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
- Janet Morris came to the Tift emergency room with severe chest pain and had a heart attack at the hospital.
- Although Cardiologist Paul Murray found that Janet’s right coronary artery was completely blocked, he allegedly failed to refer her to a hospital that could clear or bypass the blockage.
- After Cardiologist Jonathan Tronolone prematurely cleared Janet without treatment or further investigation, she went home and returned to the ER the next morning with a second, major heart attack.
- Dr. Murray allegedly again failed to refer her elsewhere and failed to diagnose the second heart attack, and Internist Cynthia Phillips admitted Janet 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 Janet Morris to a hospital capable of clearing or bypassing a completely blocked right coronary artery.
Cardiologist Jonathan Tronolone allegedly prematurely cleared Janet without treatment or further investigation.
After Janet 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.