Woman says HIMG didn't provide proper treatment

HUNTINGTON -- A woman is suing Ultimate Health Services, Inc., after she claims it and one of its physicians failed to properly care for her while she was in the hospital.

Ultimate Health Services is doing business as Huntington Internal Medicine Group.

Dr. Terance W. Triplett was also named as a defendant in the suit.

On Sept. 25, 2010, Stephanie Ward was admitted to St. Mary’s Medical Center under Triplett’s care with abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea, according to a complaint filed Sept. 24 in Cabell Circuit Court.

Ward claims on Sept. 27, 2010, as part of the anticoagulant management, Triplett ordered her dose of Coumadin to be held pending surgery the next morning.

On Sept. 28, 2010, Dr. Tim Robarts performed a cholecystectomy on Ward at St. Mary’s Medical Center and the day after surgery, while still in the hospital, an order was given for Ward to receive 40 mg of Lovenox and 1 mg of Coumadin, according to the suit.

Ward claims upon discharge and before the Lovenox was given, the order was suspended by another order directing her to receive 5,000 units of Heparin and to resume Coumadin upon discharge.

On Sept. 29, 2010, Ward was discharged from the hospital and the following day, she presented to Triplett’s office complaining of loss of vision, according to the suit.

Ward claims a nurse practitioner evaluated her and, after a telephone consultation with Triplett, ordered Aspirin and Coumadin with a PT and INR level to be done the following morning. She claims a CT scan was also ordered, which was negative for bleeding.

Triplett scheduled Ward to meet with an optometrist later that day, but the optometrist attempted unsuccessfully for nearly two hours to obtain a reading of Ward’s eye function, but was unable to do so and therefore, could provide no care or treatment, according to the suit.

Ward claims on Oct. 1, 2010, she sought treatment from an ophthalmologist, who was concerned about her rapid loss of vision and ordered an MRI and referred her to a neurologist.

Triplett failed to exercise reasonable and prudent care in his treatment of Ward in failing to properly manager her Antiphospholipid Syndrome in relation to a cholestectomy procedure performed while she was in the hospital, according to the suit.

Ward claims Triplett failed to appropriately and timely monitor and treat her Antiphospholipid Syndrome and failed to follow the proper guidelines for the management of the disease following her discharge from the hospital after the cholestectomy.

As a direct and proximate result of Triplett’s negligence, Ward has suffered injury and blindness, which is permanent and a severe condition, according to the suit.

Ward is seeking compensatory damages with pre- and post-judgment interest. She is being represented by William L. Mundy and Richard Weston.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge David M. Pancake.

Cabell Circuit Court case number: 12-C-638