Tulsa Woman says Lack of Care at Emergency Room resulted in Baby Dying

Tuesday, February 22nd 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

30-year-old Tonja Hurd called E-M-S-A and went to the Hillcrest Hospital emergency room Saturday night. She was bleeding and having stomach cramps. She was also five months pregnant. She does not have insurance. Hurd says the doctor questioned her about why she came by an ambulance, instead of by personal transportation. She does not have a car. "He said it cost $1,000 to ride in an ambulance and that if I couldn't pay for it, it would go somewhere else and other people would have to pay for it,â€ Hurd said. â€œHe didn't think it was fair that I couldn't pay for it."

Hurd says the doctor did not give her an exam and he could not do an ultrasound, because the machine wasn't working. She says he told her she had a bladder infection and gave her a prescription for an antibiotic. She left for home three hours later. "When they sent me home, he had to go get a wheelchair and take me back to E-R, because I was still in pain," she said.

Hurd says the bleeding and pain only got worse and her husband called the hospital twice. She says the doctor told her to call back in an hour, if she had bled a certain amount. Shortly later, she lost the baby while she was in the bathroom. The baby fell into the toilet. Hurd says they wrapped up the baby and called 9-1-1. He was flown to another hospital, where he later died.

Hillcrest told the News on Six that any woman more than 18 weeks pregnant is sent to labor and delivery for assessment. The doctor who had assessed Hurd was an O-U medical resident, so we should contact the O-U Medical School.

Doctor Dan Plunkett with O-U told us Hurd's records indicate she did have a urinary tract infection. The baby's heart beat tones and heart rate were normal, and Hurd's blood pressure was normal. Hurd has named her baby and plans to have a graveside service at the end of the week. "I'm having a rough time dealing with it,â€ she said. â€œIt's hard."

Hurd plans to request her medical records from Hillcrest and hopes to get answers to her questions. Plunkett said a senior resident who must sign off on any decisions or diagnosis supervises all medical residents.