Hospital Prevails in Spinal Surgeon’s Suit Over Lost Privileges

A Tennessee spinal surgeon lost his breach of contract claim against a hospital that ended his clinical privileges after it shut down an implant surgery program.

Morristown Hamblen Hospital’s medical staff bylaws specifically allowed it to reduce or end a doctor’s privileges without a prior hearing if it closed a department or ceased offering a service, the Tennessee Court of Appeals said. Contrary to Nicholas Grimaldi’s argument, the closure decision could be made by hospital management, it said.

The court affirmed summary judgment for MHH and related hospital defendants.

MHH recruited Grimaldi for his spinal implant procedure practice. To accommodate ...