Babb v. Centre Community Hospital

47 A.3d 1214, 2012 Pa. Super. 125, 2012 WL 2149765, 2012 Pa. Super. LEXIS 1051
CourtSuperior Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedJune 14, 2012
StatusPublished
Cited by39 cases

This text of 47 A.3d 1214 (Babb v. Centre Community Hospital) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Superior Court of Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Babb v. Centre Community Hospital, 47 A.3d 1214, 2012 Pa. Super. 125, 2012 WL 2149765, 2012 Pa. Super. LEXIS 1051 (Pa. Ct. App. 2012).

Opinion

[1217]*1217OPINION BY

MUNDY, J.:

Appellant, Terrance E. Babb, M.D. (Dr. Babb), appeals from the May 12, 2011 order granting summary judgment in favor of Centre Community Hospital (CCH), Geisinger Clinic (Geisinger), Penn State Geisinger Health System (PSGHS), Robin E. Oliver, M.D. (Dr. Oliver) and Michael J. Chmielewski, M.D.' (Dr. Chmielewski). After careful review, we affirm in part, reverse in part, and remand for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.

The relevant facts and procedural background of this case, in the light most favorable to Dr. Babb, are as follows. In June 1995, Geisinger offered, and Dr. Babb accepted, employment as a staff physician for their OB/GYN Clinic in State College.1 Dr. Babb commenced his employment on September 1, 1995. At around the same time, Dr. Oliver was also hired as a staff physician for the OB/GYN Clinic. In July 1996, Geisinger hired Dr. Chmielewski as a third staff physician at the Clinic. Over time, the working relationship between Dr. Babb and his two colleagues deteriorated. Dr. Babb made professional complaints against Dr. Chmie-lewski. Subsequently, Dr. Oliver, Dr. Chmielewski and others made professional complaints against Dr. Babb. Pursuant to a routine annual performance review process, Dr. Babb was recommended for reappointment. However, the discord and additional targeted performance reviews culminated in Geisinger’s decision to terminate Dr. Babb’s employment.

To that end, on or about May 16, 1997, Dr. Charles Maxin, Senior Vice President for Clinical Operations, and Dr. David Wolfe, Medical Director for Geisinger Medical Group, met with Dr. Babb and requested his resignation. Dr. Babb refused to resign and he was fired that same day. The termination was confirmed by letter dated May 19, 1997, which indicated in part that quality of care concerns were at issue. Accordingly, Dr. Babb was afforded a hearing pursuant to Geisinger’s Peer Review Fair Hearing Plan (Fair Hearing Plan) rather than the Involuntary Review Process otherwise provided for by Geisinger’s employee policy #412.2 By

[1218]*1218letter dated June 17, 1997, Counsel for Geisinger'advised Dr. Babb of the reasons for termination and advised him of his procedural rights under the Fair Hearing Plan.

The Fair Hearing proceeded with five sessions from November 17, 1997 to February 16, 1998. During the proceedings, several witnesses testified and exhibits were presented. Dr. Babb’s counsel cross-examined the witnesses. Dr. Babb did not present any additional witnesses on his own behalf. On March 20,1998, the Hearing Committee made the following findings.

III. FINDINGS
1. The evidence supported, the allegation that Dr. Babb had been unable to work cooperatively and effectively with his colleagues and office staff.
2. The evidence supported the allegations that Dr. Babb was constantly delinquent in his record keeping, possibly altered medical records, failed to abide by the offices’ “lab pending” policy and failed consistently and properly to maintain and document his medical charts.
3. The evidence supported the allegations (with respect to certain medical charts brought to the attention of the committee), that irregularity in medical care provided by Dr. Babb occurred including, failure to properly diagnose, performance of inappropriate operative procedures, lack of proper pre-operative evaluation in urological procedures and antiquated approaches to pelvic examinations.
4.Based on Findings 2 and 8 above, the Committee concludes that Dr. Babb’s conduct had an adverse impact on patient care.

Geisinger Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment, 12/10/10, Exhibit J, Report of Hearing Committee at 7 (emphasis in original). The Clinical Practice Committee, in a letter dated May 28, 1998, accepted the Fair Hearing Committee’s findings and affirmed Dr. Babb’s termination.

As a consequence of the Fair Hearing results, Geisinger submitted a mandated National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) Report on June 2, 1998. See Jacksonian v. Temple University Health System Foundation, 862 A.2d 1275, 1278 (Pa.Super.2004) (noting the Health Care Quality Improvement Act (HCQIA)3 “requires hospitals to report information to the Data Bank, and to request information from the Data Bank when physicians join a hospital and every two years thereafter. See 42 U.S.C. §§ 11133, 11135”). Geisinger’s report included the following statements.

[1219]*1219This classification is being utilized although the actual adverse action is a termination of employment (as opposed to a pure revocation of privileges) based upon unprofessional conduct, etc. Penn State Geisinger Clinic terminated the practitioner’s employment on May 16, 1997 subject to an internal review. The termination was based upon concerns regarding the practitioner’s professional conduct and clinical competency and/or judgment. In addition to certain, specific incidents, the termination was also, based upon the practitioner’s chronic failure to properly and promptly complete medical records and patient charts. The decision to terminate was upheld by a hearing committee. The Clinical Practice Committee accepted the recommendation of the Hearing Committee and affirmed/finalized the decision to terminate the practitioner’s employment. The Hearing Committee determined' that the conduct of the practitioner could have an adverse impact on patient care.

Id, Exhibit L, NPDB Adverse Action Report.

During his employment with Geisinger, Dr. Babb enjoyed clinical privileges with CCH. Upon his termination by Geisinger, those privileges were withdrawn because Dr. Babb no longer had malpractice insur-anee coverage. Dr. Babb subsequently obtained employment in Clearfield County.

On May 1, 1998, Dr. Babb initiated the instant action in the Court of Common Pleas of Centre County by filing a writ of summons against Geisinger, Dr. Oliver, and Dr. Chmielewski (Geisinger Defendants).4 On July 24, 1999, Dr. Babb reapplied for clinical privileges with CCH.5 On November 4, 1999, Dr. Babb filed a complaint in United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania against Geisinger, CCH, and others, alleging, inter alia, discrimination, antitrust violations, breach of contract, civil conspiracy to deny privileges, and interference with contract.6

Meanwhile, CCH, preparing for consideration of Dr. Babb’s reapplication, received a copy of the NPDB Adverse Action Report filed by Geisinger. To further assess the basis for the report, CCH requested receipt of the information underlying the report from Geisinger in order to make its own independent evaluation. Geisinger refused to release information unless Dr. Babb signed a blanket release.7 Dr. Babb refused to do so. None of the other information available to CCH regarding Dr. Babb’s competence and qualifications either prior to or subsequent to the June 2, 1998, NPDB Adverse Action Report was negative.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
47 A.3d 1214, 2012 Pa. Super. 125, 2012 WL 2149765, 2012 Pa. Super. LEXIS 1051, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/babb-v-centre-community-hospital-pasuperct-2012.