In Brief: Martello Facing More Medical Board Charges; John Muir, San Ramon Joint Venture
Martello Facing More Medical Board Charges
The Medical Board of California has added more charges in its move to revoke the license of South Pasadena plastic surgeon Jeannette Y. Martello, M.D.
The Board filed accusations last October accusing Martello of filing false documents and dishonest and corrupt acts. The accusations were connected to treatments Martello rendered to emergency room patients she claimed were non-emergent and elective. According to the Medical Board accusation, Martello repeatedly filed documentation with medical groups and insurers stating the care was emergent in nature.
Martello was on call to provide emergency services to patients at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena, although the hospital has since terminated that contract.
A Payers & Providers investigation last year concluded that Martello had filed as many as 70 lawsuits against her patients seeking payments after she treated them in Los Angeles-area hospital emergency rooms, even if they had insurance. The litigation led to the Department of Managed Health Care filing its own lawsuit against Martello – the first instance of that agency taking legal action against an individual provider for balance billing. Several of Martello's suits were filed even after the DMHC ordered her to cease and desist such practices in early 2011.
The Medical Board had previously accused Martello of unprofessional conduct as part of her balanced billing, and incompetence and repeated negligent acts related to a 2007 breast implant procedure that went awry.
Hearings in Martello's case commenced in administrative law court in Los Angeles last fall. Deputy Attorney General Cindy Lopez, who is representing the Medical Board, said a judgment would likely be rendered in April.
John Muir Health, San Ramon Regional Enter Into Joint Venture
John Muir Health in Walnut Creek has entered into a joint venture with Sam Ramon Medical Center.
Under the terms of the deal, John Muir will invest about $100 million to acquire a 49% ownership stake in San Ramon, which is owned by Dallas-based for-profit hospital chain Tenet Healthcare. John Muir, which operates hospitals in Walnut Creek and Concord, is a not-for-profit. Its assets are not included in the transaction.
John Muir and Tenet will select a new governing board for San Ramon. The joint venture will focus on expanding outpatient services.
“This is a partnership between two leading healthcare organizations that share a commitment to providing patients with expanded choices for high-quality, patient-centered care, close to home,” said Cal Knight, president and CEO of John Muir Health. “In the midst of healthcare reform and a very competitive local environment, we will offer better, more accessible and integrated care together than we can apart. Together, we will pursue new and innovative ways to improve patient care, access to services and affordability.”
The transaction is expected to close by March 31. Neither John Muir nor San Ramon officials said whether or not the deal would require any regulatory approvals.
