Did MercyOne buck Catholic teachings in malpractice case?
MercyOne Medical Center (formerly Mercy Hospital) is part of Catholic Health Initiatives-Iowa. In a recent medical malpractice case, they made an un-Catholic argument that the death of an unborn baby is not the same as the death of a person when determining damages.
The Iowa Capital Dispatch reports:
“In Iowa, court-ordered awards for noneconomic losses stemming from medical malpractice are capped at $250,000, except in cases that entail the “loss or impairment of mind or body.” Attorneys for the CHI and MercyOne hospital are arguing the cap on damages still applies in cases where the “loss” is that of a fetus or unborn child.”
William Joensen, Bishop of the Diocese of Des Moines issued the following statement in reaction to this story:
I was surprised and dismayed by what I read in a news story about our local Catholic hospital taking a legal position that appears to contradict Catholic Church teaching. I can understand any confusion of readers. Let me be clear: the Catholic Church believes and advocates the foundational truth that life begins at conception and ends at natural death; and that each and every human life – born or unborn – has inherent dignity and, therefore, must be treated with the respect due to a human person.
I have reached out to leadership at MercyOne and have confirmed that the case involves the interpretation of terms such as “patient” in the context of a specific law that is applicable to the case. In no way does the interpretation of that law change or diminish MercyOne’s commitment to Catholic Social Teaching with respect to life and dignity.
We continue to pray for the family involved as they mourn the death of their daughter and for a just outcome for all involved.
“Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person – among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church , #2270)
Resources for learning more about the Church’s teaching on respect for human life: