A woman is suing Bend, Ore.-based St. Charles Health System after a medication delay that allegedly caused her to experience a stroke in late 2021, according to court documents obtained by the Bend Bulletin.
The plaintiff, Jessica Du Moulin, was prescribed medication after experiencing a stroke in January 2021. The lawsuit alleged that when Ms. Du Moulin tried to renew her prescription in October 2021, she was told there were no more refills. She had about a week's worth of medication on hand.
When she returned four days later, there was still no refill available but the pharmacy gave her six pills, according to the lawsuit.
Ten days after her first visit to the pharmacy, St. Charles contacted Ms. Du Moulin and apologized for the delay, the suit alleges. She received more medication after two days of going without it, and on the day she picked up the refill, she experienced a second stroke.
Ms. Du Moulin is seeking $999,500 in damages from St. Charles — plus two physicians, one physician assistant and a pharmacy — for the pain, emotional distress and discomfort she has felt since late 2021. Her suit was filed Oct. 13 in a county court.
"We take all patient concerns seriously and investigate as warranted," a St. Charles spokesperson told Bend Bulletin. The system also told the news outlet it has not fully investigated the lawsuit yet.
Becker's has reached out to St. Charles Health System and will update the story if more information becomes available.