A longtime anesthesiologist banned from practicing at Muskogee Regional Medical Center filed suit alleging breach of contract costing him lost patients.

Dr. Ronald Stevens’ suit states he held privileges as a member of the MRMC medical staff since January 1993. In late 2005, he was notified that if he didn’t agree to work exclusively for a new group of anesthesiologists formed to provide services only to MRMC patients, he could no longer be on the medical staff.

Stevens is seeking more than $10,000 in damages, treble monetary damages, attorney fees and other relief.

“Dr. Stevens did everything he could reasonably do to resolve these issues with the hospital,” said his attorney, Mike King of Tulsa.

“When the hospital was not interested in doing that, it left him no choice but to assert his right to the courthouse.”

Steve Mahan, chief executive officer of MRMC, said Tuesday he needed to review the details to better understand what Stevens is alleging.

“The majority of this suit involves events prior to Capella affiliation with MRMC,” Mahan said.

The suit states:

• Stevens requested a Medical Staff Fair Hearing as allowed in the bylaws. Later, both sides agreed to hold a hearing before an ad hoc committee of five physicians on March 21, 2006.

• On April 3, 2006, Stevens was “temporarily, fully” suspended for 14 days for allegedly releasing the transcript of the hearing to the Phoenix.

MRMC’s suspension letter to Stevens said his release of the March hearing transcript was a breach of confidentiality and made confidential peer review difficult. It then appointed an ad hoc investigation committee to investigate whether Stevens did release the transcript.

• Before the investigation committee questioned Stevens, Stevens was informed one of the committee members had predetermined he was guilty. The committee recommended Stevens’ medical staff privileges be terminated.

• From June 2006 to January 2008, Stevens sought a Medical Staff Fair Hearing. After 20 months of such requests, he was given the hearing on Jan. 30, 2008.

• It was suspended after the testimony of one witness because the doctors impaneled to hear the evidence were unwilling to allow Stevens to continue to present his evidence.

• On Aug. 6, 2008, Stevens was summarily advised by MRMC his medical staff privileges were not renewed and had “expired” and that “the peer review process is moot, and the medical staff hearing committee no longer has jurisdiction to make any decision ....”