{"id":8061,"date":"2020-02-20T13:41:09","date_gmt":"2020-02-20T18:41:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost:10028\/uncategorized\/hospital-infection-kills-infant-heart-patient\/"},"modified":"2020-02-20T13:41:09","modified_gmt":"2020-02-20T18:41:09","slug":"hospital-infection-kills-infant-heart-patient","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/napolilaw.lemonadestand.org\/en\/article\/hospital-infection-kills-infant-heart-patient\/","title":{"rendered":"Hospital Infection Kills Infant Heart Patient"},"content":{"rendered":"

Baby Elizabeth Hutt survived multiple open heart surgeries during her first six months of life, b<\/span>ut she could not survive an Aspergillus Mold<\/a> infection she contracted in a hospital emergency room.<\/p>\n

A subsequent hospital investigation determined that the Aspergillus Mold spores came from the hospital\u2019s HVAC unit. <\/span><\/p>\n

Fourteen children developed the same infection beginning in 2001. Seven of these children died. <\/span><\/p>\n

Baby Beth\u2019s parents said they had heard about the infection problem at the hospital, but after officials assured them the problem had been fixed, they entrusted their daughter to this hospital. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m always going to wonder if there were different interventions that could’ve taken place, had the Aspergillus not been there,\u201d Ms. Hutt mused.<\/span><\/p>\n

Seattle Children\u2019s Hospital recently closed eleven of its fourteen operating rooms in order to install new HEPA filters.<\/span><\/p>\n

Physician Duty of Care<\/b><\/h2>\n

In most cases, doctors bring all their skill and experience to bear during surgical procedures. <\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s especially true for challenging things like infant heart surgery. <\/span><\/p>\n

At other times, however, physicians do not feel the adrenaline rush, so their interest level declines. <\/span><\/p>\n

Therefore, most medical negligence occurs during pre or post-surgical phases.<\/span><\/p>\n

Almost all doctors (87 percent in one recent study) think they listen closely to their patients. <\/span><\/p>\n

But on average, physicians listen to patients for about <\/span>eleven seconds<\/span><\/a> before they interrupt or redirect them. <\/span><\/p>\n

During such a brief period, it\u2019s impossible to obtain any meaningful diagnostic information, especially with regard to things like patient pain.<\/span><\/p>\n

Once they leave the operating room, many physicians think their job is over, at least for the most part. <\/span><\/p>\n

Follow up is usually limited to one or two \u201chow are you feeling\u201d visits in a recovery area. <\/span><\/p>\n

Such dismissiveness belies the hazardous nature of the recovery environment. <\/span><\/p>\n

A <\/span>significant percentage<\/span><\/a> of hospital patients develop at least one bacterial or other wound infection during their stays.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For most healthy individuals, these infections are not serious. But hospital patients are not healthy individuals. In fact, they are highly vulnerable to infection.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Physical Environment<\/b><\/h2>\n

Awareness of a possible risk and a theoretical legal duty are not enough to support a damage claim. <\/span><\/p>\n

Victim\/plaintiffs must also prove that the hospital knew about the hazardous condition. Such evidence could be:<\/span><\/p>\n