Dr. Richard Glowacki, MD - Urology Specialist in Des Moines, IA IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) - A jurys verdict for an Iowa family, the Kromphardts, is the largest in state history when it comes to medical malpractice cases. Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions: info@iowacapitaldispatch.com. A group of central Iowa physicians and one of Iowas largest health care providers are facing off in court and accusing each other of being motivated more by money than by patient care. Read More . In its opinion filed on November 23, 2021, the Court of Appeals of Iowa ("Iowa Appellate Court) held in an Iowa medical malpractice case where the non-English-speaking plaintiff alleged that the defendants performed a vasectomy on him instead of the intended circumcision, that several errors had been committed at the trial level and therefore All other urology appointments can be made by calling the listed Clinic number. We understand that trust is earned every day.". Kaiser Health News is a nonprofit news service covering health issues. Leading the advancement of urologic education, research, and clinical care. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site. Urogynecology | University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics The same occurred at the second appointment, at which Dr. Birusingh performed a vasectomynot a circumcisionon Zaw. The mistake is confirmed by the Royal Liverpool University Hospital and Patrick Jones (@Patrick_E_Jones) confirms this isn't as rare as you'd think. montana frost depth map; Hola mundo! iowa clinic urology lawsuit. Your subscription makes work like this possible. Doctors and UnityPoint face off in court over - Iowa Capital Dispatch Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Two arrested for allegedly holding victim at knifepoint, Semi crashes, catches fire on I-80 in Dallas County, Rob Paulus with EveryStep joins Today in Iowa Saturday, Iowa women knock off Maryland, advance to Big Ten, Local lawmakers have one thing in common despite, Drake men win, UNI falls in MVC quarterfinals, Best athletic wear for kids joining baseball and, How to watch all the Oscar-nominated movies in style, Best smart home devices for older users, according, More than 2,000 kids compete in state archery tournament, Iowan honored for rescue of critically injured friend, Meet the Iowan who made St. Louis Gateway Arch a. POLK COUNTY, Iowa A Panora man was awarded more than $12 million by a Polk County jury on Friday after he underwent surgery by mistake. Iowa doctor's suit against insurer in $12M malpractice case shut down Attorney Ben Novotny, who represented Zaw in the case, disagrees, and said Zaw will ask the Iowa Supreme Court to review the decision. A non-English speaker who got a vasectomy he hadn't asked for will have to argue his case at trial a second time, the Iowa Court of Appeals has ruled. Support local journalism. IOWA CITY - The state has agreed to settle three University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics malpractice lawsuits by paying $3.7 million to three families, including one involving a Marion woman. Were not going to leave anyone high and dry.. Urology Services West Burlington, IA | Experienced Urologists They then check the patients electronic health record to confirm there are no messages, prescription refills or other recent contact with the new UW Health doctors and that patient at the previous job, said Kamnetz. But a physician's assistant claimed Zaw was fluent in English and mentioned getting a vasectomy, Harding said. Wittmack said the controversy there was tragic for patients. Those feedings, according to the lawsuit, caused aspiration pneumonia in her lungs. A Polk Countyjury last spring awarded a Panora man more than $12 million after he underwent debilitating prostate cancer surgery before learning he didn't have cancer. The payment to anIowa Clinic patient is at least the second in as many years awarded by central Iowa jurors. All rights reserved. (The Gazette). Trueblood, would you agree with me that your handling of (this) case, it was careless? Most disputes are settled before they make it to court, however. 23, 2022 at 6:56 PM PDT. The settlement benefits individuals who received a notice that their personal identifying information may have been compromised in an Urology Center of Colorado data breach between Sept. 7 and 8, 2021. Mayo Clinic reportsthat pregnancy rates after reversalsrange from 30% to 90, but the longer a patient waits, the lower the success rate. But the January 2016 surgery instead ended. On Nov. 23, however, the Iowa Court of Appeals remanded the case for a new trial, finding that one of Zaw's two major theories of liability was not supported by the evidence. Apr. Jury reaches $97.4 million verdict in Iowa City medical - KCRG Afterward, Huitt, 67, suffered incontinence and other serious side effects of the surgery, the lawsuit says. The clinic is continuing to recruit physicians and advanced practice providers like nurse practitioners. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. 19, 2019. Emailing us via this page is not an encrypted means of communication with our practice. Deputy Editor Clark Kauffman has worked during the past 30 years as both an investigative reporter and editorial writer at two of Iowas largest newspapers, the Des Moines Register and the Quad-City Times. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Ed Brown, the clinics CEO, said the noncompete agreements are not just about business but also help ensure that the Iowa Clinic can provide reliable services. How to Check Out a Doctor for Medical Malpractice - Verywell Health Shortly before an appointment, he found out the doctor had been fired and wasnt allowed to talk to him. 'Today, Ardeth suffers from neurological deficits, including significant memory loss, vision loss, and struggles with most cognitive functions, according to the lawsuit. They also saidtheir urology department is seeing more patients now than before the firings. 25 of the Best Urologists in Iowa, US | MediFind Moreover, documents from the doctor who referred Zaw to the Iowa Clinic show he was seeking a circumcision, Harding said. "I think there's probably a fair number of people in the United States that English is their native language, and if you said 'vasectomy,'theywouldn't know what you were talking about," Harding said. About Iowa Clinic: #1 in Des Moines Metro and top 3 in the state according to Wellmark, utilizing their internal measurement of quality and outcomes. I dont have any idea, the pathologist replied. We have been working to resolve this matter with the patient and his attorney for the past 12 months. Claim this business. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Five of the practices remaining seven urologists submitted their resignations amid the dispute, but are continuing to work. You will begin to receive ourDaily News updates. The state, UnityPoint and The Iowa Clinic have each submitted their arguments to a Polk County judge who has yet to rule in the case. Website. Urology Clinic. Following a multi-day jury trial, an Iowa medical malpractice jury was instructed to consider whether Dr. Birusingh was negligent in his communication with Zaw or in failing to obtain informed consent from Zaw. LANGUAGETECH was found to have no liability. The Iowa Clinic's West Des Moines Campus. For the past 25 years, the physicians who make up The Iowa Clinic and the hospital network known as UnityPoint Health-Des Moines have enjoyed a partnership that has resulted The Iowa Clinics cardiologists practicing at UnityPoint facilities, including Iowa Methodist Medical Center, Iowa Lutheran Hospital and Methodist West. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Thats why Iowa Capital Dispatch, a nonprofit, independent source for quality journalism, is working every day to keep you informed about what government officials are doing with your money, your freedom and your safety. Please notify office upon scheduling if you require an interpreter. Iowa man awarded $12 million after clinic misdiagnoses - Fox News The urologists believe they can make more money elsewhere, and they dont want to be held to any contractual responsibilities, he said. UnityPoint is now suing the Iowa Department of Public Health and the council, seeking not only judicial review of the councils rehearing denial, but a ruling that states the certificate of need should never have been issued. One survey of nearly 2,000 primary care physicians in five states found that roughly 45 percent were bound by such clauses. Blog - Urology Center of Iowa Does spotting a robin really mean spring is here? While we respect the legal process, we disagree with the jurys conclusion and will consider all available options. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Courts may weigh whether enforcing a noncompete clause would create a physician shortage in a particular region or specialty. To the extent that these agreements disrupt continuity of care and disrupt patient choice, this is of great concern to the AMA, said Dr. Patrice Harris, the organizations president-elect. by Clark Kauffman, Iowa Capital Dispatch August 11, 2021. Allegations the Iowa Clinic Inappropriately Pushed Orilissa Study on The suit cites a national report showing Iowa has the sixth-lowest supply of urologists per capita. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. He said he was satisfied with the care he received during that appointment, but he'sconcerned other patients will be forced to wait extra weeks or months for surgery because three top urologists are barred from practicing in the area. The 41-year-old mandad to three "delightful" children, according to his attorneyis not currently able to father any more children after Dr. Kevin Birusingh, then of the Iowa Clinic, performed a vasectomy when the patient thought he was getting a circumcision. Dr. Steven Rosenberg, MD | Urbandale, IA | Urology | Vitals Extended drainage duration, delayed surgical repair, claims of inadequate workup, and failure to supervise trainees were all significantly associated with an . Place quotation marks around the healthcare provider's name and follow this with keywords like "malpractice," "lawsuit," "sanction," "complaint," or "suspension." The state also has agreed to pay Robert Davis and his wife, Marie Davis, of Mechanicsville, $1 million after they sued UIHC, saying its providers 'negligently performed a spinal fusion resulting in significant neurological injury.. Language interpreting services available upon request. The state Board of regents has agreed to pay $15 million to settle a class action lawsuit with $11 million going to former and current employees from University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Trueblood said in the deposition that the scanner glitch hadhappened a few previous times during the thousands of cases she'd handled over about 10 years, but she had caught the previous errors. But on Friday, after this story first published, she released the following statement: "In 2017, one of our patients underwent unnecessary surgery because his normal pathology result was not correctly entered into his medical chart. Urology Services - Urology Center of Iowa The jury found Birusingh was 70% at fault in the case, according to the verdict form filled out by the jury foreperson. Murphy said she got a letter from Pothoven announcing her departure. Free and independent journalism is what keeps our public servants accountable and responsive to the people. The wrongful termination suit asks the court to declare the physicians' restrictive covenant provisions unenforceable. Department of Urology - University of Iowa Hundreds of central Iowa urology patients, including some who had just undergone cancer surgery, have been prevented from seeing their chosen physicians since the doctors were fired by the Iowa Clinic in September, the doctors say in a lawsuit. Several states, including Massachusetts and Colorado, that allow noncompete clauses in employment contracts generally wont enforce them against doctors, according to Clarks analysis. His urologist, Dr. Kevin Birusingh, however, was told Zaw wanted a vasectomy. The five other Iowa Clinic urologists who have submitted their resignations areBrian Gallagher, McCabe Kenny, Stephanie Pothoven, Ryan Schulte andTrevor Wild,their attorney,Paul Drey, confirmed to the Register. Follow the Register on Facebook and Twitter for more news. Directions. Huitt's lawsuit against the Iowa Clinic and Trueblood was filed in Polk County District Court in 2017 and is tentatively scheduled to go to trial April 1. All rights reserved. See reviews Hospital Satisfaction Site by Spinutech. Later in the deposition, Trueblood described the mix-up as a horrible situation, which she said was due to human error., Huitts lawyer asked: Dr. Zaw sued Birusingh and the clinic, which filed counterclaims against LANGUAGEtech, the company that provided interpreters for Zaw's appointments. Our urologists are experts in mens health, prostate cancer, womens health, pediatric urology and robotic surgery. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images). The verdict will be split evenly between the doctors office and Mercy Iowa City: $42 million for future medical or care expenses, $11.6 million for loss of future earnings, and $20 million each for pain and suffering and loss of function of the mind and or body. The patient, Rickie Lee Huitt of Panora, sued the Iowa Clinic, whose pathologist admitted mixing up tissue sample slides from Huitt and another patient in January 2017. Why didnt you catch it this time? Huitts lawyer asked her, according to the transcript. "If you create the problem, you should not get to benefit from the problem you create," he said.