Tenet Doctor Probe Widens

When Tenet last month announced another federal investigation of its business practices, it hardly seemed like news.

After all, the latest probe centers on the hospital operator's financial arrangements with physicians at a single, relatively small facility in Northern California. And Tenet had long warned that investigators seemed interested in its relationships with physicians companywide.

But the stakes could prove higher this time around. Until now, federal authorities have primarily focused on Tenet's "relocation agreements" with newly recruited physicians. Now, however, they are starting to question medical directorships -- often filled by powerful, established doctors -- at the company's San Ramon Regional Medical Center as well. ...