We have heard rumors about this… Physicians refusing to treat families who have filed medical malpractice cases. We often thought it would be the attorneys denied care first, but sadly, we were wrong. READ HERE.
MALPRACTICE FINDING AGAINST WICHITA CLINIC PHYSICIAN
Clinic barred family after suit
BY RON SYLVESTER
The Wichita Eagle
When Karie Zimmer challenged one doctor at Kansas’ largest medical clinic, the rest of the physicians refused to treat her and her family.
Zimmer, a Wichita police officer, suffered a life-threatening punctured artery during surgery at the Wichita Clinic.
A Sedgwick County District Court jury recently found the doctor, Jeannine Cobb, at fault and awarded Zimmer more than $140,000 in medical malpractice damages.
What the jury didn’t hear during the eight-day trial earlier this month was that the Wichita Clinic continued to treat Zimmer and her family for nearly two years — until she filed the lawsuit in August 2005.
Zimmer said a vascular surgeon called her to cancel an appointment at one of the Wichita Clinic’s offices. Days later, she received a letter from the chief medical officer.
“Based on this we find it necessary to sever our relationship with you,” Robert Kenagy wrote, referring to Zimmer’s lawsuit.
“This means we will no longer provide services to you or any member of your immediate family at any Wichita Clinic location,” read the letter dated Nov. 11, 2005.
Because the city’s health insurance limited her to the Wichita Clinic, Zimmer said her family was without medical care for about six weeks.
Kenagy told The Eagle that Zimmer isn’t the only patient to receive such a letter after filing a lawsuit against the clinic.
WOW – anyone think healthcare is a “right” – think again!