Daniel E. Holloway
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Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center complaint alleges doctors did not review an x-ray showing an ankle fracture

The complaint alleges that Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center staff did not review an ankle x-ray showing a fracture after a car-collision trauma admission. Trauma-team physicians signed an admission plan noting the ankle x-rays were pending but there is no indication they reviewed the radiologist’s report. An August 1, 2016 discharge summary never mentioned the fracture, and she was told her ankle was simply sprained. Follow-up visits with other physicians and a physician assistant through September 27, 2016 again did not document her ankle x-ray results. The records do not indicate she was told of the fracture through September 27, 2016.

System
Wellstar
Facility
Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center
Providers involved
Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center, Inc. / Wellstar Medical Group, LLC / ACS Primary Care Physicians-Southeast, P.C. / Sparlin Health Care, LLC / Katherine Kohler, MD / Melissa Smith, MD / Jonathan Overcash, MD / Nikhil Patel, MD / Daniella Kington, MD / Ebenezer Enchia, MD / Kim Eubanks, MD / James Sartori, PA
Pattern
Alleged failure to review an ankle x-ray and radiologist report showing a fracture after a trauma admission
Harm
Alleged ankle fracture that went untreated and was not communicated to the patient, with continued ankle pain

Overview

This page concerns a public complaint alleging that Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center staff overlooked an ankle fracture that then went untreated.

Chronology

The complaint alleges as follows:

  1. The patient was brought to Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center by ambulance after a car collision on July 31, 2016.
  2. Left-ankle x-rays that afternoon showed a lateral malleolar fracture with widening of the ankle mortise. Nothing indicates anyone at the hospital reviewed the radiologist’s report.
  3. Dr. Katherine Kohler, Dr. Melissa Smith, and Dr. Jonathan Overcash signed a trauma-unit plan noting the ankle x-rays were pending. Nothing indicates they reviewed them.
  4. Dr. Kohler, Dr. Nikhil Patel, and Dr. Daniella Kington signed an August 1, 2016 discharge summary that did not mention the ankle fracture.
  5. She was told her ankle was simply sprained and discharged without treatment or an orthopaedic referral.
  6. At an August 9, 2016 follow-up visit with Dr. Ebenezer Enchia, the progress note did not mention her ankle despite her complaints of pain.
  7. PA James Sartori, supervised by Dr. Kim Eubanks, saw her three times through September 27, 2016. Results of ankle x-rays taken there were not documented, and nothing indicates either reviewed them.

Alleged failures

The complaint alleges the following failures:

  • Physicians at Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center did not review the ankle x-ray and radiologist report before her discharge.
  • They did not appropriately document the fracture, inform her of it, or provide any treatment for it.
  • They did not obtain an orthopaedic consult or refer her to an orthopaedic doctor.
  • Dr. Enchia repeated these same failures at the August 9, 2016 follow-up visit. The complaint alleges that ACS Primary Care Physicians-Southeast is also liable for Dr. Smith’s role in the original admission failures, under a separate employment theory.
  • PA Sartori and Dr. Eubanks at Sparlin Health Care did not interpret her ankle x-rays or communicate the results over three visits.
  • The complaint pleads medical malpractice, gross negligence, and ordinary negligence, and attaches expert affidavits under O.C.G.A. § 9-11-9.1.

Entities and tags

Wellstar Atlanta Medical CenterWellstar Medical Group, LLCSparlin Health Care, LLCLateral malleolar fractureAnkle x-rayRadiologist reportDelayed or missed diagnosisImaging misreadDelayed treatmentDocumentation failuresPremature dischargeCommunication or follow-up failureTrauma medicineOrthopaedicsPrimary care