ÿWPCˆ …# VU:a %› 0(¡b Én­Õw@‚ 4 Ö Ö 0Jå 0T/ 0^ƒ 0há 0rI 0|» 0†7 0½ 1uM 0d U*&B)PDCy AM¼ù v~vÓ€ BS D3p 0@£ AOãÆ2 0Dø D/< Bk˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÀÌÀääÀÀÌ0 ,†r‰AZ‹"Arial RegularX($¡¡- ù -«<þ6X9`("Courier NewTTXXxþ6X@ÉDQX@ âãäåæDçèDéêÓ€ôDÒ 3|xô2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Arial% Line 7 d7Border 1dd€- Cþÿ << Gÿÿ ïÝ ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÔ€ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€XÔÌÌMarch€12,€1997ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'hStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÒ  h HD: Geneva Ò d%%%%'ÿÿdxd("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÑ  ÑÒ € ÒÒ ° ÒÒ € ÒÒ „ ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ€ÑÑ7€7óXXdædÈ7ÑÑ  ÑÑ  ÑÞ ÞÌBIENVENIDO€T.€SAMSON,€M.D.,à à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àPlaintiff/Appellee,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àAppeal€No.Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à à01„A„01„9609„CH„00430ÌVS.à àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àTrousdale€ChanceryÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNo.€6243ÌÙ€€ÙßR€!" A1-j|Ne` ç `€€@ÿRßHARTSVILLE€HOSPITAL,€INC.,à àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendant/Appellant.à àà à)ÌÌÌà@ àCOURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àMIDDLE€SECTION€AT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌAPPEALED€FROM€THE€CHANCERY€COURT€OF€TROUSDALE€COUNTYÌAT€HARTSVILLE,€TENNESSEEÌÌTHE€HONORABLE€C.€K.€SMITH,€CHANCELLORÌÌÌÌÌEDDIE€TAYLORÌDONOHO,€TAYLOR€&€TAYLORÌ204€Court€StreetÌP.€O.€Box€179ÌHartsville,€Tennessee€37074Ìà àAttorney€for€Plaintiff/AppelleeÌÌLUIS€C.€BUSTAMANTEÌJ.€FORD€LITTLEÌWOOLF,€MCCLANE€BRIGHT,€ALLEN€&€CARPENTERÌ900€S.€Gay€Street,€Suite€900ÌP.€O.€Box€900ÌKnoxville,€Tennessee€37901„0900Ìà àAttorneys€for€Defendant/AppellantÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àREVERSED€AND€REMANDEDÌÌÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àBEN€H.€CANTRELL,€JUDGEÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌTODD,€P.J.,€M.S.ÌKOCH,€J.ÌÌÌÌÓÓÓ  Óà@ àò òòòÔ€„ÔO€P€I€N€I€O€Nó óóóÔ€XÔÌÌà àà àThe€appellant€hospital€has€asked€this€court€to€review€the€question€ofÏwhether€Dr.€Samson€should€be€required€to€submit€his€dispute€with€the€hospital€toÏbinding€arbitration€after€the€termination€of€a€contract€between€them.€€The€hospitalÏinsisted€on€arbitration,€and€the€doctor€chose€to€pursue€his€rights€through€theÏcourts.€The€Chancery€Court€of€Trousdale€County€found€that€the€arbitration€clauseÏin€the€contract€was€no€longer€binding€on€the€doctor,€and€it€enjoined€the€hospitalÏfrom€pursuing€arbitration.€€We€reverse.ÌÌà@ àò òI.ó óÌÌà àà àOn€October€8,€1993,€Hartsville€Hospital€and€Dr.€Bienvenido€SamsonÏentered€into€a€one€year€Physician€Agreement,€whereby€the€doctor€wouldÏestablish€a€practice€in€Hartsville,€and€the€hospital€would€provide€assistance€to€himÏin€the€form€of€advancements€of€up€to€$15,000€per€month.€€The€purpose€of€theÏadvancements€was€to€enable€the€doctor€to€meet€his€operating€expenses,€and€toÏguarantee€a€floor€under€his€income.€The€agreement€also€required€the€doctor€toÏprovide€the€hospital€with€60€hours€per€month€of€emergency€room€coverage€at€noÏcharge.ÌÌà àà àThe€agreement€contained€a€provision€for€repayment€of€theÏadvancements€after€the€contract€came€to€an€end,€and€also€for€forgiveness€of€thatÏobligation€on€a€prorated€basis€if€the€doctor€continued€to€maintain€a€practice€inÏHartsville.€€The€contract€was€renewable€for€one€additional€year€upon€the€writtenÏapproval€of€both€parties.ÌÌà àà àThe€termination€section€gave€the€parties€the€right€to€terminate€theÏcontract€without€cause€upon€60€days€written€notice,€or€to€terminate€it€for€causeÏwithout€notice,€upon€certain€specified€happenings,€or€upon€the€ð ðfailure€of€eitherÏparty€to€faithfully€and€diligently€carry€out€the€provisions€of€this€agreement.ðð€ÏTermination€of€the€agreement€by€the€doctor€without€cause,€or€termination€by€theÏhospital€with€cause€would€result€in€all€the€money€that€had€been€advanced€to€theÏdoctor€becoming€due€and€payable€within€30€days.ÌÌà àà àAnother€clause€involving€termination€provided€as€follows:€ÌÒ € ÒÒ  ÒÓÓÒ 0 ÒÒ  ÒIn€the€event€that€either€party€notifies€the€other€of€intent€toÏterminate€the€agreement,€either€party€to€this€agreementÏmay€request€binding€arbitration€to€resolve€anyÏdisagreements,€with€the€cost€of€such€arbitration€beingÏequally€shared.€€€ÌÌÒ € ÒÒ  ÒÒ € ÒÒ „ ÒÌÓÓÌà àà àThe€parties€performed€in€accordance€with€the€terms€of€the€contract,Ïand€continued€to€perform€after€October€8,€1994,€but€neither€of€them€furnished€theÏother€with€a€written€notice€of€intent€to€renew.€ÌÌà àà àOn€August€14,€1995€the€hospital€was€sold.€€On€October€2,€1995€theÏnew€owners€of€the€hospital€sent€Dr.€Samson€a€notice€of€their€intent€to€terminateÏthe€agreement€with€him,€and€requested€reimbursement€of€the€advancements,Ïamounting€to€$154,614.€€The€doctor€rejected€the€request€on€the€basis€that€theÏtermination€was€without€cause,€and€that€it€thus€extinguished€his€obligation€toÏrepay€the€advancements.€Since€the€parties€were€unable€to€resolve€theirÏdifferences,€the€hospital€invoked€the€arbitration€provisions€of€the€contract.€ÌÌà àà àThe€doctor€then€filed€a€complaint€in€chancery€court€for€a€declaratoryÏjudgment€that€he€was€not€obligated€to€repay€the€advancements€and€that€he€wasÏunder€no€legal€obligation€to€arbitrate€the€dispute.€€He€also€asked€the€court€toÍenjoin€the€hospital€from€proceeding€under€the€arbitration€clause,€and€heÏdemanded€to€be€paid€$4,350€for€emergency€room€services€rendered€under€theÏcontract.€€The€hospital€responded€by€filing€a€motion€to€stay€further€courtÏproceedings€pending€the€outcome€of€arbitration.€€After€a€hearing€on€the€hospitalððsÏmotion,€the€trial€court€dismissed€it,€and€enjoined€the€hospital€from€pursuingÏarbitration.€€This€appeal€followed.ÌÌà@ àò òII.ó óÌÌà àà àThis€case€is€before€this€court€by€virtue€of€Tennesseeððs€UniformÏArbitration€Act,€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€29„5„301€et€seq.€€The€provisions€of€the€ActÏencourage€the€use€of€agreements€to€arbitrate€by€making€it€easier€to€enforce€suchÏagreements€through€the€courts.€€ÌÌà àà àTenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€29„5„302€reads€in€pertinent€part:à àÌÒ 0 ÒÒ „ ÒÒ 0 ÒÒ  ÒÓÓò òAgreements€to€submit€to€arbitration€„„ÏJurisdiction.€„„€ó ó(a)€A€written€agreement€to€submit€anyÏexisting€controversy€to€arbitration€or€a€provision€in€aÏwritten€contract€to€submit€to€arbitration€any€controversyÏthereafter€arising€between€the€parties€is€valid,€enforceableÏand€irrevocable€save€upon€such€grounds€as€exist€as€lawÏor€in€equity€for€the€revocation€of€any€contract€.€.€.€.ÌÌ(b)€The€making€of€an€agreement€described€in€this€sectionÏproviding€for€arbitration€in€this€state€confers€jurisdiction€onÏthe€court€to€enforce€the€agreement€under€this€part€and€toÍenter€judgment€on€an€award€thereunder€[Acts€1983,€ch.Ï462,€ðððð€1,17.]ÌÌÌÌÒ € ÒÒ  ÒÒ € ÒÒ „ ÒÓÓà àà àTenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€29„5„303€enables€courts€to€make€a€summaryÏdetermination€as€to€whether€a€party€is€entitled€to€arbitration,€upon€the€applicationÏof€a€party€who€can€show€the€kind€of€agreement€described€in€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ððÏ29„5„302€and€€an€opposing€partyððs€refusal€to€arbitrate.€€The€case€before€us€wasÏinitially€filed€by€the€party€who€refused€to€arbitrate,€rather€than€by€the€one€whoÏsought€arbitration,€but€we€do€not€believe€that€this€minor€deviation€from€theÏprocedure€described€in€the€statute€impairs€the€hospitalððs€rights€under€the€UniformÏArbitration€Act.€€€ÌÌà àà àThe€right€to€appeal€an€adverse€ruling€on€the€question€of€arbitration€isÏfound€in€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€29„5„319:ÌÒ 0 ÒÒ „ ÒÒ 0 ÒÒ  Òò òÓÓAppeal.€„„ó ó€(a)€An€appeal€may€be€taken€from:ÌÌà à(1)à àAn€order€denying€an€application€to€compelÏarbitration€made€under€ðð€29„5„303;Ìà à(2)à àAn€order€granting€an€application€to€stayÏarbitration€made€under€29„5„303(b);Ìà à.€.€.Ìà à(b)à àAn€appeal€shall€be€taken€in€the€manner€andÏto€the€same€extent€as€from€orders€or€judgments€in€a€civilÏaction.€[Acts€1983,€ch.€462,€ðð19.]€ÌÌÌÌÒ € ÒÒ  ÒÒ € ÒÒ „ ÒÓÓà àà àThe€statute€creates€a€rare€exception€to€the€general€rule€that€a€partyÏis€not€entitled€to€appeal€a€judgment€or€order€to€the€Court€of€Appeals€unless€thatÏorder€or€judgment€is€a€final€one.€€See€Tenn.€R.€App.€P.€Rule€3(b).ÌÌà@ àò òIII.ó óÌÌà àà àThere€is€little€doubt€that€had€Hartsville€Hospital€terminated€theÏcontract€with€Dr.€Samson€prior€to€October€8,€1994,€then€the€hospital€would€haveÏbeen€entitled€to€arbitration,€despite€any€objection€by€Dr.€Samson.€€However,€theÏdoctor€argued€at€trial,€as€he€argues€here,€that€the€partiesðð€failure€to€execute€aÏwritten€renewal€of€the€contract€eliminated€all€his€obligations€under€that€contract,Ïincluding€the€obligation€to€submit€disputes€to€arbitration.€€In€the€alternative,€heÏargues€that€his€€obligations€under€the€contract€were€terminated€on€the€date€thatÏthe€hospital€was€sold,€because€the€sale€rendered€the€signatories€unable€toÏperform€in€accordance€with€its€provisions.€€ÌÌà àà àThe€appellant€argues€to€the€contrary€that€the€contract€was€still€inÏeffect€after€October€8,€1994,€because€both€parties€continued€to€perform€under€it.€ÏTo€uphold€this€argument,€we€would€perhaps€have€to€find€that€the€situation€is€akinÏto€that€of€a€holdover€tenant€at€the€conclusion€of€a€one„year€lease.€€The€agreementÏin€such€a€case€continues€on€the€same€terms€as€before,€except€that€it€is€convertedÍto€a€periodic€tenancy€or€a€tenancy€at€will,€which€can€be€terminated€by€either€partyÏupon€proper€notice.€ÌÌà àà àAppellant€also€argues€that€Dr.€Samsonððs€complaint€contained€aÏbinding€judicial€admission€that€the€contract€remained€in€effect€after€the€first€year.€ÏThe€relevant€portion€of€the€complaint€reads€as€follows:€ÌÒ 0 ÒÒ „ ÒÒ 0 ÒÒ  ÒÓÓ11.€€In€addition,€Dr.€Samson€performed€certain€servicesÏpursuant€to€his€agreement€with€the€Defendant€for€which€heÏwas€entitled€to€compensation€which€has€never€been€paid.ÏSpecifically,€Dr.€Samson€performed€Emergency€RoomÏservices€at€Hartsville€Hospital€in€June,€July€and€August,Ï1995,€for€which€he€is€entitled€to€agreed€and€reasonableÏcompensation€in€the€amount€of€Four€Thousand€ThreeÏHundred€Fifty€and€00.100€Dollars€($4,350.00).ÌÌÌÌÒ € ÒÒ  ÒÒ € ÒÒ „ ÒÓÓà àà àAppellant€further€contends€that€arbitration€is€appropriate€in€this€caseÏbecause€of€clear€legislative€and€public€policy€favoring€that€mode€of€disputeÏresolution.€See€òòBuraczynski€v.€Eyring,óó€919€S.W.2d€314€(Tenn.€1996).€€AppellantÏpoints€out€that€at€least€one€previous€decision€of€this€court€has€called€for€a€liberalÏconstruction€of€arbitration€clauses,€with€all€doubts€to€be€resolved€in€favor€ofÏarbitration.€€See€òòDewitt€v.€Al„Haddadóó,€Appeal€No.€89„394„II€(Filed€April€€25,€1990).ÌÌà@ àò òIV.ó óÌÌà àà àThe€cardinal€rule€in€interpreting€any€contract€is€to€determine€theÏintention€of€the€parties,€and€to€give€effect€to€that€intention,€consistent€with€legalÏprinciples.€òò€Bob€Pearsall€Motors€v.€Regal€Chrysler„Plymouth,€Inc.óó,€521€S.W.2d€578Ï(Tenn.€1975);€€òòPetty€v.€Sloanóó,€277€S.W.2d€355,€197€Tenn.€630€(1955).€€InÏdetermining€the€intent€of€the€parties,€we€must€look€to€the€contract€as€a€whole,€evenÏthough€we€are€here€called€upon€to€interpret€only€one€of€its€clauses.€€See€òòCockeÏCounty€Board€of€Highway€Commissioners€v.€Newport€Utilities€Boardóó,€690€S.W.2dÏ231€(Tenn.€1985);òò€Aetna€Casualty€and€Surety€Co.€v.€Woods,óó€565€S.W.2d€861Ï(Tenn.€1978).€€€€ÌÌà àà àWe€hesitate€to€pretermit€any€argument€that€either€of€the€parties€mayÏadvance€on€remand,€by€ruling€that€the€contract€ended€on€any€particular€date.€€ItÏappears€to€us€that€the€notice€of€termination€is€not€only€the€triggering€event€thatÏentitles€either€party€to€request€arbitration,€but€it€also€may€affect€the€outcome€ofÏfurther€proceedings,€as€the€obligations€of€the€parties€may€depend€on€the€reasonsÏadvanced€for€termination.€€€ÌÌà àà àWe€must€note,€however,€that€the€refund€the€hospital€demands€isÏbased€upon€advancements€that€arose€under€the€contract,€and€that€the€clauseÏwhich€provides€for€binding€arbitration€to€resolve€ð ðany€disagreementðð€between€theÏparties€must€of€necessity€include€disagreements€about€those€advancements.€€InÏfact,€it€appears€to€us€that€the€parties€contemplated€that€their€respective€obligationsÍrelative€to€the€advancements€would€be€the€most€likely€area€for€disagreements€toÏarise.ÌÌà àà àWe€note€also€that€the€contract€apparently€anticipates€that€suchÏarbitration€may€occur€after€its€one€year€term,€and€perhaps€even€several€yearsÏafterward,€in€view€of€the€clause€that€compels€the€hospital€to€reduce€the€doctorððsÏobligation€of€repayment€by€$30,000€ð ðfor€every€year€that€the€physician€remains€inÏactive€practice€in€the€service€area€following€the€expiration€of€the€term€of€thisÏagreement.ðð€ÌÌà àà àIn€view€of€the€clear€evidence€that€the€parties€intended€thatÏdisagreements€about€the€repayment€of€advances€be€decided€by€arbitration,€andÏthe€uncertainties€surrounding€the€legal€effects€of€the€hospitalððs€purportedÏtermination€of€the€contract€on€the€rights€of€the€parties,€we€are€inclined€to€reverseÏthe€chancellor.€€Our€decision€is€reinforced€by€the€public€policy€argument€which€weÏdiscussed€in€òòDeWitt€v.€Al„Haddad,€supraóó,€as€follows:ÌÌÒ 0 ÒÒ „ ÒÒ 0 ÒÒ  ÒÓÓð ð.€.€.€case€law€across€the€country€indicates€that€it€is€a€wellÏestablished€principle€that€arbitration€is€favored€by€theÏstate,€Federal€and€common€law.€€This€strong€public€policyÏfavoring€the€arbitration€of€disputes€is€reflected€in€theÏUniform€Arbitration€Act,€which€is€designed€to€discourageÏlitigation,€permit€a€resolution€of€disputes€in€a€specializedÏforum€conversant€with€the€issues€involved€and€provide€aÏspeedy€resolution€of€the€disputes.€Therefore,€courtsÍgenerally€construe€arbitration€clauses€liberally€andÏresolve€any€doubts€in€favor€of€arbitration.€.€.€€[C]ourtsÏusually€give€as€broad€an€interpretation€to€an€arbitrationÏprovision€as€the€words€and€intentions€of€the€parties,€drawnÏfrom€their€expressions,€will€warrant.ðð€€(òòcitations€omittedóó).ÌÌÒ € ÒÒ  ÒÒ € ÒÒ „ ÒÓÓÌà@ àò òV.ó óÌÌà àà àThe€decision€of€the€trial€court€is€reversed.€€Remand€this€cause€to€theÏChancery€Court€of€Trousdale€County€for€further€proceedings€consistent€with€thisÏopinion.€€Tax€the€costs€on€appeal€to€the€appellee.ÌÌÌÓÓÌà àà àà àà àà àà à________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àBEN€H.€CANTRELL,€JUDGEÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌÌ_______________________________ÌHENRY€F.€TODD,€PRESIDING€JUDGEÌMIDDLE€SECTIONÌÌÌÌÌ_______________________________ÌWILLIAM€C.€KOCH,€JR.,€JUDGEÌÌÇÑ Ü ÑÑ „ ÑÑ  Ñà@ àà àà àà àà àà àà à