Trama

A day in the life of Lisa Cuddy, Princeton-Plainsborough Hospital Administrator. From a sick child to contract negotiations with insurance companies, from dealing with House's shenanigans to employee theft and patient complaints.

During a day in the life of Princeton Plainsboro's Dean of Medicine, Dr. Lisa Cuddy, the inner workings of the hospital are seen through her eyes. This day proves to be especially trying as Cuddy wrestles with myriad hospital issues and staff disputes that test her perseverance and skills as an administrator, all while juggling issues in her personal life.—FOX Publicity

Open with Cuddy beginning her day at 5:00 am: full exercise regimen, being Mommy to her daughter who seems to be sick, morning toilette including shower, make-up and wardrobe, then when she's about to leave at 7:30am, Lucas returns from an all-night stakeout and coaxes her into a morning "quickie." His performance leaves something to be desired even though she ignores a 911 page from House while they are fooling around.

Cuddy arrives at work and is immediately confronted by House for not answering his page. He wanted to talk to her about a patient he had wanted to give malaria to as part of treatment. He then tells her he had bet Lucas he could stop them having sex with a page.

Cuddy learns that double the amount of ephedrine was ordered by a pharmacy employee named Gail.

In the middle of a procedure Dr. Hourani tells Cuddy that House had the temperature turned down so he would hurry up. The babysitter tells Cuddy her daughter has a fever.

Cuddy meets with Eli, a rep from AtlanticNet insurance company. She tells him the hospital's final proposal is a 12 percent increase in reinburcement. He gets up to leave and she tells him if they don't accept the offer they will terminate the contract. Elis says Princeton-Plainsboro has no leverage and implies that if she lets the contract go she will get fired.

House hears what has happened with AtlanticNet. Chief of Surgery Dr. Thomas confronts Cuddy about Hourani and House. He is upset that she caters to House but has yet to approve funding for a replacement for Chase.

Cuddy meets with the board and updates them about the negotiations with AtlanticNet. They tell her the hospital would only survive three months without a new contact and if she is unable to get a new deal she'll be fired.

Cuddy meets with a cancer patient in the clinic who wants a prescription for breast milk, which studies have shown can help adults with the disease. He needs the prescription or his insurance won't help him pay. She won't do it and he's pissed.

Cuddy speaks with a lawyer representing former patient Martin Acevedo, Martin is suing the hospital because Chase re-attached his thumb without permission. Martin's insurance only covered 60 percent of hospital procedures and he only signed the consent form when promised a few sutures. When the man was under, Chase put the thumb back on anyway. The surgery cost $80,000.

A tearful Gail tells Cuddy she was using the ephedrine to lose weight. She begs for her job based on seven years of good service, but Cuddy fires her anyway, promising she won't report her to the DEA.

Cuddy is having trouble tracking down her babysitter and Lucas. Wilson suggests Cuddy ask House about the insurance companies.

Lucas brings Cuddy lunch and she yells at him for talking to House about their sex life. He offers to dig up dirt on the insurance company's CEO, which gives her the idea to track the man down at lunch. She makes points about his hospital spending money on golf sponsorships, private jets, etc, but being cheap with her hospital. She threatens to make a public statement about their skewed financial priorities, but he doesn't flinch.

The head of the pharmacy tells Cuddy that Gail has been stealing ephedrine for the past three years, to the tune of $50,000 worth of the drug. This means Gail was supplying a meth lab and calls for Gail to come back in.

Eli shows up to say her meeting with the CEO earned her a new offer: eight percent. She turns it down.

Cuddy asks House for his opinion on the insurance negotiations. He hints that a large company like AtlanticNet might not care about the negative press. "Sometimes the bigger they are, the harder they kick your ass."

When the 3:00 pm deadline passes, Cuddy tells senior staff that as of 5:00 pm the contract will be terminated. Starting the following day they will no longer be able to accept patients with AtlanticNet insurance, the largest provider in the state.

Cuddy has to intervene in an OR dispute between Thomas and House.

Martin comes to Cuddy's office. Despite having a thumb, the cost of the surgery will bankrupt him. Even if the hospital pays half the deductable, he will owe $16,000. His lawyer threatens to sue and she welcomes the challenge.

Cuddy has to interrupt a fist fight between Chase and Thomas. Gail is back in Cuddy's office and threatens to accuse House of forcing her to steal the meds and reveal that Cuddy is sleeping with House. When an assistant tells Cuddy the board wants to speak with her, she yells over her shoulder "Tell them I quit."

House finds Cuddy sitting alone in her car. He tells her she's not going get fired or leave the hospital: "This place needs you, and that matters to you." House says he thinks Gail is a sociopath based on the way she opens her mail. This gives Cuddy an idea.

Cuddy brings Gail into her office again and plays Good Cop. She asks Gail to come clean. Gail responds by boldly claiming that she has been stealing the entire time she was there and Cuddy will never find out the true story. She exits.

Cuddy hands her assistant one of Lucas' listening devices she hid in the office. Everything Gail said is on tape and it is going to the DEA.

Cuddy finally hears that her daughter is feeling better. Eli shows up to tell Cuddy that the company buckled and has agreed to the 12 percent. Cuddy screams "Yes" in the middle of the hospital.

Back in her office there is a $850 check from Martin. Cuddy smiles and rips it up. She returns home and lies in bed with Lucas and her daughter.