U.S. News Sues San Francisco City Attorney Over Subpoenas Seeking Rankings Data

Los Angeles Times, U.S. News & World Report Sues S.F. City Attorney Over Hospital Ranking Subpoenas:

A dispute between U.S. News & World Report and the San Francisco city attorney’s office over the media company’s well-known but increasingly scrutinized system for ranking hospitals and other healthcare institutions has in recent weeks turned into an all-out legal battle.

San Francisco City Atty. David Chiu issued two subpoenas to the media company earlier this month. The first demanded answers about the company’s process for ranking hospitals. The outlet also makes money from the healthcare facilities, including through its sale of “badges” that high-scoring institutions can and often do place on their websites and other branding materials.

The second subpoena demanded internal business records that might reveal more about U.S. News’ rankings process, and whether the financial relationships with hospitals are a factor.

On Tuesday, U.S. News responded by filing a federal lawsuit against Chiu, denouncing his subpoenas as a violation of the 1st Amendment and an attack on the free press. It asked the court to issue an injunction blocking the subpoenas and to order the city to compensate the company for its legal fees and other undetermined costs associated with the dispute.

The company argued Chiu’s inquiries are based solely on the fact that he disagrees with their rankings of the nation’s “Best Hospitals,” which it says are based on public methodology.

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