Privileges revocation results in $366 million jury award

A district court jury recently ordered Dallas-based Presbyterian Hospital to pay $161 million in damages to a member of its medical staff whose privileges were temporarily restricted. The jury also ordered three members of the hospital's medical staff, who participated in the peer review process that resulted in the revocation of privileges, to pay a total of $205 million. The decision was issued on August 28, 2004.

Presbyterian Hospital contends that the verdict "is not supported by the evidence presented at trial." The hospital plans to appeal the decision and expects the court to reject "the jury's verdict and uphold the hospital's patient safety protections put in place through physician peer review," according to a statement released by the hospital.