Huang

Jong T. Huang, a licensed and practicing physician, appeals from a judgment denying his petition for writ of mandate (Code Civ. Proc., § 1094.5) to compel St. Francis Medical Center (hospital) to set aside its order suspending his medical staff privileges for six months and imposing conditions upon his resumption of staff privileges at the conclusion of the suspension.

Factual and Procedural Background

Hospital Proceedings

On February 23, 1987, Sandra Taylor, a registered nurse employed by the hospital, wrote a memorandum to Dr. Celso Chavez, chief of staff, stating that on February 23 she saw Dr. Huang examine a patient in the hospital lobby and that such conduct was “totally unacceptable medical practice.” Nurse Taylor subsequently wrote another memorandum (to Dr. Chavez and Sister Elizabeth Keaveney, president of the hospital) complaining that Dr. Huang had threatened her, telling her that “something [was] going to happen to” her if she refused to retract the charge made in her first memorandum. On March 18, 1987, Nurse Taylor was served with process in a small claims court action brought against her by Dr. Huang to secure a judicial determination that he did not…