Downey v. Crozer-Chester Medical Center

817 A.2d 517, 2003 Pa. Super. 51, 2003 Pa. Super. LEXIS 155
CourtSuperior Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedFebruary 7, 2003
StatusPublished
Cited by29 cases

This text of 817 A.2d 517 (Downey v. Crozer-Chester Medical Center) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Superior Court of Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Downey v. Crozer-Chester Medical Center, 817 A.2d 517, 2003 Pa. Super. 51, 2003 Pa. Super. LEXIS 155 (Pa. Ct. App. 2003).

Opinions

GRACI, J.

¶ 1 Appellant Deena Downey (“Dow-ney”), Administratrix of the Estate of Gertrude Downey (“Decedent”), appeals from an Order granting the Motion For Summary Judgment filed by Crozer-Chester Medical Center (“Crozer”). We affirm the order of the trial court.

I. Factual and Procedural History

¶2 Downey relies exclusively on the facts as set forth in Dr. Blumberg’s expert report dated August 23, 1999. See Brief for Appellant, at 2-8, R.R., at 28a-33a. The facts contained in Dr. Blumberg’s report will be set forth in their entirety. They remain undisputed.

¶ 3 Dr. Blumberg’s expert report, sent to Gregory L. Nester, Esquire, and dated August 23, 1999, set forth the following:

Dear Mr. Nester:
Pursuant to your request, I have completed my review of the records supplied by your office concerning Gertrude Downey, a forty-six year old woman who drowned on November 30, 1995 while she was a patient at the Crozier-Chester Medical Center. The purpose of this record review was to determine whether the care and treatment rendered to Ms. Downey deviated from the standard of care and, if so, whether any such deviation directly led to her death. In order to address these issues, I reviewed the following documents:
1. Certificate of Death;
2. Report by Office of the Medical Examiner;
[519]*5193. Records from Crozier-Chester Medical Center;
4. Records of Antonio Sacre, M.D.;
5. Records from the Medical Center of Delaware;
6. Records from Saint Francis Hospital;
7. Records from Wilmington Hospital;
8. Records from Mediplex-Rehab, Camden;
9. Records from Delaware State Hospital;
10. Records from Family Practice Associates;
11. Records from Springfield Hospital;
12. Records of Stanley Bilski, D.O.; and,
13. Records of Otto Medinella, M.D. Ms. Downey first received outpatient
psychiatric treatment from Antonio Sa-cre, M.D. in September 1987. She was seen for anxiety and depression but had continued to be gainfully employed, was divorced and took care of her daughter. Doctor Sacre noted a history of some regular alcohol usage.
Ms. Downey continued to function adequately until July 6, 1992. She had experienced frequent headaches for the previous three weeks, unrelieved by medication. She also experienced dizziness and photophobia. She was forty-two years old at the time and there was a history that her sister died at the age of forty-two as the result of a subarach-noid hemorrhage. Ms. Downey was admitted on that date to the Medical Center of Delaware, where she was found to have a right subarachnoid hemorrhage and a right temporal intracerebral bleed as a result of a ruptured aneurysm of the right middle cerebral artery. An angiogram also revealed an unruptured left middle cerebral artery aneurysm. She underwent surgery on July 7, 1992, to clip the right middle cerebral artery aneurysm.
Ms. Downey underwent successful surgery and was readmitted to the Medical Center of Delaware from October 6, 1992 through October 14,1992 for repair of her left middle cerebral artery aneurysm. Postoperatively, however, Ms. Downey developed considerable confusion and memory difficulties. She was noted to have adhesions in the Sylvian fissure and a right hemiparesis and aphasia which improved somewhat. She was subsequently transferred to the Wilmington Hospital for rehabilitation but was returned that day for the intensive cognitive and rehabilitation program at the Medical Center of Delaware. She remained in the hospital until November 12, 1992, at which point her boyfriend took her out of the hospital against medical advice. She returned to the emergency room the following day, intoxicated and was readmitted.
The records from the Medical Center of Delaware from her readmission of November 13, 1992 through December 11, 1992 revealed that following her October surgery, Ms. Downey developed cognitive deficits, including anxiety, agitation, poor insight and aphasia. She had a premorbid history of depression and alcohol dependence and was found to be in need of rehabilitation and a supervised atmosphere. The records revealed that medication needed to be given with the supervision of her family. It was recommended that she continue on phenobarbital, 30 mg., four times a day, as a result of having postoperative seizures. She was also prescribed Xanax, 0.5 mg., four times a day as needed. She was given a diagnosis of Organic Personality Disorder with Impulsivity [520]*520that slowly improved, pathological crying, which improved on the antidepressant Prozac, and it was noted that she experienced delirium which was resolved by treatment with Haldol. On discharge, the record indicated that Ms. Downey needed twenty-four hour supervision with sitters.
Ms. Downey was next seen at Saint Francis Hospital on April 13, 1993 and was next admitted to Saint Francis Hospital from May 9, 1993 through May 27, 1993. At the time of her admission, she was described as depressed, wanting to kill herself and could not cope with daily life. She was diagnosed as suffering from Schizoaffective Disorder, Substance Abuse — Alcohol, and a Seizure Disorder.
The medical records revealed that she was next seen at the Wilmington Hospital in August, 1993 and, after being evaluated at the emergency room at Christi-ana Hospital, was admitted again to the Medical Center of Delaware from August 23, 1993 through January 11, 1994. She was noted to be very impulsive, intrusive and had agitated outbursts, along with memory difficulties. She had been brought to the emergency room after a fight with her former husband, whom she accused of stealing her apartment keys. She was described as a poor historian. It was noted that she had been on the street panhandling for money and was quite mentally and socially impaired. The records revealed that she had been high functioning prior to her aneurysm despite the history of depression and anxiety. She had also had a history of alcohol use for years. She remained on a locked unit for 4th months at the Medical Center of Delaware. Neuropsychological testing during that hospitalization revealed serious cognitive impairment, dysphasia, dysnomia, am-nestic disorder and visual spatial disturbance. - The testing revealed “profound neuropsychological deficits present in this patient”. She was also noted to be unable “to function in any context of daily life”. The record further noted that she was not likely to function in any independent capacity and it was recommended that she have a guardian and be placed in a long-term treatment facility. Despite being a high school graduate, intelligence testing revealed a full-scale IQ of 64, a verbal IQ of 69 and a performance IQ of 62, which falls in the range of mild mental retardation. She was given a discharge diagnosis of Organic Mental Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified and discharged directly to Mediplex Rehab, Camden.
Ms. Downey remained at Mediplex Rehab, Camden from January 11, 1994 through March 21, 1994.

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Bluebook (online)
817 A.2d 517, 2003 Pa. Super. 51, 2003 Pa. Super. LEXIS 155, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/downey-v-crozer-chester-medical-center-pasuperct-2003.