A lawsuit filed by Steve Schwarz’s daughter claims that his doctor at an inpatient care home in Iowa discontinued life-saving antibiotics for the deadly bacterial infection MRSA, leading to her father’s death.
Schwarz, 67, underwent spinal surgery in March 2020 and was prescribed doxycycline to treat MRSA. However, after being discharged to a care home, his doctor, Dr Michelle Sprengelmeyer at Cedar Manor, allegedly failed to follow instructions and discontinued the medication.
As a result, Schwarz’s infection spread rapidly, and he was rushed back to the hospital three weeks later with severe symptoms. Despite medical attention, he died four days after his return to the hospital on June 22, 2020.
The lawsuit claims that the care home’s failure to administer the antibiotics contributed to Schwarz’s death. A jury recently awarded $1.65 million in damages to his daughter, Heather Barrett, due to the alleged negligence.
MRSA is a serious bacterial infection that kills approximately 11,000 Americans annually and can be life-threatening if not treated promptly with powerful antibiotics. Studies suggest that about 80% of patients treated for MRSA after spinal surgery survive.
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-14284721/iowa-father-dies-doctors-failed-antibiotics-bacterial-infection-NEW.html