California: licensing surgical clinics

The Department of Health Services decided that a doctor-owned surgical clinic in which non-owner doctors operate needed a license from the department. Citing statutory ambiguity, the owner sued for relief from the department's demand. An interpretation by the California 3rd appellate district court is that physician-owned surgical clinics employing general anesthesia are exempt from licensure by the department and are subject to oversight by the medical board. Capen v. Shewry, case number C047172.