Grady Memorial Hospital amended complaint alleges a psychiatric discharge and no readmission before a pedestrian death
The amended complaint alleges that a 33-year-old patient was involuntarily hospitalized at Grady Memorial Hospital in January 2022 for a severe manic episode with psychosis. Treating physicians documented for days that she remained in a severe manic episode with psychotic features and required continued hospitalization. They discharged her on January 28, 2022, while she was still refusing a mood-stabilizing medication. At a February 2, 2022 outpatient visit, a social worker and a psychiatrist each evaluated her. Both noted delusional and tangential thinking but did not have her admitted. She was then seen at a Grady emergency department, was not admitted, and hours later walked into traffic on Interstate 20 and was killed.
Overview
This page concerns a public complaint alleging that psychiatric providers discharged a patient from inpatient care without stabilizing her mania and psychosis. An outpatient visit days later, and a Grady emergency department visit that evening, did not lead to her admission. She died hours later.
Chronology
The complaint alleges as follows:
- The patient, 33, was evaluated in Grady Memorial Hospital’s psychiatric emergency service on or around January 13, 2022, with delusions, and involuntarily admitted. She was diagnosed with Schizoaffective Disorder, Bipolar Type, after a long history of psychiatric hospitalizations.
- Through late January 2022, Michael McGrath, M.D. repeatedly documented that she remained in a severe manic episode with psychotic features and needed hospitalization. Chelsea Hickerson, M.D., his attending physician, repeatedly signed off on his notes, agreeing with his plan.
- Jennifer Wootten, M.D. also evaluated her on January 22 and 23, 2022, and recommended group therapy for her aggression.
- On January 28, 2022, Dr. McGrath and Dr. Hickerson discharged her, although she was still refusing the prescribed mood stabilizer.
- On February 2, 2022, Rhea Mascoll, LCSW evaluated her at a follow-up visit and found her delusional and at moderate risk for suicide.
- About an hour later Dr. Wootten evaluated her and noted a disheveled, confrontational presentation and delusional thinking. She left the clinic without being admitted.
- That evening she was seen at a Grady emergency department under a different name and was not admitted. She was struck and killed on Interstate 20 a few hours later.
Alleged failures
The complaint alleges the following failures:
- Dr. McGrath and Dr. Hickerson discharged her from the inpatient unit while her mania and psychosis remained untreated and she was a danger to herself.
- Dr. Wootten and Ms. Mascoll did not appreciate that her mania and psychosis posed a danger to her. They did not have her admitted involuntarily at the February 2 visit.
- This care, the filing alleges, fell below the standard required of psychiatrists and clinical social workers treating a patient in her condition.
- The filing alleges that the defendants’ negligence caused her wrongful death.
- The complaint pleads medical malpractice, wrongful death, and attorney’s fees under O.C.G.A. § 13-6-11, and attaches an expert affidavit under O.C.G.A. § 9-11-9.1.