Attorneys for BJC Medical Center, answering a malpractice suit filed against it and former surgeon Dr. Keith Ash, say the medical center did not contribute to or cause any of the alleged damages to the four plaintiffs.
The medical center seeks a jury trial and an assessment of costs against the plaintiffs.
The document was filed last week in response to a suit filed by Stephanie Floyd, Karen Hunter, Billy Ray Hawkes and Debra Kraft seeking actual and punitive damages for alleged malpractice by Ash.
The suit was filed June 10 in the Superior Court of Jackson County. Ash resigned as BJC’s surgeon June 9.
The primary allegations of the suit were against Ash; BJC was involved it its capacity as the institution that allowed Ash to perform surgery. The plaintiffs allege that the medical center failed to do its due diligence in checking Ash’s background and providing him staff privileges. They also allege that the facility engaged in “racketeering” by supporting Ash and Ash’s Commerce Surgical Associates.
The hospital’s attorneys denied all of those charges in a 35-page paragraph-by-paragraph response to the lawsuit. As for the allegations pertaining to Ash, his work on the plaintiffs and their diagnoses, the response was, in effect, that the hospital was not in a position to know whether the allegations are true or false.
Specifically though, the medical center denied that it began recruiting Ash in early 2003, that Dr. Ash was the only general surgeon on staff, that he continues to do surgery at BJC, that the medical center was in a financial deficit for several years prior to Dr. Ash’s arrival, that he was the reason the medical center’s financial condition turned around, that the medical center promotes him and his practice, that he “at times will perform five or more general anesthesia cases per surgical day,” and that the medical center and Dr. Ash were in a “joint venture.”
For the complete story on the BJC Medical Center answer to the suit, see the July 23 edition of The Commerce News.
I have had 2 babies, several minor surgery and major surgery at BJC but my trust was and is with my DOCTORS. The morning of major surgery, I wanted a shower but didn't have any hot water on the wing I was on. SHAME ON YOU BJC!!! After I had spoken with upper management I got a shower on a different wing of hospital. Now that is the beginning of what happen when I had major surgery at BJC. I spoke with Jan at hospital about ALL the problems while I was at hospital (there was a lot of problems).
My son has had major surgery at Athens hospital and still my trust wasn't in the hospital but the doctor. With my son I had to call his doctor when we checking out cause of a problem with hospital.
I don't know about everybody else but I put my trust with the doctor I go see not hospital. I will say again to WHO decided to do what they did to Dr. Ash, SHAME ON YOU!!! BJC staff, it is a shame when you get a doctor in here that people trust, you decide to act so cowardly. Why couldn't you stand up for him and then let him leave on his own? He was more than just a surgeon doctor he was all around good doctor that care about his patients. If I had something bothering me he ran test. He isn't God and didn't try to act it either. He ran test before he went at you with a knife. You know as good as I do that he was a surgeon and there would be lawsuits when you ask him to come to BJC. You know I could of went and seen a lawyer with what happen with me while I was at hospital but I didn't and like I told Jan, I would like to see BJC come back to what it use to be. The person that made the decision to force Dr. Ash to leave should be fired cause this person or persons has done mo
re damage to BJC and Dr. Ash.
Dr. Ash, I support you and I know that doesn't seem like much compare to what the hospital has done to you but hold your head high and stomp on through this old sinful world.
To everyone; lets all pray for him, his family and his office staff. Prayer is the most powerful thing and God knows everything.
Jean Baxter