Opinion ID: 1359764
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: evidence as to defendant hospital

Text: Plaintiffs' first contention is that defendant hospital is liable under the doctrine of respondeat superior for the negligence of Dr. West in administering the spinal anesthetic to Mrs. Seneris. Mr. Hoefflin, administrator of defendant hospital, testified as follows concerning the relationship between the hospital and Dr. West: That Dr. West was one of six anesthesiologists on the hospital staff; that these anesthetists were appointed by the board of directors of the hospital after having been approved and selected by the members of the medical staff (composed of doctors); that the six anesthetists constituted the medical staff of the Department of Anesthesiology and their services were available to the members of the staff. Uniquely, they had an agreement among themselves in order to provide good anesthesia coverage to cover the hospital on a 24-hour basis by themselves. Inasmuch as there were six, as I recall, they would cover on a 24-hour basis one night themselves in six as a person on first call, and another person on second call and third call, right down the line, which meant that one man would ordinarily be staying in the hospital after he finished his anesthesia work in the regular scheduled hours in order that any emergency surgery that came into the hospital or any obstetrical case would have anesthesia coverage there; that the anesthetists are under the control of the medical staff; that no member of the board of directors has anything to do with them; that the anesthetist himself billed the patient for the anesthetic given by him; that the hospital furnished to the anesthetist the medications given, he supplies, needles, nursing service, white clothes, gloves, telephone service and a place to rest; that the anesthetist was required to make a written report on each anesthetic given. Mr. Hoefflin further testified that if an anesthetist was found to be unsatisfactory, the medical executive committee, as governing board of the medical staff, recommended to the board of directors of the hospital that action be taken. Dr. West testified that he gave anesthetics at no hospital other than defendant hospital; that he had no office of his own but took calls at his home; that it was common practice for him to be summoned by a nurse at defendant hospital to administer an anesthetic to an obstetrical case; that one of the nurses on the obstetrical floor notified him to give the anesthetic to Mrs. Seneris. Dr. West testified that he did not see Dr. Haas until after he had finished administering the spinal anesthetic to Mrs. Seneris. Dr. West explained the call system to mean that when he had first call, he would give all the anesthetics necessary; that if he happened to be giving an anesthetic when another was needed, the anesthesiologist on second call would give that one; that if he were not busy giving an anesthetic, he would give them all. Dr. West testified that after Mrs. Seneris' difficulties arose he wrote a document of which he had copies made; that he presented one copy to the administrator of the hospital; that this was not required and was a report other than the usual and required anesthetic report to the hospital. [17] Plaintiffs assign as prejudicial error numerous questions asked of Dr. West and Mr. Hoeffin to which objections were sustained. Plaintiffs contend that these questions were relevant and material on the issue of agency and, it appears from the record, that plaintiffs are correct. The questions all had a bearing on the relationship existing between the hospital and the anesthetist, the amount of control exercised by the hospital, and the extent of its right of control, and the trial court erroneously sustained objections thereto. [18] Unless the evidence is susceptible of but a single inference, the question of agency is one of fact for the jury ( Robinson v. George, 16 Cal.2d 238, 240 [105 P.2d 914]). [19] We said in Rice v. California Lutheran Hospital, 27 Cal.2d 296, 304 [163 P.2d 860], that It should be noted that a nurse or physician may be the servant of a hospital, thus requiring the application of the doctrine of respondeat superior even though they are performing professional acts. (See Brown v. La Societe Francaise, 138 Cal. 475 [71 P. 516]; Inderbitzen v. Lane Hospital, 124 Cal. App. 462, 466 [12 P.2d 744, 13 P.2d 905]; Bowman v. Southern Pac. Co., 55 Cal. App. 734 [204 P. 403].) [20] In Stanhope v. Los Angeles College of Chiropractic, 54 Cal. App.2d 141, 146 [128 P.2d 705], the court said: `An agency is ostensible when the principal intentionally or by want of ordinary care, causes a third person to believe another to be his agent who is not really employed by him.' (Civ. Code, § 2300.) In this connection it is urged by appellant that `before a recovery can be had against a principal for the alleged acts of an ostensible agent, three things must be proved, to-wit:' (quoting from Hill v. Citizens Nat. Trust & Sav. Bank, 9 Cal.2d 172, 176 [69 P.2d 853]) `[First] The person dealing with the agent must do so with belief in the agent's authority and this belief must be a reasonable one; [second] such belief must be generated by some act or neglect of the principal sought to be charged; [third] and the third person in relying on the agent's apparent authority must not be guilty of negligence. (1 Cal.Jur. 739; Weintraub v. Weingart, 98 Cal. App. 690 [277 P. 752].)' An examination of the evidence hereinbefore referred to which was produced on the issue of agency convinces us that respondent has met the requirements enumerated in the Hill case. So far as the record reveals appellant did nothing to put respondent on notice that the X-ray laboratory was not an integral part of appellant institution, and it cannot seriously be contended that respondent, when he was being carried from room to room suffering excruciating pain, should have inquired whether the individual doctors who examined him were employees of the college or were independent contractors. Agency is always a question of fact for the jury. [21] Plaintiffs here through the questions permitted them showed that defendant West was one of six anesthetists on defendant hospital's panel, or staff; that he gave anesthetics for no other hospital; that all drugs and equipment used by him were supplied by said hospital; that he had regular on call duty at said hospital; that a hospital nurse summoned him to give the anesthetic in question. It appears that this evidence is sufficient to establish, prima facie, that defendant West was an agent of defendant hospital. There is nothing in the record to show that plaintiffs should have been on notice that defendant West was not an employee of defendant hospital and it can not be seriously contended that she was obliged to inquire whether each person who attended her in said hospital was an employee or an independent contractor. It follows that the trial court erred in taking the issue of agency from the jury.