OSF St. Joseph Medical Center Malpractice & Violations

The mission of any hospital is to provide high-quality care services to patients. This level of care requires a commitment to safety, quality, and adherence to healthcare standards. When hospitals fail to meet these expectations, patients suffer dire consequences.

Health violations and care deficiencies can lead to medical negligence or malpractice cases. These violations mean the hospital or its staff is not providing the expected standard of care. Victims of hospital negligence may suffer significant harm, including injuries, infections, complications, or worsening conditions.

You may be eligible for compensation via a lawsuit if you have suffered due to negligence or malpractice at a hospital like St. Joseph Medical Center. When you need help filing a claim against this hospital to recover legal damages, Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers can help.

About St. Joseph Medical Center

As part of the Ascension healthcare network, this medical center provides comprehensive care to Illinois residents.

Overview

OSF St. Joseph Medical Center is located at 2200 East Washington ST. Bloomington, IL, 61701. It has 149 staffed beds and specializes in cardiovascular surgery, neurosurgery, general and orthopedic surgery, and neuro-interventional radiology. It also has a level II trauma center. This hospital is one of the top options for acute care services in Bloomington, IL.

Ownership and Affiliations

St. Joseph Medical Center is owned and operated by OSF Healthcare, a parent company owned by the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis. OSF Healthcare operates numerous centers in Illinois and Michigan, including fifteen hospitals.

The hospital’s legal business name is OSF St. Joseph Medical Center. It opened in 1880 and has served patients in Bloomington, IL, ever since.

Reputation and Performance

St. Joseph Medical Center does not have a strong track record in performance. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the hospital has a two-star overall rating out of a possible five stars. For patient satisfaction, based on past patient feedback, St. Joseph Medical Center only has a three-star rating [1].

According to US News reports on medical centers in Illinois, the hospital was considered average in most individual care services [2].

Notable Legal Actions Against St. Joseph Medical Center

OSF St. Joseph Medical Center has been a defendant in multiple lawsuits. In these cases, patients were harmed due to hospital negligence or malpractice. Here are a couple of cases brought against this Bloomington, IL, hospital.

Death From Sepsis During Surgery

In 2008, a lawsuit was filed against OSF St. Joseph Medical Center and multiple medical professionals for the death of a man named Anthony Bausal. He had a cellulitis infection in his left leg and numerous underlying conditions.

During surgery, he experienced an elevated heart rate and blood pressure, which eventually led to cardiac arrest and death. The surviving family contended that the doctors failed to monitor the patient appropriately, given his underlying conditions. However, the jury ruled in favor of the defendants [3].

Patient Rights Violations in Emergency Department Care

In 2018, the Human Rights Authority (HRA)—Peoria Region investigated rights violations involving a patient at OSF St. Joseph Medical Center’s Emergency Department.

The facility was found to have violated patient rights through improper restraint procedures, failure to notify legal guardians, and inadequate treatment protocols in its Emergency Department. This investigation resulted in mandated policy changes and additional staff training requirements. [4]

Inspection and Deficiency Reports at St. Joseph Medical Center

Although St. Joseph Medical Center undoubtedly saves lives daily, it also has a checkered past filled with violations and deficiencies. Many of these issues are discovered during inspections by both state and federal entities. Some recent deficiencies suffered by the Bloomington, IL, community include:

• Patients were unsatisfied with how clean their bathrooms and rooms were compared to national rates.
• Patients did not receive assistance when requested at higher rates than the national and state averages [5].
• 53% of patients received appropriate sepsis care compared to 61% nationally.
• 16% of patients were readmitted to the hospital after discharge compared to 14.4% nationally.
• 43.2% of patients with low back pain received an MRI before trying other treatments compared to 36.2% nationally [6].

Understanding Medical Negligence and Your Rights

Medical negligence occurs when medical professionals do not provide patients with the expected standard of care. When they fall short of these expectations, patients could be at risk of injury, illness, or even death.

Hospital negligence or malpractice can manifest in many ways. Mistakes during surgery, medication administration and dosage mistakes, misdiagnoses, improper care, insufficient monitoring, understaffing, and poor daily living assistance are all examples of medical negligence that could place patients in danger.

If you have suffered due to hospital negligence at St. Joseph Medical Center, you should hire a medical negligence and malpractice lawyer to handle your case. Suffering injuries or illnesses because of your stay at a hospital could make the medical center liable for your legal damages, such as lost income, medical bills, emotional distress, pain and suffering, and loss of quality of life.

A professional attorney is your best chance at securing fair compensation for damages via a civil lawsuit.

Secure Expert Legal Representation!

When you need legal support during your hospital negligence lawsuit, Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers can help. Our team has years of experience helping medical malpractice victims secure compensation for their suffering.

Since OSF St. Joseph Medical Center doesn’t have the most outstanding record of excellence, you may need legal assistance if you suffer at the hands of hospital staff.

Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers is a 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.

It is essential to act quickly when you suffer hospital negligence. The sooner you consult Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, the easier it will be to build a strong case and avoid the statute of limitations in Illinois. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means we only get paid from the settlement if we win your case.

Contact our team today for a free consultation by calling 888-424-5757 or completing the online form.

Resources: [1] CMS – St. Joseph Medical Center, [2] US News – St. Joseph Medical Center, [3] The Pantagraph, [4] Human Rights Authority, [5] Healthcare Report Card – OSF St. Joseph Medical Center, [6] CMS – OSF St. Joseph Medical Center

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.