Ward v. Summa Health System

{¶ 1} This case involves a patient who may have contracted a blood-borne disease from a health-care provider during a hospital stay. The issue for our review concerns the patient’s ability to obtain discovery to determine the source of his exposure.

I. Case Background

{¶ 2} In May 2006, appellee Donald Ward underwent a procedure to replace his heart valve at Summa Health System (“Summa”). Five months later, Summa notified Ward that he may have been exposed to hepatitis B during his time at Summa. After he tested positive for the virus, Ward and his wife filed a complaint against Summa and John…