Evening star., 1938-12-20

Group Health Association, Inc, in
procuring and retaining on its medi- j..
cal staff qualified doctors and to
hinder and obstruct the doctors
serving on that staff from obtaining
consultations with other doctors and
specialists practicing in the District
OF Columbia. Pursuant to this plan
and purpose the defendants have =
performed. among others, the fol-
lowing acts: Defendants (other
than defendants Washington Acad-
emy of Surgery and Harris County
Medical Society circulated white
list" of organizations, groups and
individuals approved by the Defend
ant the Medical Society of the Dis
trict Of Columbia, omitting from
said white list the name of Group
Health Association, Inc, with the
intent and purpose of threatening.
with disciplinary action any doc
tors, members of defendant the
Medical Society of the District Of
Columbia, who should become mem
bers of the medical staff of Group
should consult with members of the
medical staff of Group Health AS
| sociation, Inc. Defendants (other
than defendants Washington Acad-
emy of Surgery and Harris County
Medical Society instituted disci-
plinary proceedings against two doc
tors, who were the only doctors on
the medical staff of Group Health.
Association, Inc who were members
of defendant the Medical Society Of
the District of Columbia.
Coercion Is Charged.
Principally by means of such dis
ciplinary proceedings, the said de-
PENDANTS induced and coerced one
of the said doctors to resign from
the staff of Group Health Associa-
ton, Inc, and brought about the.
expulsion of the other doctor from
membership in defendant the Med
ical Society of the District of CO.
lumbia. Defendant Harris County
Medical Society at the request of
defendant the Medical Society Of
the District of Columbia and Of
the other defendants except de-
fendant Washington Academy of
Surgery, instituted disciplinary pro-
ceedlngs against doctor on the
medical staff of Group Health Asso-
! citation, Inc, who was member in
good standing of said defendant
Harris County Medical Society and
the only doctor on the medical staff
OF Group Health Association, Inc,
who was a member of defendant
American Medical Association. The
doctors against whom the above
described disciplinary proceedings
were instituted were and are quail
ned, ethical doctors in good stand
ing; the disciplinary proceedings
above described were instituted
against those doctors because of
their association with Group Health,
Association. Inc, and for the pur-
pose OF depriving the said Group
Health Association, Inc, doctors of
the privileges of consulting with
other doctors and of using the facili-
ties of the Washington hospitals.
The said defendants also instituted
similar disciplinary proceedings
against a specialist practicing medi-
cine in the District of Columbia, on
the alleged ground that he had con-.
suited with a doctor on the staff Of
Group Health Association Inc, in
tending thereby to penalize the said
specialist for failing to BOYCOTT
Group Health Association, Inc, doc
tors and thereby to induce other
specialists to boycott Group Health
Association, Inc, doctors.
Refusal to Consult Seen.
Principally by the means herein
above described, defendants have
coerced doctors to boycott Group
Health Association, Inc, by refrain-
ing from becoming members of or
by resigning from the medical staff
OF Group Health Association, Inc.
and to boycott doctors on the med
ical staff of Group Health Associa.
ton. Inc, by refusing to consult
with them about their patients. By
thus coercing doctors, defendants
hlndered and obstructed Group
Health Association, Inc, in procur-
ing and retaining on its medical
staff qualified doctors and hindered
and obstructed doctors on the med
ical staff of Group Health AssociaA
ton, Inc, in obtaining consulta.
tions with doctors not on that staff
(b) Defendants have combined
and conspired with the plan ana
purpose to hinder and obstr,,ct
Group Health Association. Inc. In
obtaining access to hospital facil-
tiles for its members, and to hinder
and obstruct the doctors on the
medlcal STAN Of Group Health Assoc
ciatlon, Inc, from treating and op-.
Grating upon their patients in
washington hospitals.
White List" Circulated.
pursuant to this plan and purpose.
oelendants have performed, among
otners, the following acts: De.
iehoants (other than defendants
washington Academy of Surgery
ana Harris County Medical Society
circulated among the Washington
hospitals white list" of organiza-
tions, groups and individuals an.
proved by defendant, the Medical
Society of the District Of Columbia,
omltting from said white list" the
name OF Group Health Association,
Inc, with the intent and purpose of
threatening with punitive action any
such hospital which should admit
to its courtesy staff a doctor on the
medical staff of Group Health Asso-
citation, Inc, however qualified or
however great his professional skill.
Defendants (other than defendants
Washington Academy of Surgery
and Harris County Medical Society
urged and demanded that the WASH
ington hospitals admit to their staffs
only those doctors who were men,
bers of defendant, the Medical
Society of the District Of Columbia.
or of neighboring medical societies
affiliated with defendant American