Daniel E. Holloway
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Hughes Spalding Hospital amended complaint alleges a missed urinalysis before a child’s death from diabetic ketoacidosis

The amended complaint alleges that a physician at Hughes Spalding Hospital examined a child on December 11 for vomiting and a sore throat. The physician ordered a urinalysis but did not perform it, then discharged the child that afternoon with a diagnosis of pharyngitis and nausea. The child later died, and an autopsy found that diabetic ketoacidosis was the cause of death. The filing alleges that the missed urinalysis was a breach of the standard of care that caused the child’s death.

System
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
Facility
Hughes Spalding Hospital
Providers involved
Karen F. Colton, MD / Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Inc. / Grady Memorial Hospital Corporation / Emory Healthcare, Inc. / Emory University
Pattern
Alleged failure to perform an ordered urinalysis before discharging a vomiting child
Harm
Alleged undiagnosed diabetic ketoacidosis and death

Overview

This page concerns a public complaint alleging that a Hughes Spalding physician did not perform an ordered urinalysis before a child’s death from diabetic ketoacidosis.

Chronology

The complaint alleges as follows:

  1. On December 10, the child began feeling sick and vomited numerous times.
  2. Her mother brought her to the Hughes Spalding Hospital emergency room the next day with a sore throat, vomiting, and shortness of breath.
  3. The examining physician prescribed Zofran and Motrin and ordered a urinalysis.
  4. The urinalysis was not performed, and the physician discharged the child at 3:11 p.m. with a diagnosis of pharyngitis and nausea.
  5. The child died on December 13.
  6. An autopsy on December 15 found that diabetic ketoacidosis was the cause of her death.

Alleged failures

The complaint alleges the following failures:

  • The filing alleges Dr. Colton had a duty to comply with the applicable standard of care.
  • The filing alleges she breached that standard by ordering a urinalysis and then not performing it before discharge.
  • The filing alleges that this breach amounted to gross negligence and that it caused the child’s wrongful death.
  • The complaint pleads negligence, gross negligence, and wrongful death, with the entity defendants vicariously liable, and attaches an expert affidavit under O.C.G.A. § 9-11-9.1.

Entities and tags

Hughes Spalding HospitalChildren’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Inc.Grady Memorial Hospital CorporationEmory Healthcare, Inc.Emory UniversityKaren F. Colton, MDDiabetic ketoacidosisDeKalb CountyDelayed or missed diagnosisEmergency department careWrongful deathPediatricsEmergency medicine