Profession
No criminal charges in Illinois ED death
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted April 9, 2007
Doctors say they are relieved that an Illinois state's attorney decided not to file criminal charges in connection with a woman's death in a hospital's emergency department waiting room.
"To do otherwise would have set a very bad precedent for all medical providers and would have had a chilling effect on our ability to attract the best and the brightest to the healing professions," said American College of Emergency Physicians President Brian F. Keaton, MD.
Beatrice Vance, 49, died of a heart attack in July 2006 while waiting two hours before being seen by emergency staff at Vista Medical Center East, Waukegan. The state opened an investigation into the incident after a coroner's jury in September 2006 ruled her death a homicide.
The Lake County, Ill., State's Attorneys Office in February determined that there was insufficient evidence to support criminal charges.
Attorney Allen N. Schwartz, who represents Vance's family, said they were in discussions with the hospital as they decide whether to file a civil medical liability claim. Vista Medical Center East declined to comment.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2007/04/09/prbf0409.htm.
