Reno, Nevada – Prime Healthcare Services, the parent company of Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center, has initiated legal action against Renown Health, accusing the healthcare provider of creating a monopoly on cardiovascular care in Northern Nevada.

According to court documents filed on December 7th, Renown Health allegedly withdrew from a contractual agreement with Saint Mary’s, wherein Renown’s healthcare professionals were contracted to deliver cardiovascular care services to Saint Mary’s.

The filing from Saint Mary’s contends that the hospital had relied on the cardiovascular surgery services provided by doctors associated with Renown Medical Group for three years. These services were deemed critical to the effective operation of Saint Mary’s cardiovascular program, especially in catering to seriously ill patients in need of heart care.

The lawsuit alleges that Renown “terminated the relationship on short notice” without adhering to the terms of the written contract. The contract stipulated that Renown must provide ample advance notice to Saint Mary’s in the event of changes or the discontinuation of services, allowing the hospital to make suitable arrangements.

Saint Mary’s asserts that Renown’s abrupt decision has left a significant void in its cardiovascular program and has effectively eliminated competition in the Northern Nevada region.

The legal filing concludes by stating that Saint Mary’s is seeking a jury trial in this matter.

In response to the lawsuit, a spokesperson from Renown provided the following statement:

“Renown Health’s Cardiothoracic Surgery Program has decided not to renew an expiring contract with St. Mary’s/Prime Healthcare, aligning with our commitment to our clinicians and to enhance patient care. As the region’s sole not-for-profit healthcare system, this decision reflects our unwavering dedication to maintaining the highest standards in healthcare while fostering a supportive environment for our healthcare professionals. We remain steadfast in our mission to provide exceptional and compassionate care to our community. Experienced cardiothoracic surgeons (Athan Roumanas, MD; Kimball Knackstedt, DO; and Katherine Jones, MD) will continue to offer assessment, diagnosis, complex surgery, and post-surgical care exclusively to patients at Renown’s Institute for Heart & Vascular Health and at Renown Regional Medical Center.”

Credits: 2News