Opinion ID: 179625
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Failure to Renew Staff Privileges

Text: For present purposes, we may assume that Ray presented a prima facie case of discrimination. 7 In response, defendants represented that the failure to renew Ray’s privilege was the result of an extensive review of his professional performance. In support of this position, defendants tendered evidence that the review consisted of a preexisting, multi-level process involving at least 37 different staff members drawn from across Pinnacle’s 800 member staff that represented at least 46 different countries. In addition, defendants presented the facts and supporting documents behind six separate incidents, in some cases quite serious, where Ray’s professional expertise or judgment 7 As a result, we need not address Ray’s contention that the District Court employed the wrong standard in concluding that he did not present a prima facie case. 11 were called into question. The complaints which occasioned the quality assurance review of these incidents originated in several different departments. In light of this evidence the question is whether Ray tendered enough evidence of pretext to support a jury finding that his race was a motivating factor in the decision not to renew his privileges. As the District Court correctly concluded, he tendered very little in addition to his own general assertion that the whole review process was tainted by racial animus. Ray does not claim race was discussed by any of the participants in the process at any time. Nor does he contest the facts which occasioned the QA review or the unanimity of the decision makers. Ray relies primarily upon evidence which he insists shows that similarly situated Caucasian physicians were treated differently, that the process was unfair, and that his professional expertise and judgment are good. Given the totality of the summary judgment record, however, Ray’s evidence would not support a judgment in his favor. Pinnacle produced in discovery more than six thousand pages of quality assurance information. These documents were comprised of quality assurance reviews for the six year period beginning January 1, 2000, and involved 152 physicians in the Department of Surgery. From these documents, Ray found two Caucasian physicians whom he contends had worse records but were better treated. One went through the same multistep review process as Ray and was required to take a leave of absence for additional training. The other had his privileges renewed. While it does appear that neither of these comparators had been the subject of concerns giving rise to two separate quality assurance reviews as Ray had, the summary 12 judgment record concerning them is not sufficiently detailed to permit a reliable analysis of whether their performances were equal to or worse than Ray’s. But even assuming that both were similarly situated to Ray, he cannot show pretext by picking out one or two surgeons who might have been treated differently. While identification of one or two comparators may be sufficient at the prima facie stage of analysis, it is not sufficient at the pretext phase. See Simpson v. Kay Jewelers, 142 F.3d, 639, 645-46 (3d Cir. 1998) (evidence of more favorable treatment of a single member of a non-protected group may create an inference of discrimination at the prima facie phase, “but not necessarily at the pretext phase where the factual inquiry into the alleged motives of the employer has risen to a new level of specificity.”). Ray has also not tendered evidence raising an inference that the review process was designed to discriminate against him. The lengthy transcript of the FHC indicates that the panel of doctors carefully considered all of the case histories over the course of two evenings, agreed with Ray regarding some of the findings of the MEC, and then deliberated for two hours on a third evening before rendering its decision that Ray’s actions in the disputed cases fell below the standards of acceptable medical practice. Ray’s contention that the composition of the FHC is evidence of pretext also fails. Ray argues that the FHC should have been comprised of five rather than three physicians to be in compliance with Pinnacle by-laws, and that he was prejudiced by having a direct competitor on the panel. Ray argued that he was forced to accept the three-member panel and the specific doctors because of time constraints, but he supported this contention before the District Court with an unsworn “Declaration.” That “Declaration,” however, 13 is at odds with Ray’s deposition testimony and other evidence that he had no idea how many people should be on the committee, that he agreed to the number of people and the individuals on the panel without objection, that the hearings were scheduled around Ray’s summer vacation plans, that he waived the time requirements in the bylaws, and that he successfully objected to and had replaced a proposed committee member. 8 Because it conflicts with his more reliable deposition testimony, given under oath and subject to cross examination, as well as with other evidence in the record, Ray’s “Declaration” does not raise a genuine issue of material fact. To the limited extent his statement addresses having a competitor on the panel, it is corroborated by his deposition testimony. However, there is no testimony or record support for his contention that time constraints forced his decision making. Ray’s burden is to show racial animus, not competitive prejudice. Even if he contends the decision making of the FHC was somehow wrong, this alone is not sufficient to create an inference of animus. 8 The District Court refused to consider the statement because it was unsworn. Unsworn declarations may substitute for sworn affidavits where they are made under penalty of perjury and otherwise comply with the requirements of 28 U.S.C. § 1746. However, statements which conflict with an individual’s deposition testimony do not raise a genuine issue of material fact and can properly be disregarded where the conflict is unexplained or unsupported by other record evidence. See Jimenez v. All American Rathskeller, 503 F.3d 247, 253-54 (3d Cir. 2007)(sham affidavit cannot raise a genuine issue of material fact when it contradicts earlier deposition testimony; deposition testimony is more reliable because subject to cross examination); see also Byrne v. Monmouth Cnty. Dept. of Health Care Facilities, 372 Fed. Appx. 232, 233-234 (3d Cir. 2010) (unsworn certification not supported by any documentation or factual testimony is insufficient to defeat summary judgment); Williams v. Borough of West Chester, 891 F.2d 458, 460 (3d Cir.1989) (nonmoving party cannot simply assert factually unsupported allegations to meet burden at summary judgment). 14 Finally, Ray relies upon the deposition testimony of Dr. Holman, who was director of Pinnacle’s residents’ training program from 2002 to 2006. Holman testified that he considered Ray to be the best laparoscopic surgeon at Pinnacle, and that Holman’s review of Ray’s patient records never led him to believe Ray did not qualify to be a surgical faculty member. One surgeon’s opinion that Ray was a good doctor is insufficient to suggest that race motivated the decisions of four separate review panels, comprised of over 37 physicians and Pinnacle’s board of directors, all of whom reviewed Ray’s patient records. Dr. Holman testified at the FHC on behalf of Dr. Ray, and his opinion was duly considered by the FHC and the Appeals Committee. It is not enough for Ray to show that there was a difference of professional opinion between Holman and the decision makers or that Pinnacle’s decision making may have been wrong or mistaken. See, e.g., Fuentes, 32 F.3d at 765 (factual dispute is whether “discriminatory animus motivated the employer, not whether the employer is wise, shrewd, prudent, or competent.” ). The plaintiff “must show, not merely that the employer’s proffered reason was wrong, but that it was so plainly wrong that it cannot have been the employer’s real reason.” Keller v. Orix Credit Alliance, 130 F.3d 1101, 1109 (3d Cir. 1997).