Bridgeport (Conn.) Hospital has been awarded a $9.2 million penalty for malpractice in the case of a 72-year old patient who contracted MRSA and experienced a 75-day hospital stay as a result, according to a report from CT Post.
The patient in question, then 65 years old, was admitted to Bridgeport on Oct. 3, 2007, for a urinary tract infection. Following the administration of multiple overdoses of blood thinners, the woman developed a clot for which she had to undergo emergency surgery. After the surgery she contracted MRSA, because of which she had to have part of her shoulder removed. A subsequent failure of one of her surgeries caused her to become permanently wheelchair-bound.
The penalty will pay for the patient's medical care and her pain and suffering, according to the report.
As a result of the incident, Bridgeport has developed a comprehensive program for prevention of medication errors.
It is unclear at this time whether the hospital plans to appeal the trial verdict, according to the report.
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