Can this document be checked for plagiarism/AI? This is my own work. Citation at the end included.

In the case, Kromphardt v. Mercy Hospital, the Kromphardt's who are parents of a newborn sued Mercy Hospital, Dr. Jill Goodman, and OB-GYN Associates of Iowa City, alleging medical malpractice for negligence in the care of their newborn. The baby suffered irreparable brain damage and cognitive effects due to the negligence of the hospital and Dr Goodman from the delivery. As Mehaffey states: Kathleen Kromphardt was admitted into Mercy Hospital on August 11th, 2018, with painful contractions and fetal distress, which occurs when the baby does not have enough oxygen to the brain. The Kromphardt's alleged that the hospital's negligence in their failure to administer the proper treatment and transfer the patient to a higher level of care facility, resulted in the child suffering permanent brain damage. Further, due to the resulting brain damage, the child will not be able to walk or speak by himself and will need 24-hour care.

The question is whether Mercy Hospital and Dr. Jill Goodman demonstrated negligence in caring for baby during and after birth. The parents claimed the hospital failed to provide proper treatment and a timely transfer to a higher level of care, leading to the infant's brain injuries. The hospital is negligent as they failed to respond to the baby when it showed signs of oxygen deprivation, which led to the baby being diagnosed with the permanent brain injury. Further, in the treatment of the baby, the hospital and Dr. Goodman failed in their care by using forceps and a vacuum, which led directly to the skull fracture and brain hemorrhaging. The principles of patient autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence was violated in this case due to the failure of the hospital and medical staff to provide appropriate medical care, directly resulting in harm to the Kromphardt's baby. The hospital and Dr. Goodman's negligence violated the trust of the parents and caused direct harm to the baby.

The jury found the hospital guilty of medical negligence, awarding the parents nearly $98 million in damages, which covers past damages for the child's medical care and the suffering and pain for the child and family. Mercy Hospital and OB-GYN Associates were found to each be 50 percent at fault in the case.

The court determined that the hospital and medical staff's care fell below the expected standard based on the trial evidence provided. As well, the court found the hospital and staff liable for their failure to meet the acceptable standard of care as determined by various medical experts. Further, medical expert testimonies revealed improper management of the infant's condition, failure to follow treatment guidelines, and a delayed transfer to a higher level of care, which could have prevented the brain injuries.

This particular case featured all of the elements necessary for a negligence suit. The hospital's duty of care to the patient was breached, which resulted in lifelong harm for the child. The case raises concerns on the relevant ethical principles like patient autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. The principle of autonomy was violated when the Kromphardt's were denied the right to be involved in the decision-making for their baby. Further, the hospital's negligence caused lifelong harm, which directly contradicts the principle of beneficence. The hospital and Dr. Goodman breached non-maleficence by causing direct harm to the patient. Lastly, hospital, Dr. Goodman and OB-GYN Associates did not provide fair equitable care, while still profiting from their mistakes and errors, which violates the justice principle. Unfortunately, for the Kromphardt's and their child, this case illustrates the stark consequences of medical negligence.

REFERENCES

Mehaffey, T. (2022, March 22). Jury awards nearly $98 million in Baby Brain Injury Case. The Gazette. https://www.thegazette.com/crime-courts/jury-awards-nearly-98-million-to-iowa-city-parents-of-newborn-left-with-brain-injury/