Dr. Ryan Kime has filed a lawsuit against Dignity Health, Inc., in the Court of Appeal of the State of California, First Appellate District, Division Two. The case, identified as A166748 and filed on March 29, 2024, alleges that Dignity Health violated Kime's common law and statutory rights by denying his application for privileges at two of its hospitals without offering him a hearing.
Dr. Kime was reprimanded by the Medical Board of California during a disciplinary proceeding. During this time, he applied for privileges in the emergency departments of two Dignity Health-owned hospitals. His application was halted shortly after his reprimand took effect. Dignity Health moved for summary judgment or summary adjudication based on their policy not to consider applicants with disciplinary histories for emergency department privileges.
The trial court granted Dignity Health's motion for summary judgment and denied Kime's motion for summary adjudication. Kime is now appealing this decision. Prior to this case, Kime had his medical staff membership and privileges at St. Helena Clearlake Hospital suspended in August 2015 due to alleged misconduct during a power failure incident.
Kime is seeking injunctive relief and damages from Dignity Health, asserting that they violated his rights by denying his application without providing him with a hearing opportunity.