Could key staff be hired away?LH's and JSM's primary stakeholders consisted of academic physicians and private physicians, both of whom counted superstar surgeons among their ranks. The chiefs of service at LH also traditionally assumed department chair positions at the medical school. The severed affiliation between JSM and LH forced the academic physicians to choose sides. They had to assess their roles at each entity and weigh the future of their research programs, which were supported by LH's deep pockets and stellar facilities and equipment. The private physicians were incensed that JSM wanted to exclude them from negotiations, thereby severely limiting their influence on hospital decisions