A Texas cardiologist called for a physician poaching lawsuit to be dismissed, and a judge dismissed a St. Louis cardiology practice's suit against a nearby health system.
Four cardiology updates Becker's ASC Review has covered since Jan. 6:
1. Ricardo Cigarroa, MD, the Laredo (Texas) Medical Center and its physicians group urged a federal judge Feb. 9 to dismiss a hospital's suit accusing the group of poaching doctors and monopolizing the area's cardiology market.
2. Median cardiologist pay hit $459,000, the third highest-earning specialty in 2021, according to Physicians Thrive's "2022 Physician Compensation Report." Released Jan. 27, the report outlines compensation and hiring trends to help physicians collect industry data to analyze the healthcare landscape.
3. A Houma, La.-based practice became the first ASC in the country to implant Biotronik's Orsiro Mission coronary artery drug-eluting stent.
The procedure to treat coronary artery disease was performed Jan. 7 at Cardiovascular Institute of the South's ASC in Gray, La., the center said Jan. 19.
4. A judge has dismissed St. Louis Heart and Vascular's lawsuit against SSM Health seeking millions of dollars in damages after the health system terminated the physicians' privileges.
The practice sued St. Louis-based SSM Health March 31 to prevent the health system from entering into an exclusive contract with another cardiology provider, thereby ending privileges of St. Louis Heart and Vascular physicians at SSM hospitals.