For the past 15 years, since it closed its own Capital Hill hospital, Group Health has had its Seattle surgeries and other hospital services done at Virginia Mason. Under that arrangement, Group Health physicians would perform surgical procedures and provide other hospital services to its patients, but other services, including nursing and laboratory services, would be done by V.M. personnel.

It was a sometimes complicated arrangement, and attorneys representing Group Health patients had to determine the employer of those who may have been negligent during a hospital admission. For example, a V.M. hospitalist may treat a Group Health patient in an emergency or when a Group Health physician was not available.

Group Health has now announced that it is ending its relationship with V.M. and will now partner with Swedish Medical Center to provide Seattle-based hospital services. It considered proposals from V.M., Swedish, and the U.W. Medical Center but chose Swedish in part because the latter’s obstetrical and maternity services would be a better fit.

Even under the arrangement with V.M., Group Health handled its own maternity services at its Capitol Hill clinic. Now, all birth-related services will be moved to Swedish in the spring of 2016. Given the complexity of birth trauma medical malpractice claims, plaintiff attorneys will now have to scour the medical records and do research to be sure who were the employers of those who may have negligently contributed to bad birthing outcomes, such as birth-related asphyxia, brachial plexus injuries, or newborn cerebral palsy.