Daniel E. Holloway
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Piedmont Henry Hospital complaint alleges delayed sepsis treatment before a patient’s wrongful death

The complaint alleges that a patient came to Piedmont Henry Hospital’s emergency department one day after a hysterectomy. She had severe abdominal pain and shortness of breath. Her heart and breathing rates met sepsis-screening criteria, but she was not treated for sepsis for hours. An emergency physician ordered a CT scan showing free air and fluid but did not start IV antibiotics. Antibiotics began the next morning. In intensive care, the team planned a repeat CT scan ’in 48 hours’ instead of immediately. She was later transferred to another hospital, where surgery found a perforated intestine, and she died of septic shock. The complaint alleges these delays caused or contributed to her death.

System
Piedmont Henry Hospital
Facility
Piedmont Henry Hospital
Providers involved
Piedmont Henry Hospital, Inc. / Piedmont Medical Care Corporation / Marlon Fisher, M.D. / Ashar Usmani, M.D. / Gregory Evans, M.D. / Clay Ditty, N.P.
Pattern
Alleged failure to recognize and treat post-surgical sepsis before a delayed surgical diagnosis
Harm
Alleged septic shock, multi-organ failure, and death

Overview

This page concerns a public complaint alleging that emergency and intensive-care providers did not recognize or treat post-surgical sepsis before a patient’s death.

Chronology

The complaint alleges as follows:

  1. The patient underwent a hysterectomy on August 14, 2023 and was discharged home the same day.
  2. She came to Piedmont Henry Hospital’s emergency department the next evening with severe abdominal pain and shortness of breath. Her heart and breathing rates met sepsis-screening criteria.
  3. An emergency physician ordered a CT scan showing free air and fluid but did not start antibiotics or request a surgical consultation.
  4. The results were not documented until the next morning, and antibiotics were not started until about fourteen hours after her arrival.
  5. She was transferred to intensive care the next morning, and the ICU physician did not document severe sepsis until the following day.
  6. Her condition worsened, and the ICU team planned a repeat CT scan in 48 hours instead of ordering one immediately.
  7. She was transferred to another hospital, where surgery found a perforated intestine, and she died of septic shock on August 19, 2023.

Alleged failures

The complaint alleges the following failures:

  • The triage nurse incorrectly documented that her heart and breathing rates were not elevated and did not activate the sepsis protocol. The emergency physician did not start antibiotics.
  • Neither the emergency department nor the ICU team requested a surgical consultation to evaluate her for a possible post-surgical complication.
  • The ICU team planned a repeat CT scan ’in 48 hours’ instead of ordering one immediately despite her worsening condition.
  • The complaint alleges the hospital breached the standard of care by not ensuring timely recognition and treatment of sepsis.
  • The complaint alleges these delays caused or contributed to the patient’s death.
  • The complaint pleads medical malpractice, institutional negligence, vicarious liability, wrongful death, and a survival claim, and attaches expert affidavits under O.C.G.A. § 9-11-9.1.

Entities and tags

Piedmont Henry HospitalPiedmont Medical Care CorporationMarlon Fisher, M.D.Ashar Usmani, M.D.Gregory Evans, M.D.Clay Ditty, N.P.SepsisSeptic shockDelayed or missed diagnosisDelayed treatmentPost-operative complicationsWrongful deathEmergency medicineCritical care medicineGeneral surgeryNursing care