Correctional Physician Fails To Provide Inmate Proper Post-Operative Treatment

Case Overview

Although the plaintiff underwent successful surgery, it was alleged that the prison physician did not provide the plaintiff with the appropriate post-operative care. According to the surgeon, the plaintiff required a sling for additional shoulder support. However, the patient was only given a soft cast. Within a week after the operation, the patient became injured again and sustained more serious complications which took him months to recover from. It was alleged that the correctional medical director did not sufficiently review the plaintiff’s records and failed to provide the plaintiff with the appropriate treatment. An expert in correctional medicine was sought to review the plaintiff’s post-operative treatment plan and opine on liability and causation.

Questions to the Internal Medicine expert and their responses

Please briefly describe your experience in correctional medicine.

I have experience working as the medical director of a correctional facility and treating patients with this type of injury.

Can you speak to the proper communication procedures that must occur between the correctional medical staff and the treating orthopedic staff as it relates to post-surgical care?

It is imperative to communicate the proper procedures between medical staff and the treating orthopedic staff. It is understood that this is a vulnerable patient population. Compliance with post-operative orders may prove difficult either because of facility limitations or perhaps patient mood disorders or even guard interference. It is extremely important that the correctional physician focus on the standard of care and use the post-operative orders as their guide.

About the expert

This highly qualified expert in primary care and family medicine has over 20 years of experience in her field. She earned her BA in chemistry from Seton Hall University, her MS in clinical investigation from Case Western University, and her MD from New Jersey Medical School. After completing her residency in family medicine at Mountainside Hospital, this expert went on to complete a prestigious clinical fellowship in family medicine at the University of North Carolina. She also completed an internship in multidisciplinary clinical research at Case Western Reserve University and two prestigious research fellowships in family medicine clinical research and in cancer prevention research & education at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, respectively. She is active in her field as a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians and the North American Primary Care Research Group. She is well-published, active in research with several millions of dollars in grants, and has presented both nationally and internationally. She is currently a faculty physician in family medicine at a major university-affiliated medical center, the associate dean of curriculum integration and an associate professor of family medicine at a regional medical school, and an assistant professor of family medicine at a highly-regarded university medical center, all in Ohio.

E-007216

Specialties:

Internal Medicine

Dr. Wendy Ketner is a distinguished medical professional with a comprehensive background in surgery and medical research. Currently serving as the Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs at the Expert Institute, she plays a pivotal role in overseeing the organization's most important client relationships. Dr. Ketner's extensive surgical training was completed at Mount Sinai Beth Israel, where she gained hands-on experience in various general surgery procedures, including hernia repairs, cholecystectomies, appendectomies, mastectomies for breast cancer, breast reconstruction, surgical oncology, vascular surgery, and colorectal surgery. She also provided care in the surgical intensive care unit.

Her research interests have focused on post-mastectomy reconstruction and the surgical treatment of gastric cancer, including co-authoring a textbook chapter on the subject. Additionally, she has contributed to research on the percutaneous delivery of stem cells following myocardial infarction.

Dr. Ketner's educational background includes a Bachelor's degree from Yale University in Latin American Studies and a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) from SUNY Downstate College of Medicine. Moreover, she is a member of the Board of Advisors for Opollo Technologies, a fintech healthcare AI company, contributing her medical expertise to enhance healthcare technology solutions. Her role at Expert Institute involves leveraging her medical knowledge to provide insights into legal cases, underscoring her unique blend of medical and legal acumen.