Compass Medical’s determination to shutter all of its amenities in Massachusetts got here as a shock to the lawyer who helped safe a $16 million-plus cost from the Quincy-based firm, which was convicted on 10 counts of fraud final 12 months.
A Boston jury ordered Compass Medical to pay thousands and thousands to Steward Medical Group following a 15-day trial inside Suffolk County Superior Court. Compass had initially sued Steward in 2017 over failure to pay bonuses to docs and make rental funds, however jurors sided with Steward, as a substitute discovering Compass chargeable for fraud.
Attorney Howard Cooper, a associate at Todd & Weld who was the lead lawyer for Steward throughout the fall 2022 trial, stated attorneys on each side have been within the course of of getting settlement discussions to keep away from a Compass Medical chapter.
“What had been happening over the last few months since the jury came back is the parties, I should say at least Steward, was attempting to engage in settlement discussion,” Cooper instructed the Herald. “And we were as surprised as everybody else [on Wednesday] to hear that Compass was shutting its doors.”
Cooper stated it’s unclear who pays the $16.4 million owed to Steward Medical Group, although there shall be future arguments about who’s accountable.
If Compass recordsdata for chapter, cost obligations should play out in chapter courtroom. If they don’t file for chapter, these questions might be answered in post-trial hearings for the Suffolk County Superior Court lawsuit.
A spokesperson for Compass Medical declined to touch upon the lawsuit and settlement.
Compass Medical introduced its “imminent plan” to shut all of its amenities Wednesday, a choice that has prompted high state leaders to precise concern and a willingness to look into the state of affairs.
In a press release Thursday, Compass Board President Bruce Weinstein stated officers “deeply regret the impact that Compass Medical P.C.’s closure will have on our patients and would like them to know that we are implementing a plan to ensure the continuity of their care.”
“Most Compass physicians will continue to provide medical care in their local communities as part of other practices,” the assertion stated. “Compass shall be updating the web site frequently with data on how sufferers can contact their doctor of their new observe setting and the way they’ll get hold of entry to their medical data.
The Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association stated Compass Medical’s closure is of “significant concern” to its members, particularly as hospitals proceed to expertise capability constraints and as amenities within the southeast assist further sufferers throughout the Brockton Hospital restoration.
“In these early stages, we hope that Compass staff can be quickly re-deployed to other local facilities and that health plans will consider easing burdensome authorization requirements for patients in need of timely care,” stated Patricia Noga, vp of medical affairs for the affiliation.
Katie Murphy, president of the Massachusetts Nurses Association, stated she is anxious about sufferers now “scrambling” for a major care supplier.
“I feel a lot of concern about this, we really do,” Murphy stated.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”