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Morehouse Healthcare complaint alleges refusal to treat before appendicitis surgery

The complaint alleges that a patient arrived for a Morehouse Healthcare appointment with severe abdominal pain and was refused examination or treatment because she could not pay a small co-payment. According to the complaint, the patient later sought emergency care elsewhere after her pain worsened, was diagnosed with acute appendicitis, and underwent an emergency laparoscopic appendectomy. The complaint alleges that the delay caused unnecessary physical suffering and emotional distress.

System
Morehouse Healthcare
Facility
Morehouse Comprehensive Healthcare Center
Providers involved
Morehouse Healthcare, Inc. / Morehouse Comprehensive Healthcare Center / Folashade Omole, M.D. / Piedmont Hospital
Pattern
Alleged refusal to evaluate acute abdominal pain because of an unpaid co-payment
Harm
Alleged acute appendicitis, emergency laparoscopic appendectomy, pain, and emotional distress

Overview

This page concerns a public complaint alleging that Morehouse Healthcare and a family-medicine physician refused to evaluate a patient with acute abdominal pain before she later required emergency appendicitis surgery.

Chronology

  1. According to the complaint, the patient was advised in January 2023 to see a gynecologist after an abnormal Pap smear.
  2. According to the complaint, the patient established care with Folashade Omole, M.D. at Morehouse Healthcare on March 6, 2023.
  3. The complaint alleges that the patient arrived for a July 17, 2023 appointment in severe abdominal pain but was refused service because she could not pay a small co-payment.
  4. According to the complaint, the patient was transported by ambulance to a hospital on July 22, 2023 after the pain worsened.
  5. According to the complaint, the patient was diagnosed with acute appendicitis at Piedmont Hospital and underwent emergency laparoscopic appendectomy.

Alleged failures

  • The complaint alleges that Dr. Omole failed to inquire into the patient’s physical condition before refusing treatment.
  • The complaint alleges that Morehouse Healthcare failed to adequately triage the patient’s condition when she arrived in pain.
  • The complaint alleges that the defendants failed to recognize or evaluate symptoms of appendicitis.
  • The complaint alleges that refusal to provide medical services because of the co-payment delayed care and caused an emergency operation.

Entities and tags

Morehouse Healthcare, Inc.Morehouse Comprehensive Healthcare CenterFolashade Omole, M.D.Piedmont HospitalAppendicitisAppendectomyAbdominal painCo-paymentRefusal of careFailure to triageFailure to treatDelayed diagnosisFamily medicineEmergency medicineSurgeryPrimary care

Questions this example answers

What does the Morehouse Healthcare appendicitis complaint allege?

The complaint alleges that a patient arrived for a Morehouse Healthcare appointment with severe abdominal pain and was refused examination or treatment because she could not pay a small co-payment. According to the complaint, the patient later sought emergency care elsewhere after her pain worsened, was diagnosed with acute appendicitis, and underwent an emergency laparoscopic appendectomy. The complaint alleges that the delay caused unnecessary physical suffering and emotional distress.

Who is identified in this public case example?

This public case example identifies Morehouse Healthcare, Inc., Morehouse Comprehensive Healthcare Center, Folashade Omole, M.D., and Piedmont Hospital. It also tags the source-supported entities Morehouse Healthcare, Inc., Morehouse Comprehensive Healthcare Center, Folashade Omole, M.D., Piedmont Hospital, and Appendicitis.

What alleged failures are summarized here?

The complaint alleges that Dr. Omole failed to inquire into the patient’s physical condition before refusing treatment. The complaint alleges that Morehouse Healthcare failed to adequately triage the patient’s condition when she arrived in pain. The complaint alleges that the defendants failed to recognize or evaluate symptoms of appendicitis.