Iturralde v hilo medical center usa summary

Describe the Case Worksheet

Issue (What facts and circumstances brought these parties to court?)

● Who are the parties in this case: plaintiff and defendant?

Plaintiff: Arturo Iturralde (Estate) &

daughter/caretaker Rosalinda

Defendant: Hilo Medical Center USA & Dr.

Ricketson

● What facts and circumstances brought these parties to court?

Hilo Medical Center admitted Arturo Iturralde because the patient complained of frequent falls and bilateral legs weakness. Upon diagnosis, the orthopedic physician, Dr. Ricketson, diagnosed the patient degenerative spondylolisthesis L4–5 with stenosis and booked a spinal fusion surgery. The medical equipment kits meant to conduct the procedure were not available at the hospital, so they were ordered from Medtronic. Upon their arrival, the inventory staff attendant failed to record them. Despite Dr. Ricketson being informed about this mistake, he decided to continue with the operation as scheduled. Failure to locate the appropriate rods needed to stabilize the spine; the doctor became impatient of the 90 minutes it would take for them to be brought and as an alternative used a screwdriver that was in the kit. The patient was not informed and later discharged home with permission to drive and advised to follow up on weakly therapies. While at home, the rod broke and the patient required a fresh operation. The caretaker present took the pieces of the fractured screwdriver to the lawyer because her supervisor would want to disclose why the leading operation was unsuccessful. Later, the patient kicked the bucket after experiencing many complications after the operation had taken place.

● Is the court deciding a question of fact—i.e., are the parties in dispute over what happened?

Or is it a question of law—i.e., is the court unsure which rule to apply to these facts?

The court was deciding a law issue. The law issue is whether the hospital and the doctor responsible were careless enough to cause the death of the patient.

● Which facts of the case raise issues?

Three states were against Dr. Ricketson license on professionalism disciplinary orders before joining Hilo Medical Center.

Dr. Ricketson declined the delivered two rods by the Medtronic supplies amid the medical procedure in the emergency clinic.

The medical attendant watching did not report before the patient started complaining about the adverse results because he was operated with a screwdriver.

● What are the nonissues?

Out of the many falls the patient experienced, it led to the breaking of screwdriver bar.

● Other

Modified from http://www.lawnerds.com/guide/irac.html