Ford v. Saint Francis Hospital, Inc.

Beasley, Judge.

Ford entered Saint Francis Hospital for heart surgery, including a double bypass graft and an aortic valve replacement. During surgery he contracted a nosocomial (i.e., acquired in the hospital) staphylococcus infection of the aortic valve which required a second operation to replace the valve and to insert a pacemaker, which resulted in numerous other negative consequences. Ford and his wife sued the hospital, alleging several claims but not including professional malpractice.

The complaint’s basic contention is that Saint Francis maintained a dirty environment in and around…