Daniel E. Holloway
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DCA Diagnostics complaint alleges post-EGD monitoring failure and patient death

The complaint alleges that a patient underwent a scheduled EGD at DCA Diagnostics in Lithia Springs, was transferred to post-procedure recovery, left unattended, and suffered respiratory failure and cardiac arrest that went unnoticed for a period of time. The patient required EMS transfer, remained on a ventilator for nearly five months, later died, and the produced medical record lacked anesthesia, vital-sign, oxygen, and emergency-event documentation.

System
Gastrointestinal Specialists of Georgia
Facility
DCA Diagnostics, LLC
Providers involved
DCA Diagnostics, LLC / Gastrointestinal Specialists of Georgia, P.C. / Priti Pandya, M.D. / John Sexton, CRNA / Kiera Holman, RN / Dawn Jones, endoscopy technician / Brieanna Kocsis, RN
Pattern
EGD recovery allegedly followed by unattended respiratory failure and cardiac arrest
Harm
Alleged respiratory failure, cardiac arrest, prolonged ventilator care, and death

Overview

This page concerns a public complaint alleging that post-procedure monitoring and recordkeeping failures at DCA Diagnostics allowed a patient’s respiratory failure and cardiac arrest after an EGD to go unnoticed and untreated before EMS arrival.

Chronology

The complaint alleges as follows:

  1. The patient presented to DCA Diagnostics in Lithia Springs on or about June 26, 2022 for a scheduled esophagogastroduodenoscopy.
  2. Dr. Priti Pandya performed the EGD, and anesthesia and nursing personnel participated in the patient’s care before and after the procedure.
  3. After the procedure the patient was transferred to a separate recovery room, left unattended for a period of time, stopped breathing, and suffered respiratory failure and sudden cardiac arrest.
  4. EMS was called after the patient was found unconscious, and the patient was transported to a hospital for emergency care.
  5. The patient remained on a ventilator until discharge to a chronic ventilator facility on November 14, 2022 and later died.
  6. Repeated pre-suit medical-record requests produced only four pages and allegedly no anesthesia, vital-sign, pulse-oximetry, blood-pressure, oxygen-use, or emergency-event documentation.

Alleged failures

The complaint alleges the following failures:

  • The defendants failed to appropriately monitor the patient before, during, and after the EGD procedure.
  • The patient was left unattended in post-procedure recovery, and respiratory failure and cardiac arrest went unnoticed, undiagnosed, and untreated for a period of time.
  • DCA Diagnostics and Gastrointestinal Specialists of Georgia failed to maintain adequate medical records for anesthesia, monitoring, and emergency care.
  • The complaint alleges that Dr. Pandya was negligent in her own care and in supervising anesthesia, nursing, and endoscopy personnel.
  • The complaint asserts vicarious-liability allegations against the corporate defendants for the alleged acts and omissions of the individual providers.

Entities and tags

DCA Diagnostics, LLCGastrointestinal Specialists of Georgia, P.C.Priti Pandya, M.D.John Sexton, CRNAKiera Holman, RNDawn JonesBrieanna Kocsis, RNEsophagogastroduodenoscopyEGDPost-procedure recoveryRespiratory failureCardiac arrestVentilatorPost-operative complicationsFailure to monitorAnesthesia and airwayDocumentation failuresWrongful deathGastroenterologyAnesthesiaEndoscopyNursing