BELLEVILLE — A long term care facility is facing allegations that it failed to provide appropriate wound care and caused a patient to suffer from pressure ulcers and infection.
Gail Schimp filed a complaint Feb. 19 in the St. Clair County Circuit Court against Helia Southbelt Healthcare LLC, Bridgemark Healthcare LLC and Keri Bryer, R.N., alleging violation of the Nursing Home Act and negligence.
Gail Schimp became a resident of Helia Southbelt's long-term care facility on April 10, 2019, according to her suit. She claims that upon admission, Bryer documented that she had a "stage II pressure ulcer on her buttock." Schimp alleges that on April 23, 2019, and May 4, 2019, she developed another pressure ulcer which was also documented by Bryer.
Schimp alleges that Bryer failed to notify her doctor about the pressure ulcer that had "progressed" by May 13, 2019. Schimp allegedly had to be transferred to Anderson Hospital on May 18, 2019, where she underwent surgical debridement. She also alleges she suffered from a sacral pressure ulcer while under Helia Southbelt's care and that the defendants failed to properly treat and prevent infection of her ulcers.
Schimp seeks monetary and all other just relief. She is represented by Eva Golabek of Kralovec, Jambois & Schwartz in Chicago.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 21-L-0161