Hyhaw

BACKGROUND

Hyshaw is a licensed physician who completed his residency in neurosurgery in 1980. He was admitted to the staff of St. Francis Medical Center (the Hospital) in the 1980s. In 2009, the Hospital’s Medical Executive Committee (the Committee) identified certain concerns regarding Hyshaw’s professional performance. After an unfavorable initial evaluation by the Physician Assessment and Clinical Evaluation Program at the University of California, San Diego Medical Center, the Hospital’s chief of staff offered Hyshaw two options: take a temporary leave of absence or be summarily suspended. Hyshaw chose to take a temporary leave of absence. Hyshaw subsequently sought reinstatement, and the Committee denied his request on March 10, 2010. Hyshaw requested a hearing before a “judicial review committee,” and the hearing was conducted on September 19, November 15, and December 21, 2011. The judicial review committee issued its written decision on January 11, 2012. The decision stated that the judicial review committee unanimously concluded that the Committee’s denial of Hyshaw’s request for reinstatement was “reasonable and warranted.” The decision further stated that “[w]ithin 15…