Anje Kim, MD, a Wyoming-based neurosurgeon, is suing her former employers for allegedly violating her employment agreement, according to the Casper Star Tribune.
Here are six things to know:
1. Dr. Kim began working for Mountain View Regional Hospital in Casper, Wyo., in 2015 when the hospital purchased her previous employer. Within her employment agreement, Dr. Kim was transferred to Mountain View. Then on June 1, Casper-based Wyoming Medical Center acquired Mountain View. On the same day, WMC terminated her employment agreement, which included a non-compete provision that prevents her from practicing in many parts of Wyoming.
2. WMC CEO Michele Chuilick informed Dr. Kim of her termination by letter, stating the neurosurgeon didn't obtain or maintain clinical privileges at WMC without restriction. However, Dr. Kim's original employment agreement stated she was only required to maintain privileges at Mountain View.
3. Dr. Kim did not pursue privileges at WMC after the hospital acquired her employment agreement.
4. After termination, Dr. Kim filed a suit against Mountain View, WMC and WMC subsidiary Wyoming Health Medical Group, arguing that she maintained privileges as outlined in her employment agreement and alleging the non-compete provision in her agreement is "unenforceable" because it is anti-competitive, according to the report.
5. Within her suit, Dr. Kim seeks a restraining order as well as punitive damages.
6. Dr. Kim's agreement also stated she was to receive copies of her patients' medical records after termination, but she did not receive the patient records.