Cancer physician David Hetzel, MD, is suing his former employer, Asheville, N.C.-based Mission Hospital, alleging the hospital incorrectly reported him to the National Practitioner's Databank, Citizen Times reported Oct. 24.
Dr. Hetzel initially sued the hospital and its corporate owner HCA Healthcare on June 9, alleging the hospital did not correct the report it filed following a surgery he performed that had complications, even though he was allegedly cleared by the hospital's staff and the North Carolina Medical Board. According to the report, Dr. Hetzel was denied an Arizona medical license and rejected from 15 jobs, which he attributes to the National Practitioner's Databank report.
Dr. Hetzel had submitted his letter of resignation to HCA in February 2019, which did not become effective until July 2020. According to the report, Mission "effectively blackballed," Dr. Hetzel by filing the report.
He is suing HCA for libel, dealing in bad faith, interfering with his future career opportunities and inflicting emotional distress.
HCA has until Oct. 27 to respond to the filing, according to the Times.