A judge refused to dismiss four counts in a lawsuit alleging that Phoebe Putney Health Systems, Albany, Ga., attempted to intimidate a critic, according to an attorney for the plaintiff, Charles Rehberg, who accused Phoebe Putney of wasteful executive spending. The hospital system sued Rehberg, who published a faxed newsletter called “Phoebe Factoids,” but later dropped its complaint. Rehberg’s counterclaim in Dougherty County (Ga.) Superior Court will continue on counts related to defamation, denial of free speech, false imprisonment and infliction of mental distress, said Rehberg’s attorney, Ralph Scoccimaro of Brown and Scoccimaro. The judge dismissed an allegation of abusive litigation without prejudice and allowed an invasion of privacy count to be amended for more specificity, Scoccimaro said. The fight drew the interest of Oxford, Miss., attorney Richard Scruggs and helped launch nationwide litigation led by Scruggs over hospitals’ billing of uninsured patients.
Source: https://www.modernhealthcare.com/?adobe_mc=MCMID%3D55332879692319606533239879294551678407%7CMCORGID%3D138FFF2554E6E7220A4C98C6%2540AdobeOrg%7CTS%3D1672865320&CSAuthResp=1672865353290%3A0%3A1095553%3A6144%3A24%3Asuccess%3A66D87F42C9A77F44AC7B062AC56CAF75