St. Elizabeth’s Hospital Malpractice & Violations

Hospitals have to provide safe, high-quality care in compliance with healthcare standards. Deficiencies in their care standard can harm patients and lead to medical malpractice or negligence, leaving them with physical, emotional, and financial consequences.

If this has happened to you or someone you love, you can seek legal recourse. With the help of Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, you can hold the facility accountable and recover compensation.

About HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital

Examining this facility’s quality metrics and safety record provides essential insights for patients seeking care in Southern Illinois.

Overview

St. Elizabeth’s Hospital is a faith-based hospital founded by the Hospital Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis. This 144-bed facility is at One St. Elizabeth’s Blvd, O’Fallon, Illinois, 62269.

The hospital provides health services to underinsured and uninsured patients and covers a broad spectrum of healthcare specialties, including:

• Cancer Care
• Children’s Health
• Diabetes Care
• Emergency Care
• Heart Care
• Home Health and Hospice
• Orthopedics
• Pain Management
• Stroke Care
• Surgery
• Therapy Services
• Women’s Health

Ownership and Affiliations

HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital belongs to the Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS). This healthcare system supports 15 hospitals in 14 communities across Illinois and Wisconsin, along with an integrated physician network. [1]

Reputation and Performance

According to the Illinois Hospital Report Card, 78% of patients would definitely recommend HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, which is 12% higher than average. [2] Its Medicare ranking is also excellent, with 4 out of 5 stars Overall and in its Patient Survey rating. [3]

Notable Legal Actions Against HSHS St. Elizabeth Hospital

Although the hospital ranks well, there have been several legal actions against it, including wrongful death lawsuits.

Settlement to Resolve Billing Error Allegations

While this settlement doesn’t involve a medical error, it is one of the best-known legal actions against the facility. The lawsuit claimed that the hospital submitted claims for urgent care services at higher, more expensive levels, which would result in overpayment.

The hospital fully cooperated with the Department of Justice’s investigation. While it doesn’t admit to these allegations and has not been determined liable, it paid $12.5 million to resolve them and avoid lengthy legal procedures. [4]

Negligence During Throat Procedure

On October 13, 2023, Karen K. Range filed a negligence lawsuit in St. Clair County Circuit Court against HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital and associated medical staff. Range claims that during a throat procedure on July 27, 2021, the defendant’s negligence led to esophageal injury.

The plaintiff claims she is experiencing pain and suffering because of the hospital’s negligence and carelessness, along with ongoing medical expenses. [5]

Failure to Diagnose and Treat

On June 30, 2023, the family of Ricky Lidisky filed a wrongful death lawsuit against HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital and its staff. The claim alleges that Lidisky suffered misdiagnosis and negligent care during hospital visits on October 1, 14, and 15, 2022. The claim states that this failure led to his death on October 23, 2022. [6]

Negligence During a Catheter Procedure

On October 6, 2023, plaintiff Gerri Webb filed a lawsuit against the hospital on behalf of her late husband, Larry Webb. As the claim states, the staff was negligent during a catheter procedure on October 7, 2021, leading to a bowel laceration and, ultimately, the patient’s decline and death on October 12, 2021. [7]

Failure to Provide Sufficient Pressure Relief and Delayed Treatment Leading to Amputation

On October 13, 2020, Eugene Boron and Mary Boron filed a complaint against HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital for allegedly failing to provide sufficient pressure relief and delayed treatment for a wound. According to them, this delay led to a preventable leg amputation, causing the patient pain and suffering, medical costs, and a diminished quality of life. [8]

Failure to Follow Discharge Instructions

In 2012, Jeanne Lachmiller filed a suit after her mother, Pauline Pestka, allegedly sustained a leg injury during physical therapy at St. Elizabeth’s. Lachmiller argued that the hospital’s staff did not follow discharge instructions, which reportedly led to Pestka’s injury and subsequent transfer to a nursing home. [9]

Failure to Monitor Glucose Levels

Valerie Dawson, the wife of the late Richard Dawson, filed a claim against the hospital in 2011. She claimed that her husband died because the staff failed to monitor his glucose levels after he was admitted. Not long after, he suffered a cardiac arrest. [10]

Failure to Adequately Monitor a Patient

On January 10, 2018, Monique Brooks, the sister of Roxanne Bradford, filed a lawsuit against St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, HSHS Medical Group, and other defendants, including the United States and Jane Doe.

Wrongful death lawyers stated that the hospital didn’t recognize the changes in her sister’s condition and that it failed to start resuscitating her on time, which led to her death. [11]

Inspection and Deficiency Reports at HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital

According to Medicare and the Illinois Health Report Card, the hospital performs well in terms of patient safety, experience, and quality of care.

Its Medicare profile report shows a higher percentage of patients receive appropriate treatment for sepsis than the national average, 69%, as opposed to 62% national. Patients are also less likely to leave the ER before being seen by emergency room staff. [3]

The IHRC also shows a lower thirty-day mortality for heart attacks and heart failure. [2]

There are no significant deficiencies in either report.

Understanding Medical Negligence and Your Rights

Medical negligence occurs when healthcare providers – whether individual staff members or the hospital itself through vicarious liability – cause patient harm by failing to meet established standards of care.

There are several common types of medical negligence:

• Surgical errors – These include operating on the wrong site, the wrong patient, leaving instruments in the body, nerve damage, and anesthesia errors
• Medication mistakes – Giving the wrong medication, wrong dosage, or failing to check for allergies, interactions, and contraindications
• Diagnostic errors – Missed, delayed, and wrong diagnoses leading to injury or death
• Improper care – Examples include failure to treat the patient according to standards, delaying or rushing treatment, and not informing the patient about the treatment and its consequences

Patient rights exist to protect us when we are at our most vulnerable and need trustworthy medical care. If the hospital fails you, you can seek legal assistance.

A medical malpractice lawyer specializes in understanding complex medical cases, gathering evidence, working with experts, and proving where the healthcare provider went wrong. A lawyer can also negotiate with insurance companies and help you recover compensatory damages, such as medical bills, rehabilitation, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Secure Expert Legal Representation!

If you’re a victim of medical negligence, don’t wait too long to seek damages, as the statute of limitations for medical malpractice is two years from the date of injury.

Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers has recovered millions in medical malpractice cases over decades of practice. We work on contingency, meaning you only pay if we win your case. If you’re unsure whether to start the case, contact us for a free consultation.

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.

Call (888) 424-5757 or fill out our contact form.

References: [1] Hospital Sisters Health System, [2] Illinois Hospital Report Card, [3] Medicare, [4] U.S. Department of Justice, [5] Madison Record, [6] Madison Record, [7] Madison Record, [8] Madison Record, [9] Madison Record, [10] Madison Record, [11] Case Text

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.