Deborah Heart and Lung Center has accused the health systems and physician groups of conspiring “with the express goal of closing Deborah,” according to the report. Since 2007, Penn and Virtua have operated under a contract that allegedly requires Virtua’s Burlington County patients to be transported to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center instead of Deborah Heart and Lung for interventional cardiac procedures, according to the suit.
Deborah Heart and Lung said Virtua transferred most of its serious cardiac patients to the Deborah facility before it penned the alleged transfer contract with Penn. According to the lawsuit, Virtua patients were often flown by helicopter to the Penn hospital against their wishes. In other cases, patients were allegedly pressured by nurses and physicians to accept transfers to Penn Presbyterian or were told transfers to Deborah Heart and Lung were not possible. Negative comments about Deborah Heart and Lung were also allegedly made to patients, according to the report.
Virtua officials have called the allegations inaccurate, and Penn has declined to comment on the lawsuit.
Read the Philadelphia Business Journal report about the antitrust lawsuit against Penn and Virtua health.
Read other coverage about antitrust regulations:
– 9 Key Legal Developments Facing Hospitals
– FTC, Justice Department Struggle to Compromise on Antitrust Guidance for ACOs
– 8 Points on How Antitrust Laws Might Affect ACOs
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