Hospitals named in med mal complaint alleging misdiagnosis

The father of a deceased woman accuses a Maryville and a Staunton hospital of misdiagnosing a medical condition that he says led to his daughter's death.
John W. Wasielewicz, independent administrator of the estate of Jeanette M. Bailey, filed a lawsuit Nov. 7 in Madison County Circuit Court against Southwestern Illinois Health Facilities Inc., also known as Anderson Hospital, doing business as Express Care. Community Memorial Hospital Association is also named as a defendant.

According to the complaint, Bailey went to Anderson Hospital's Express Care, an urgent care center, in December 2011 complaining of chest pains, shortness of breath and limited oxygen intake. Wasielewicz says Dr. Rebecca M. Hoffman treated his daughter and diagnosed her as having bronchitis.

Wasielewicz claims his daughter's condition continued to worsen over the next five days and she was admitted to the emergency room at Community Memorial Hospital. There, Bailey was under the care of Dr. Timothy A. Mathison who allegedly diagnosed her as having pneumonia. Bailey was released, according to Wasielewicz, but returned to the emergency room the next day suffering from a heart attack. She was pronounced dead less than 30 minutes later.

Wasielewicz says the autopsy revealed his daughter died of pulmonary thromboembolism, an obstruction of blood flow to the lungs. He alleges both hospitals misdiagnosed Bailey's illness and failed to perform the proper tests necessary to properly diagnose and treat the ailment.

Anderson Hospital and Community Memorial are being sued for negligence and wrongful death. Wasielewicz asks for more than $200,000 in damages and court costs.

Attorneys David A. Boresi of Hillsboro and David J. Massa of Maryville represent Wasielewicz. They ask for a jury trial.

Madison County Circuit Court Case No. 12-L-1816