Hospital Contract Not Proprietary, NC Appeals Court Rules

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The North Carolina Court of Appeals said the Wilkes County public hospital’s contract to buy the practice of the area’s only gastroenterologist was a public record and must be released to with Wilkes Journal Patriot. The hospital contended the contract contained “competitive health care information.” The court, however, said, “We do not think the Legislature intended such business dealings – which do not involve trade-secret information nor competitive price lists – to be kept confidential. (8/4/06)