Opinion ID: 1997101
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Last Act of Negligent Treatment Continuum

Text: The second question which had to be resolved in the case sub judice, part two of the Ewing inquiry, was the date of the last act in the alleged negligent continuum of treatment by Dr. Gallagher, prior to Dr. Casscells' office visit with Ogden on July 28, 1987. An answer to that inquiry also calls for an objective analysis. Benge v. Davis, 553 A.2d at 1184. The last act which commences the running of the statutory period of limitations, in a claim based upon continuous negligent medical treatment, must be an affirmative happening or event. Id. at 1185. However, an act of omission can be a valid basis for plaintiff's medical malpractice claim, if that act of omission occurs within the context of an affirmative happening or event. Benge v. Davis, 553 A.2d at 1185 n. 6. [6] A determination of what act or omission in this case properly answers the second inquiry required by the Ewing rule, involves the application of two important precepts. First, the act or omission must be a form of medical treatment and not a ministerial function. Second, the act or omission, which is the focus for statute of limitations purposes under the doctrine of continuous negligent medical treatment, is limited to the last act of treatment in the alleged negligent continuum, not the last act of any treatment. Ewing v. Beck, 520 A.2d at 663. Accord Benge v. Davis, 553 A.2d at 1183. Ogden contends that Dr. Gallagher's recommendation to obtain a second opinion constituted an affirmative act which was a part of the continuum of negligent medical treatment. According to Ogden, once that recommendation was made, Dr. Gallagher had an obligation to forward all of Ogden's medical records to the health care provider selected by Ogden for that purpose. Consequently, Ogden characterizes Dr. Gallagher's failure to forward the medical records to Dr. Casscells as a continuing act of omission, which occurred within the context of the affirmative act of recommending that Ogden receive a second opinion. Ogden contends that Dr. Gallagher's failure to forward the medical records to Dr. Casscells, especially Dr. France's radiology report, constituted the last act in the alleged continuum of negligent medical treatment. The statute of limitations began to run on Ogden's claim on the date of the last act of medical treatment in the negligent continuum preceding a consultation with an independent health care provider. If Ogden is correct and Dr. Gallagher's failure to send Ogden's medical records was such an act, as an omission, it continued until July 28, 1987 when Ogden met with Dr. Casscells. Thus, the statute of limitations began to run on that date. Consequently, the complaint which Ogden filed on July 19, 1989 would not be barred by the two-year statute of limitations. Dr. Gallagher contends that he was not involved with any medical care or treatment of Ogden after July 9, 1987 and before July 28, 1987. According to Dr. Gallagher, any contact he had with Ogden on July 15, 1987 was solely for the essentially clerical function of getting records moved from one place to another. Dr. Gallagher submits that if there were any flaws in the administrative details of forwarding Ogden's medical records after July 15, 1987, such flaws had nothing to do with Ogden's treatment. Alternatively, Dr. Gallagher asserts that, assuming arguendo, there was any medical negligence in the delay of forwarding Ogden's records to Dr. Casscells, such negligence would not be part of what was alleged to be the continuum of the negligent treatment of Ogden's left leg. [7] The Superior Court found that Dr. Gallagher's recommendation to Ogden to obtain a second opinion was not a part of the alleged continuum of negligent medical treatment. The Superior Court found that the purpose of having Ogden obtain a second opinion was not to assist Dr. Gallagher in his treatment of Ogden, but instead was to permit Ogden to determine whether to pursue the surgery which Dr. Gallagher had recommended. The Superior Court also found that any delay in the mechanical forwarding of records by Dr. Gallagher was unrelated to the treatment of Ogden's condition. Consequently, the Superior Court held that Dr. Gallagher's last act in the alleged negligent continuum was his office visit with Ogden on July 9, 1987.