Seven cardiologists who operated an OhioHealth practice in Springfield before leaving to work for competitor Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center have been banned from practicing medicine in Clark County through October 2013, according to a Columbus Dispatch report.
Springfield is located within Clark County, which is about 45 miles from OhioHealth competitor Wexner Medical Center in Columbus. The physicians were also ordered to pay a total of $125,000 as part of the settlement, which was reached in the Franklin County Common Pleas Court.
OhioHealth sued Heart Specialists of Ohio, the cardiologists' independent practice, in November 2011 after the physicians announced their plans to join OSU. During their departure, the physicians noted plans to provide outpatient services in Columbus, Mount Gilead and "a future location convenient to Springfield and Clark County," according to the report.
The physicians, however, had signed contracts with OhioHealth that prevented them from competing with the system during the life of the agreement plus one year after.
OSU was not named as a defendant in OhioHealth's lawsuit, but a spokesperson for Wexner Medical Center said the university will reimburse the physicians a portion of their $125,000 settlement. OhioHealth attorney Steven Tigges, JD, said his client has not ruled out legal action against OSU, according to the report.
The settlement was reached just before a trial was scheduled to begin this week.
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Springfield is located within Clark County, which is about 45 miles from OhioHealth competitor Wexner Medical Center in Columbus. The physicians were also ordered to pay a total of $125,000 as part of the settlement, which was reached in the Franklin County Common Pleas Court.
OhioHealth sued Heart Specialists of Ohio, the cardiologists' independent practice, in November 2011 after the physicians announced their plans to join OSU. During their departure, the physicians noted plans to provide outpatient services in Columbus, Mount Gilead and "a future location convenient to Springfield and Clark County," according to the report.
The physicians, however, had signed contracts with OhioHealth that prevented them from competing with the system during the life of the agreement plus one year after.
OSU was not named as a defendant in OhioHealth's lawsuit, but a spokesperson for Wexner Medical Center said the university will reimburse the physicians a portion of their $125,000 settlement. OhioHealth attorney Steven Tigges, JD, said his client has not ruled out legal action against OSU, according to the report.
The settlement was reached just before a trial was scheduled to begin this week.
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