Gross Incompetence...

[BADM0]

I have a very sad story that has resulted in tragedy for our community.
This past thurs. 12/7 a family friend took her 12yr old daughter to the area hospital. The girl was doubled over in stomach pain. The doctors couldn't figure out was what wrong with the girl. The entire family continuously told the Dr., and nursing staff to check the girl for appendicitis.several members of the family have had emerg. appendect. . The staff ignored the families suggestions. They told the family that the pain is not condusive w/ append. They said the pain is not where the append. is located. The aunt of the 12yr old told the Dr. that when she had her emerg. surgery to remove the append. she did not feel pain where the append. was located.
The only response recieved was, "we will not rule that out".
In other words we have the degrees, you don't know what you're talking about. they ended up treating the girl as if she had stomach flu.
They gave the girl a chalky drink of somekind. Soon after the girl spiked a 107 degree fever. She lasped into a coma.
So these incompetent ppl. decided it was out of their leauge, and transfered the girl the regional trauma center.
Upon arrival to the RegTraumCenter 12/8
, the family pleaded with the staff to check the girl's appendix. It was an all too familiar scene to the family, having already been thru it many times before. The girl continued to deteriate. It was determined that the girl had a massive infection thruout her body.
They
stabilized the 12yrold enough to perform an emrgency exploratory. 12/8 8p.m.
When they got inside the abdomen, it was discovered that the appendix had ruptured and had ravaged her organs. They cleaned the girl out as much as they could. She was stabilized and kept unconsious so she could recover.
12/9 11am The 12yrold girl coded blue for the second time during this nightmare. This time she succumbed to her illness. So we are now trying to sort out how a 12 yr old girl can die from appendicitis, in this day and age. Even if the incompetent staff at the first hospital couldn't figure it out, the family told them more than 10 times to check the girl for appendx. If this isn't negligent medical malpractice, then i don't what is.
Please give me your opinion on this matter. I realize that this forum is only for advice, and not to be taken as a legal consult.
Very Sad in NJ
BADM0

 

[PamSJS]

Dear BadMo;

My heart goes out to you, your community, and the child's family. The death of a child is the most tragic experience a family, even a community can go through.

Appendicitis is usually simple to diagnose. There are well documented cases where the site of pain is not "where it should be". That being said, the hospital who treated the child has been negligent, and as a result the child has died.

Please advise your friends that once they have recovered from this terrible tragedy, to go to the hospital and get copies of the childs medical records, including copies of the emergency room records (sometimes these are seperate from other medical records). Consult a PI attorney with experience in medical malpractice, specifically emergency room treatment, and file a lawsuit.

Furthermore, inform you friends that they should contact the state medical licensing board and file a complaint against the ER doctor. An investigation will be done, and if the doctor has been negligent, he will be disciplined by the board.

My prayers are with you and the family of the child.

Pam

 

[BADM0]

Pam
Thanks for replying
I forgot to add..
When the mother called the first hospital to retrieve
the medical reports, they could not find them.
She was told that they might have been transfered when the girl was. When the trauma center was contacted, there were no records that were transfered from the comm. hosp.
Would this comm. hospital break the law the law this blatantly, and alter/misplace the reports?
I'm am just a friend of the family, so it is easier for me
to research legal avenues on this matter. The family is crushed. I'm guessing once a lawyer is selected, they will begin the necc. prcedures to prevent any medical coverups.
Thanks
BADM0

 

[PamSJS]

Dear Friend;

Have the family contact the State Department of Human Resources and ask for the hospital licensing authority or office of regulatory services. They are the ones who license hospitals to operate and also investigate complaints such as this. In this early stage, they are probably trying to divert your friends, and "losing the records" is very common. Once the hospital licensing authority gets involved, a thorough investigation into this matter will ensue, and everything will be on the up and up.

Please advise the mother to act quickly....some hospitals only keep emergency room records for 30 days, so time is of the essence in this case.

If I can be of help, please tell your friends to contact me personally by e-mail: PamSJS@aol.com

God bless you for your concern and coming to this families aide in this terrible crisis.

Pam

[Edited by PamSJS on 12-11-2000 at 12:46 PM]