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A Sanford mother says she will never be able to hold her newborn because an Orlando hospital performed a life-altering surgery and, she claims, the hospital refuses to explain why they left her as a multiple amputee.

The woman filed a complaint against Orlando Regional Healthcare Systems, she said, because they won't tell her exactly what happened. The hospital maintains the woman wants to know information that would violate other patients' rights.

Claudia Mejia gave birth eight and a half months ago at Orlando Regional South Seminole. She was transported to Orlando Regional Medical Center in Orlando where her arms and legs were amputated. She was told she had streptococcus, a flesh eating bacteria, and toxic shock syndrome, but no further explanation was given.

The hospital, in a letter, wrote that if she wanted to find out exactly what happened, she would have to sue them.

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any details that might be used against them in a lawsuit

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Sound worse than that. They'll definitely be sued but it sounds like someone internal put out a gag order without talking to their lawyers. I can't imagine competent counsel telling anyone that they'd have to sue to get the facts. I can see them insisting on filtering every communication and I can see them refusing to allow any telephone conversations. But I can't see a gag order like this one.

As noted by another poster, it may also be that the surgery in question should not have been performed without consent, at least in the circumstances in question.

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Originally posted by Canadian Socialist:
I'm curious how the hospital justifies doing the surgery without a consent form from the patient or guardian.

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You can't get admitted to hospital without signing a consent form. The trouble is that it is pretty blanket, meaning that they can do anything to you.

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Welcome to the American medical system.

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[ 22 May 2006: Message edited by: Sifo-Dyas ]

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What do you mean?

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