Daniel E. Holloway Medical malpractice, other select cases
Email me about your case.
Real case examples

Heart attack allegedly not transferred or treated at Tift Regional

This complaint states as follows: The patient, an otherwise healthy 63-year-old mother and grandmother, came to the Tift emergency room (“ER” or “ED”) with severe chest pain, and had a heart attack at the hospital. Even though he found that the patient’s right coronary artery (“RCA”) was completely blocked, Cardiologist Paul Murray failed to refer her to a hospital, unlike Tift, with the capability to clear or bypass the blockage. After being prematurely cleared by Cardiologist Jonathan Tronolone without treatment or further investigation, the patient went home, only to return to the ER the next morning with a second, major heart attack. Dr. Murray then again failed to refer the patient to another hospital. Despite overwhelming evidence, he failed even to diagnose this second heart attack. Instead, even though Tift lacked both the capability and a plan to provide the patient definitive care, Internist Cynthia Phillips admitted her to Tift, where she died gradually and painfully from an untreated heart attack.

System
Tift Regional Health System
Facility
Tift Regional Health System
Providers involved
Tift Regional Health System, Inc. / Cardiologist Paul Murray / Cardiologist Jonathan Tronolone / Internist Cynthia Phillips
Pattern
Heart attack identified at a hospital lacking definitive capability, followed by failure to transfer, failure to diagnose a second heart attack, and admission without a treatment plan
Harm
Painful death from untreated heart attack

Overview

This page concerns care at Tift after severe chest pain and a heart attack, where a completely blocked right coronary artery allegedly should have triggered referral to a hospital that could clear or bypass the blockage, but the patient instead was cleared, sent home, returned with another major heart attack, and was admitted to Tift despite the absence of definitive capability or a treatment plan.

Chronology

  1. The patient came to the Tift emergency room with severe chest pain and had a heart attack at the hospital.
  2. Although Cardiologist Paul Murray found that the patient’s right coronary artery was completely blocked, he allegedly failed to refer her to a hospital that could clear or bypass the blockage.
  3. After Cardiologist Jonathan Tronolone prematurely cleared the patient without treatment or further investigation, she went home and returned to the ER the next morning with a second, major heart attack.
  4. Dr. Murray allegedly again failed to refer her elsewhere and failed to diagnose the second heart attack, and Internist Cynthia Phillips admitted the patient to Tift despite the lack of definitive capability or plan, after which she died gradually and painfully from an untreated heart attack.

Alleged failures

  • Cardiologist Paul Murray allegedly failed to refer the patient to a hospital capable of clearing or bypassing a completely blocked right coronary artery.
  • Cardiologist Jonathan Tronolone allegedly prematurely cleared the patient without treatment or further investigation.
  • After the patient returned with a second major heart attack, Dr. Murray allegedly failed to diagnose it or transfer her, and Internist Cynthia Phillips allegedly admitted her to Tift despite the lack of a definitive-care capability or plan.

Entities and tags

Tift Regional Health System, Inc.Paul MurrayJonathan TronoloneCynthia PhillipsRight coronary arteryEREDFailure to transferHeart attack delayFailure to diagnoseDefinitive-care capability problemEmergency medicineCardiologyInternal medicine

Questions this example answers

What does the Tift heart-attack transfer failure allege?

This complaint states as follows: The patient, an otherwise healthy 63-year-old mother and grandmother, came to the Tift emergency room (“ER” or “ED”) with severe chest pain, and had a heart attack at the hospital. Even though he found that the patient’s right coronary artery (“RCA”) was completely blocked, Cardiologist Paul Murray failed to refer her to a hospital, unlike Tift, with the capability to clear or bypass the blockage. After being prematurely cleared by Cardiologist Jonathan Tronolone without treatment or further investigation, the patient went home, only to return to the ER the next morning with a second, major heart attack. Dr. Murray then again failed to refer the patient to another hospital. Despite overwhelming evidence, he failed even to diagnose this second heart attack. Instead, even though Tift lacked both the capability and a plan to provide the patient definitive care, Internist Cynthia Phillips admitted her to Tift, where she died gradually and painfully from an untreated heart attack.

Who is identified in this public case example?

This public case example identifies Tift Regional Health System, Inc., Cardiologist Paul Murray, Cardiologist Jonathan Tronolone, and Internist Cynthia Phillips. It also tags the source-supported entities Tift Regional Health System, Inc., Paul Murray, Jonathan Tronolone, Cynthia Phillips, and Right coronary artery.

What alleged failures are summarized here?

Cardiologist Paul Murray allegedly failed to refer the patient to a hospital capable of clearing or bypassing a completely blocked right coronary artery. Cardiologist Jonathan Tronolone allegedly prematurely cleared the patient without treatment or further investigation. After the patient returned with a second major heart attack, Dr. Murray allegedly failed to diagnose it or transfer her, and Internist Cynthia Phillips allegedly admitted her to Tift despite the lack of a definitive-care capability or plan.