A jury ruled in favor of San Antonio-based Neurosurgery and Spine Consultants in a noncompete case, but Methodist Healthcare and an affiliate plan to appeal the $24 million verdict, the San Antonio Express-News reported April 10.
Methodist Healthcare and Methodist Physician Practices lost their request for a new trial or a reduced judgment on April 7, the report said. A jury rendered the verdict in October, and the final judgment was entered in January. The health system and its affiliate are liable for the full sum.
The ruling stems from a 2020 lawsuit involving Neurosurgery and Spine Consultants and Osama Ahmed, MD, who left the practice in 2018 and immediately joined Methodist Physician Practices. However, a noncompete clause in his contract with the practice barred him from working within 10 miles of it for two years.
The practice sued the health system, and a jury awarded the group $8 million for lost profits and $16.2 million in restitution. An attorney for the health system told the Express-News the health system and affiliate did not think they did anything wrong by hiring Dr. Ahmed.
Dr. Ahmed since has left Methodist and launched the Brain and Spine Institute of San Antonio.
A spokesperson for Methodist Healthcare did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Becker’s.
