Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has filed suit against Houston's Memorial Hermann Healthcare System, charging that the hospital has violated state antitrust laws

by conspiring to restrain competition from a competing hospital. Attorneys Rusty Hardin of Houston's Rusty Hardin & Associates and Richard Zook of Houston's Thompson & Knight are representing  representing the doctors and physician partnership that started Houston Town & Country Hospital. The litigation contends that Memorial Hermann engaged in improper acts against the doctors and the hospital by coercing insurance companies to boycott the smaller, start-up hospital and, as a result, depriving many patients and their doctors from using the hospital.

The two attorney's praised the AG's action. "This is a huge victory for the doctors who built Town & Country Hospital, and for the general public seeking quality health care at competitive prices. The AG's office should be congratulated for taking such a bold, non-political action on behalf of consumers," says Hardin. 

Mr. Zook agrees, "Although the AG's findings validate our claims of unlawful conduct by Memorial Hermann, the doctors' civil case against Memorial Hermann is set for a jury trial in late March 2009," says Zook. "We look forward to showing the jury the entire story of Memorial Hermann's improper actions that damaged these doctors, their patients and the public at large." 

A copy of the final judgment and news release from the Attorney General's Office can be found at http://www.oag.state.tx.us/oagNews/release.php?print=1&id=2812. For more information, contact Barry Pound 800-559-4534 at barry@androvett.com.