ST. LOUIS — A judge last month wholly dismissed a complaint from a cardiology firm that sought $50 million in damages from SSM Health, the large St. Louis-based medical system.
St. Louis Heart and Vascular PC in March filed the lawsuit, alleging that SSM wrongly terminated its staff memberships and clinical privileges at the system's DePaul Hospital in Bridgeton, instead opting to move those services in-house. The suit made the case that St. Louis Heart's nearby facility, in which it invested more than $10 million since 2016, was damaged by SSM's decision because the location ensured "immediate access at (DePaul) to adult cardiology patients who require an emergency room, an in-patient catheterization laboratory, or cardiac surgery services."
But SSM moved to get the suit thrown out, arguing that it followed its bylaws.
St. Louis County Circuit Court Judge Nellie Ribaudo agreed, writing that DePaul's bylaws allow for the automatic termination or discontinuation of clinical privileges covered by an exclusive provider arrangement, like the one SSM entered for adult cardiology services with SSM Medical Group, its in-house provider.
After previously denying a preliminary injunction against SSM, Ribaudo on Dec. 31 dismissed the entire lawsuit.
An SSM spokeswoman said, "We are pleased that the court agreed with our position however we have no further comment on this case."
An attorney for St. Louis Heart, Kenneth Mallin of Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP, said the firm disagrees with the court's decision and plans to appeal.
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