Here are five lawsuits involving gastroenterologists Becker's has reported on since Jan. 26, 2021:
1. A gastroenterologist in Central Islip, N.Y., pleaded guilty March 7 to billing Medicare for millions of dollars for medical procedures that were not performed.
2. Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, S.D., was sued by a gastroenterologist who alleges he was terminated in August 2020 after seeking mental healthcare and complaining about the hospital's COVID-19 protocols.
3. The final settlement was approved May 6, 2021, for the patients in a lawsuit involving a gastroenterologist accused of inappropriately touching patients.
4. TriHealth, a Cincinnati-based health system, sued to enforce a noncompete clause for 18 gastroenterologists who planned to leave the system in June 2021.
5. A gastroenterologist was sentenced to three years of probation, 1,000 hours of community service and a $2.9 million restitution payment for his involvement in a decadeslong insurance fraud scheme.