Wilmington Star-News, Inc. v. New Hanover Regional Medical Center, Inc.

EAGLES, Judge.

PHP’s Appeal

This case of first impression presents the issue of whether price lists in a contract between a public hospital and a private HMO are trade secrets as defined by G.S. 66-152 and not subject to disclosure imder the North Carolina Public Records Act pursuant to G.S. 132-1 et seq. (1995). Medical Center and PHP do not dispute that Medical Center is subject to the provisions of the Public Records Act; however, they argue, inter alia, that the information in dispute is excepted from the Act on the grounds that it concerns “competitive health care activities” pursuant to…