wrongfully terminated. A person may be awarded lost wages, back pay, future pay and benefits or they may even be able to be reinstated to the position they lost.
Source: bendbulletin.com, Bend gynecologist suing St. Charles for $4.05 million;, Shelby R. King, Jan. 5, 2014