Alton Memorial Hospital Ratings & Violations

Alton Memorial Hospital is a 209-bed “not for profit” medical center providing cares and services to residents of Alton and Madison. The facility is located at:

One Memorial Drive
Alton, IL 62002
(618) 463-7300

https://www.altonmemorialhospital.org/

In addition to providing emergency and surgical care, the facility also offers other services to the community that include:

• Birthing center
• Diabetes management center
• Breast health services
• Vascular heart center
• Digestive health center
• Neurology services
• Laboratory services
• Wound Care
• Sleeping disorder center
• Pediatric care
• Orthopedic services
• Nutritional counseling
• Imaging center
• Pain management
• Senior care

National Rankings

Comparing Alton Memorial to other U.S. hospitals and medical centers, this facility maintains an overall “B+” score, ranking it in the 64^th percentile. The calculated ranking involves publicly available data that includes patient satisfaction, patient flow, cost efficiency and reported complications. Lower scores are often indicative of a high percentage of medical errors and mistakes occurring at the Medical Center.

Like all hospitals, the emergency department at Alton Memorial must have a smooth patient flow to ensure that every individual receives quick treatment by either admitting the patient to the facility or sending them home without delay. However, the incoming patient flow at this facility ranks in the 40^th percentile. In addition, the facility also ranks in the 22^nd percentile of frustrated patients who leave the facility’s emergency room dissatisfied.

That said, the discharge patient flow rate – a measurement of how efficient the facility is that treating less sick patients – ranks in the 96^th percentile in the admitted patient flow – a measurement of how efficient the facility provides treatment to sicker patients – ranks in the 85^th percentile. Overall, the patient satisfaction throughout the entire facility ranks in the 67^th percentile.

Illinois State Designations

Alton Memorial Hospital maintains three specific state designations that include:

• Perinatal II – As a level II perinatal facility, the hospital as a part of the state’s Regional is Perinatal System. This program was designed to enhance the outcome of perinatal at risk issues involving childbearing women and their newborns. The program incorporates coordinated efforts involving nursing, medical and ancillary services to meet the need of all pregnant women who have potential complications during delivery. While the facility does not provide a neonatal intensive care nursery or special care unit, all care is provided by a neonatologist who receives specific training in sub-specialty care.
• Emergency Department Approved for Pediatrics (EDAP) – The hospital’s EDAP recognition distinguishes this medical center from others for its effort in providing essential capabilities and resources to ensure that the emergency and critical care requirements of injured and seriously ill children are met. It does this by providing cares and services by specially trained professionals in following established treatment protocols in handling abuse, critical injured, and injured children. The designation means that the hospital participates in the Illinois emergency medical system and provides optimal around-the-clock emergent care to pediatric patients.
• Baby Friendly – This designation means that the facility is part of the UNICEF Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative first and procedures and protocols in educating and communicating the healthcare benefits of breastfeeding. The facility informs mothers of effective ways to breastfeed and how to initiate the process in the baby’s first hour. The nursing staff is trained to foster ongoing breastfeeding support through group activities after the mother has been discharged from the facility.

Patient Safety Concerns

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) monitors inpatient quality indicator data collected by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) that involve patient safety concerns at facilities statewide. For 2015, this hospital’s patient safety concerns involved:

• Accidental Laceration and Puncture Rates – The risk-adjusted rate of 19.91 per 1000 or 3.0 out of 117 patients was nearly 20 times higher than the Illinois state average rate of 1.03 per 1000 patients. The state recognized that this rate was “statistically significantly worse than the state’s average.”
• Abdominal Wall Surgery Wound Complications – The risk-adjusted rate of 4.51 per 1000 or 1 out of 6394 patients was nearly 3 times the Illinois state average of 1.5 per 1000 patients. The state recognized this rate was “statistically significantly worse than the state’s average.
• Unexpected Deaths – The risk-adjusted rate of 0.54 per 1000 or 1 out of 1317 patients was more than twice the Illinois state average of 0.22 per 1000 deaths.

Sample Medical Malpractice Claims & Settlements Against Alton Memorial Hospital

$910,000 Verdict; Illinois Medical Malpractice Case.

Here, a medical malpractice case was brought against a hospital and some doctors after a young woman died. The woman sought treatment against Alton Memorial Hospital. She had pain in her throat and chest. Staff directed her to intensive care around noon. However, it was not until around six at night that she was seen by the doctor. By that time, she had an aortic aneurysm and was on the verge of death. Doctors attempted recovery but they were unable to save her. Her family brought suit. The defendant doctor replied that he believed the woman was considering another physician for consultation. However, this was unsuccessful in court. The jury found for the plaintiffs to the tune of $910,000 as against that doctor. Another doctor and the hospital itself were found blameless by the jury.

$450,000 Verdict; Illinois Medical Malpractice Case.

This lawsuit was brought on behalf of a couple after the man was given the wrong die prior to surgery at Alton Memorial Hospital. Staff were prepping him for a myelogram. They negligently put dye into his spine. This had a number of significant complications. It affected his ability to walk, breath, and make love as well as other things. The defendants admitted mistakenly injecting the dye. They also claimed they tried to fix the problem once they found out. Also, they replied to many of the plaintiffs’ claims by saying the man’s problems pre-dated this incident and were exaggerated. These arguments did not fare well in court. The jury awarded the plaintiffs $450,000 for suffering, pain, lost normal life, medical bills, and emotional trauma. They did not recover anything on their claim of lost consortium.

Alleged Surgical Malpractice Leads to New Suit

The plaintiff brought this case in Illinois after undergoing surgery at Alton Memorial Hospital. Doctors determined that she had acute cholecystitis. They prepped her for lap-choli operation. Allegedly, doctors committed surgical error during the procedure. The woman claimed the surgeon cut the wrong part of her body, did not convert the procedure, and did not refer her to the right doctor so that she could get the damage undone. She is seeking compensation for the damage that these surgical errors did to her including pain and bills. This case awaits resolution.

Wrongful Death Case Brought after Woman Injures Herself

Here, a sixty-year old woman fell down and injured herself. Eventually the injuries she sustained in this tumble took her life. She was survived by her three children. The accident occurred at Alton Memorial Hospital. Prior to her arrival, she had been diagnosed with carcinoma and encephalopathy. These conditions meant she was at risk for falls. Despite this fact, staff allowed her to walk around her room unattended. When she did this one day, she fell down and injured her head. As previously mentioned, her family claims this caused her death. They are seeking compensation for this tragedy and the pain, loss, and expense that came with it. This lawsuit has not settled or reached a jury decision yet.

Alton Illinois Medical Malpractice Lawyers

If you and your family believe your loved one has suffered injuries or harm from medical malpractice while a patient at Alton Memorial Hospital, contact Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC now. Allow our skilled Alton personal injury attorneys to file and successfully resolve your medical mistake case that caused your loved one harm.

Our law firm can file all the necessary paperwork for compensation claim at the appropriate courthouse. In Madison County, the courthouse is located at:

P155 N. Main St.
Edwardsville, IL 62025
(618) 692-6240
Circuit Court Clerk Mark Von Nida

Schedule your free, no-obligation comprehensive financial claim review today by calling our Madison County medical malpractice law offices at (888) 424-5757. We accept every negligence recompense claim through contingency fee arrangements. This means our legal fees are paid only once we have negotiated an out of court settlement on your behalf or have successfully resolved your recompense case in a court of law.

Sources:

• BJC HealthCare
• Alton Memorial Hospital