Olympia Fields Hospital Malpractice & Violations

Healthcare facilities must maintain strict safety standards and follow established medical protocols to protect patients. When hospitals fail to meet these standards, the consequences can be serious.

Poorly rated hospitals can put patients at risk of serious complications or even death, making it crucial that patients and their loved ones view data like health ratings when deciding where to receive treatment. Sadly, Franciscan Health Olympia Fields has low ratings with both federal and state health departments, raising questions about their quality of care.

If you’ve been mistreated by a doctor, nurse, or other healthcare professional at this facility, a Chicago medical malpractice and negligence attorney from Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers can help protect your legal rights, secure compensation, and hold providers accountable for their negligence.

About Franciscan Health Olympia Fields

Part of the Franciscan Health system, this south suburban Chicago facility brings comprehensive medical care to area residents.

Overview

Franciscan Health Olympia Fields is located at 20201 South Crawford Avenue, Olympia Fields, IL, 60461. This 214-bed hospital specializes in cancer, diabetes, heart and vascular care, and colorectal conditions.

Other procedures the facility specializes in include stroke care, occupational therapy, and the Ekso Robotic Exoskeleton, a type of treatment for people with spinal cord injuries.

Olympia Fields, IL, is the only teaching hospital program in the far south suburbs with a Teaching Hospital Cancer Program, where providers work with students to teach the next generation of doctors.

Ownership and Affiliations

Franciscan Health Olympia Fields is part of the Franciscan Alliance, one of the Midwest’s largest Catholic healthcare systems. Franciscan Alliance has 12 hospital campuses and 433 total care centers in Indiana and Illinois, primarily in the Chicago suburbs.

Reputation and Performance

Franciscan Health Olympia Fields has a 2-star rating with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which is below average [1]. It also has a patient survey rating of only two stars, which is also below average.

US News and World Report notes that Franciscan Health Olympia Fields performs well in five areas: heart failure, diabetes, kidney failure, stroke, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) [2]. However, it has below-average ratings in several other specialties, including cancer care and hip and knee replacements.

Notable Legal Actions Against Franciscan Health Olympia Fields

Examining significant lawsuits filed against this facility helps reveal patterns of alleged medical negligence and patient care concerns.

Medical Negligence and Wrongful Death

Nartey v. Franciscan Health Hospital, filed in 2021, alleged that the hospital failed to provide adequate care to a stroke victim, including failing to offer timely updates to her family about her condition [3]. The patient then died after the hospital chose to discontinue treatment.

Mishandling Patient Records

In 2020, a woman filed a class action lawsuit against Franciscan Health Olympia Fields for mishandling sensitive data for over 22,000 patients when boxes of medical records went missing from a storage site. [4]

This negligence means confidential information about thousands of individuals may be available for anyone to view. Likewise, without essential treatment and condition details, it’s harder for residents to get the appropriate care.

Inspection and Deficiency Reports at Franciscan Health Olympia Fields

Franciscan Health Olympia Fields has a 2-star CMS rating due to several concerning metrics, including its low percentage of patients receiving treatment for sepsis. Only 52% of its residents received appropriate care for sepsis, compared to 61% nationally and 60% statewide. [5]

Additionally, only 57% of patients received appropriate brain scans after presenting with stroke symptoms. This is very low compared to the 69% national average and 72% Illinois average.

In addition to this, the death rate for stroke victims at this hospital was 14.6%, which is slightly higher than the national average of 13.9%. [6]

Individuals visiting the Franciscan Health Olympia Fields facility spent much longer waiting in the emergency room than is typical for other high-volume hospitals. The average time from admission to discharge was 286 minutes.

Patients waited over an hour longer for care compared to the national average of 211 minutes. Not only can this be frustrating for individuals in pain, but it also suggests poor staffing.

Patient reports from CMS note that only 61% of those surveyed said their hospital room and bathroom were always clean compared to the 73% national average and 72% state average. [7]

The Illinois Hospital Report Card also presents concerning data. Only 59% of people would recommend Franciscan Health Olympia Fields, which is 11% lower than the state average. [8]

People also had to stay at the hospital longer and paid more than the state average. For septicemia with multiple complications, individuals had to stay at the Olympia Fields, IL, hospital for six days and spent $64,465.88. However, the average Illinoisan spends only five days in the hospital and $55,050. [9]

Franciscan Health Olympia Fields charges $59,796.44 for arthroscopy, over $10,000 more than the state average of $49,055.

This hospital also has serious staffing shortages, with a vacancy rate of almost 9% and a turnover rate of over 19% year-over-year [10]. Not having enough nurses endangers those needing immediate help, as they may not be able to get a response when they page a nurse.

Understanding Medical Negligence and Your Rights

Medical negligence occurs when a doctor, nurse, or other healthcare practitioner fails to properly diagnose and treat a patient’s condition, which can lead to further complications or death.

Common examples of medical negligence include:

• Surgical errors, such as leaving gauze inside a patient
• Medication mistakes, like giving the wrong drug or dosage
• Failure to diagnose an illness, which can lead to further issues or disease progression
• Improper care, including failing to respond to a patient’s request promptly or ignoring their concerns

Our law partners are highly skilled at working with hospital systems like Olympia Fields and holding them accountable for failing to provide excellent care. Our medical negligence and malpractice lawyers will thoroughly investigate your case and negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf to secure maximum compensation.

Secure Expert Legal Representation!

In cases of medical negligence, you must act fast. The Olympia Fields, IL, statute of limitations for personal injury cases is two years, so contact a qualified medical malpractice lawyer as soon as possible.

Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers is a leading Chicago-based firm that proudly serves clients across Illinois and select cases nationwide. Our Chicago medical malpractice attorney team is here to help you navigate your case and fight for the compensation you deserve. We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you owe us nothing unless we can win your case.

To schedule your free consultation with a highly skilled medical malpractice attorney, call us today at (888) 424-5757 or fill out our contact form.

References: [1] Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, [2] US News and World Report, [3] CaseText, [4] Cook County Record, [5] Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, [6] Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, [7] Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, [8] Illinois Hospital Report Card, [9] Illinois Health Report Card, [10] Illinois Health Report Card

All content undergoes thorough legal review by experienced attorneys, including Jonathan Rosenfeld. With 25 years of experience in personal injury law and over 100 years of combined legal expertise within our team, we ensure that every article is legally accurate, compliant, and reflects current legal standards.