Houston-based Fondren Orthopedic received a $25.6 million jury verdict in a breach of contract case against HCA Healthcare, the practice's attorneys said.
Fondren and HCA were in a limited partnership that owned Texas Orthopedic Hospital, according to a Sept. 3 news release. A jury found HCA broke noncompete provisions by opening 10 competing hospitals in the Houston area. But the jury found HCA also prevented Fondren group physicians from doing the same and cited the same noncompete rules.
"HCA had the size, the scale and the power and felt they could do what they wanted," attorney Joe Ahmad said in the release. "The hospital contract with Fondren was for 57 years, and about halfway through, they just decided they would no longer honor the contract. HCA owned 60% of the hospital with Fondren, but 100 percent of their improperly opened competing hospitals and sent business to their fully owned places."
HCA didn't respond to Becker's request for comment.