Almgren v. Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center

Cheryl Almgren sued Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center for malpractice based in part on the acts of Dr. Renee Mehlinger, a psychiatric resident who treated plaintiff at the hospital. Plaintiff brings an interlocutory appeal from an order permitting defendant’s attorneys to have private discussions with Dr. Mehlinger.

On March 30, 1986, Dr. Mehlinger issued a pass to plaintiff, who was then a psychiatric in-patient in defendant’s care, authorizing plaintiff to leave the hospital. According to the complaint, while plaintiff was out on the pass, she wandered aimlessly in a psychotic…