Anesthesiologists lose old jobs for good Anesthesiologists lose old jobs for good (January 07, 2005)

Hospital's contract bars former doctors

By Candice Shih

Following a recent contract spat, El Camino Hospital has restructured its anesthesiology department, barring former doctors from returning to their old jobs.

The department will be "closed," allowing only anesthesiologists with an exclusive hospital contract to practice there. Other "closed" departments at El Camino are emergency, radiology and pathology.

The move was approved 5-1 by the hospital's board of directors, with Domanick Curatola voting against. It was essentially an extension of the hospital's prior decision to pursue exclusive contracts with anesthesiologists on Oct. 6, 2004, said hospital spokesperson Judy Twitchell.

Noah Griffin, the spokesperson for El Camino's former anesthesiologist group, said those doctors have no comment at this time about the hospital's new "closed" department.

While the decision was upsetting to the 19 anesthesiologists whose negotiations with the hospital ended on Nov. 20, patients may be spared from the extra anesthesia costs they were forced to pay.

The previous anesthesiologists, who did not share the same insurance contracts as the hospital at large, had passed on the extra costs of their services to patients, according to Twitchell. They did not carry contracts for PPOs and some HMOs. Some also did not have agreements with Medicare.

The hospital's board of directors decided to restructure the department when they received a number of complaints from patients who received anesthesia and had to pay extra.

Twitchell said the contract for the new anesthesiologists requires them to have more insurance options for their patients.

Any doctors, including former El Camino Hospital anesthesiologists, may apply to join the new anesthesia group, Pacific Physicians Medical, Inc. The new group is currently comprised of doctors who left a Fremont hospital to sign a new contract with El Camino in November.

E-mail Candice Shih at cshih@mv-voice.com

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