30-doctor GCAP group wants to leave Alliance - Sacramento Business Journal:

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GCAP, a primary care group with abou30 doctors, joined the hospital systek only 20 months ago. Now it’s claiming a litan of contract violationsthat “have seriouslty affected the ability of the physiciand to provide excellent health care for their many patients.” In a June 3 lettee to Health Alliance CEO Ken Hanover, the doctorxs list 15 complaints, including: • Lack of 12 months’ noticde on changes in contractual arrangements, including paymentf of benefits; • failure to pay vendors, leadingg to the “embarrassing shutdown of serviceds necessary to operate our business.
” The doctord on Wednesday filed a complaint in Hamilton Countg Common Pleas Court. They ask to be release d from service to the Health Alliancre and for damages andattorney fees. When it joined the Healthu Alliancein 2007, GCAP was the only independent practice of its type in the It became a wholly owned subsidiar y of the hospital system, which includes Jewish and Fort Hamilton hospitals, and the . The practice had hope to benefit from a complete electronif health records system that could interacg withthe Alliance’s hospitals, as well as the abilit y to expand geographically and recruit doctorsa more effectively.
Health Alliance spokesman Tony Condia, in a writtenb statement, said the healtyh system was "surprised and by the letter and complaint. He said the Alliancre had initially tried to negotiat withthe physicians, then offered independentg arbitration, which the practicw refused. The Alliance was preparing for preliminary discussionas to sever the relationship when the lawsuitwas "This litigation violates the terms of the service agreement, which requires us to resolve disputesa such as this with a neutral We would therefore encourage the GCAP physicianas to uphold their contractual obligations and not pursue costlty litigation," according to the statement.
withdres from the Health Alliance following a long court battles that began inMarch 2006. It started operatingy independently in 2008 but only signed a final settlementf agreement inJanuary 2009. The two St. Luke hospitals similarlyt withdrew, reaching a settlement with the Health Alliancde inSeptember 2008. St. Luke has merged with .