Overview

This page concerns an emergency-department visit after a fall where fractures in the toes and hip allegedly were identified by radiology but were not communicated to the patient or her primary care provider for nearly a month, allowing the condition to worsen before treatment.

System Phoebe Putney
Fact pattern Emergency-department hip-fracture diagnosis not communicated to the patient or primary care provider for nearly a month
Alleged harm More invasive surgery and permanent mobility impairment

Chronology

  1. Elaine Carter went to the Emergency Department at Phoebe Worth Medical Center after falling and hurting her leg.
  2. A radiologist identified fractures in her toes and hip, specifically the femoral neck.
  3. No one at Phoebe Worth allegedly communicated that information to Elaine or her primary care provider for nearly a month.
  4. By the time she received treatment, her condition had worsened significantly, requiring more invasive surgery and causing permanent mobility impairment.

Alleged failures

Phoebe Worth providers allegedly failed to communicate the radiologist’s fracture findings to Elaine Carter.

Phoebe Worth providers allegedly failed to communicate the findings to Elaine’s primary care provider for nearly a month.

The communication failure allegedly delayed treatment until more invasive surgery and permanent mobility impairment resulted.

Entities

Phoebe PutneyPhoebe Worth Medical CenterRadiologistPrimary care providerFemoral neckEmergency Department
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