Chapter 3 - THE MEDICAL RECORD THAT BELONGED TO TWO BABIES
Morgan did not argue.
She called 911 because Ava’s breathing had become shallow and fast.
Diane followed the ambulance to Nationwide Children’s Hospital while Morgan drove behind with Lily. In the emergency department, nurses placed the babies in separate rooms.
Ava had bronchiolitis and dehydration. She needed breathing treatments and observation, but the physician said she was stable.
The larger problem appeared when staff opened the electronic chart attached to the hospital band.
Lily Hale’s record showed four medical visits Morgan had never attended.
One urgent-care appointment for a fever.
One pediatric visit for poor weight gain.
One chest X-ray.
One prescription for an inhaled medication.
The recorded weights moved up and down by nearly three pounds between visits.
“Babies don’t lose and regain weight like this without someone noticing,” Dr. Elena Brooks said.
Morgan sat with Lily asleep against her chest.
“That wasn’t my daughter.”
A hospital compliance specialist joined them. She explained that the records could not simply be deleted. Each visit had to be reviewed, separated, and reassigned to the correct patient.
Until then, any doctor treating Lily might rely on medication, allergy, or growth information belonging to Ava.
Morgan thought about the antibiotic she had refused two weeks earlier after the pediatrician mentioned an allergy Morgan had never reported.
She had assumed it was a charting mistake.
It had been a warning.
Diane waited in the hallway, calling Rachel repeatedly.
Rachel finally answered after midnight.
Morgan put the call on speaker.
“Where are you?” she asked.
Rachel’s breathing was uneven.
“Is Ava okay?”
“You left her dressed as Lily.”
“I didn’t have a choice.”
“You used Lily’s name at the hospital?”
Silence.
Morgan asked again.
Rachel began crying.
“Mom said nobody would get hurt.”
Diane turned away.
Morgan looked at her.
“How many times?”
Diane said nothing.
The compliance specialist asked whether Morgan wanted the hospital to contact its social-work team and the county caseworker connected to Ava’s prior injury.
Diane grabbed Morgan’s sleeve.
“Please don’t.”
May you like
Morgan removed her mother’s hand.
“Call them.”
