In Brief: Cleveland VA Settles Lawsuit; GTCR Closes Deal For Correctional Healthcare
Cleveland VA Hospital Settles Medical Error Lawsuit
The Cleveland VA Medical Center has settled a lawsuit after the death of a patient who underwent a routine hernia surgery.
During the procedure to repair the hernia by a relatively inexperienced surgeon, 59-year-old Dewey Wise's bowel was perforated. The nick went undiscovered for several days. Wise later died of a related infection.
The Cleveland VA will pay Wise's widow $500,000 to settle the case.
"Sadly, these types of mistakes happen far too often. If only this surgeon had followed simple safety rules that are put in place to
rotect the patient, then this whole tragedy could have been avoided. Hopefully, having pursued this case will protect other veterans,” said Craig McLaughlin, the Cleveland-area attorney who represented Wise's wife, Barbara Wise.
GTCR Closes Deal For Correctional Healthcare
“We are excited to begin a new relationship with an equity partner committed to our growth,” stated Doug Goetz, chief executive officer of CHC.
“We believe GTCR’s established track record investing in the healthcare industry...will help CHC to realize its growth potential across the full breadth of correctional care.”
As part of the transaction, Dale Wolf, the former CEO of Coventry Health Care, will become CHC's executive chairman. Wolf's firm, Jessamine Healthcare, assisted in the crafting the deal.
Altogether, Correctional provides managed healthcare services to more than 64,000 inmates in 250 jails and prisons in 26 states. It also provides mental health services to more than 20,000 probationers.
GTCR, which was founded in 1980, has invested in a variety of healthcare firms. Altogether, it has invested $10 billion in more than 200 firms.
Presence Medical Group Names New CEO
Howard Drenth has been named to lead the large Chicago-based medical group that was created out of the merger of Provena Health and Resurrection Health Care.
Drenth was named as chief executive officer of Presence Medical Group on Jan. 7. He was previously vice president of physician services at Kettering Health Network in Dayton, Ohio. He will oversee a group with more than 300 physicians and 90 locations in Illinois.
Prior to that, Drenth had a management stint at BayCare Health Systems in Florida, where he served as a regional director.
Presence Medical Group is owned by Presence Health, the 12-hospital system created through the 2011 merger of Provena and Resurrection. The system has more than 100 sites where it provides healthcare services.
