Illinois residents seek the services of physicians every day when various symptoms arise. Doctors routinely diagnose medical conditions and plan treatments accordingly. Patients accept the diagnoses and treatments because of the physicians’ extensive training and expertise. However, a misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose a specific condition can lead to catastrophic results.
A physician in another state has been placed on probation for three years due to his alleged negligence in his treatment of a 46-year-old woman. The doctor initially visited the woman in her home because of her agoraphobia. Her original complaint of vaginal bleeding was attributed to menopause, though no tests or more comprehensive gynecological examinations were ordered.
The doctor did, however, prescribe medication for thyroid stimulation and anemia. He noted in the patient’s records that her thyroid needed to be checked again in three months. However, records show that two years passed before her thyroid-stimulating hormone levels were evaluated again.
Over several years, additional diagnoses of stress, yeast infections and iron deficiency were noted in the patient’s records. The physician advised her to see a gynecologist, but no evidence was found for a referral. At one point, the woman visited an emergency room for treatment and had plans to visit a specialist. However, at the appointment, the gynecologist could not perform the necessary test due to excessive bleeding. The woman was diagnosed with cervical cancer within a month of the specialist’s examination.
The physician’s failure to diagnose the woman’s condition has caused her great suffering. Though he has only been put on probation at this time, the woman and her family may pursue a lawsuit against him for his apparent negligence in her treatment. Others in similar situations have contacted an Illinois attorney experienced in medical malpractice cases. A knowledgeable lawyer will help families seek compensation for medical expenses and other damages.
Source: ocweekly.com, “Doc’s on Probation“, Matt Coker, March 31, 2017
