An area hospital is looking to reduce litigation in a courtroom as it faces a lawsuit by one of its former doctors. North Arkansas Regional Medical Center in Harrison has filed a request for admissions in the suit filed by Dr. Robert Causey.
According to the Harrison Daily Times, Causey’s hospital priveleges were suspended in December of last year. He alleges the hospital retaliated against him for contracting with Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville in 2012. North Arkansas Regional maintains a peer review process leading to the suspension of Causey’s priveleges wasn’t initiated until nearly five years later. The hospital also contends other local doctors are employed by Washington Regional, but they still have staff priveleges at North Arkansas Regional.
Causey claims in his lawsuit he was “in the crosshairs” of the hospital as he was required to “undergo counseling at facilities outside the hospital presumably designed to improve his interpersonal relationships and to ensure that he was capable of continuing to practice as a physician in the Boone County area.” North Arkansas Regional denies the claim and states the Credentials Committee found certain patterns of behavior leading to the requirements.
Causey had filed an injunction against the hospital to keep it from denying his priveleges. The hospital filed a counterclaim stating Causey violated the terms of a confidentiality agreement not to disclose information about peer review discussions. Causey denies the allegation and claims North Arkansas Regional CEO Vince Leist violated the agreement by discussing the case in public at a civic club.
The hospital board had renewed Causey’s priveleges in May, but he says they added so many requirements for him to follow making it impossible to see patients at North Arkansas Regional.
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