Memorial loses bid to keep info under wraps

The Colorado Court of Appeals on Thursday upheld a ruling that city-owned Memorial Health System must release copies of contracts showing how much it pays two of its doctors and its lease with Pikes Peak Cardiology for space in the hospital.

The court unanimously rejected Memorial's appeal of Fourth Judicial District Judge David Prince's order that the contracts must be released as public documents; he also ordered Memorial to pay The Gazette's attorney fees in the case.

The Gazette sued Memorial in January 2008 after hospital officials refused to provide copies of the Pikes Peak Cardiology lease and employment contracts with Dr. Bryan Mahan and Dr. Burt Fowler.

"We are pleased that the Court of Appeals has decided that employment contracts of public employees are open to inspection as the General Assembly has commanded. The Gazette is eager to review the documents we requested more than a year ago," said Steve Zansberg, The Gazette's attorney.

Chris Valentine, a Memorial spokesman, said hospital officials received the ruling Thursday afternoon and "haven't had a chance to completely review it, so we don't have any further comment."

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