The family of Silver Cross Hospital president and CEO Ruth Colby, who died following complications of surgery last fall, is filing a lawsuit alleging negligence against University of Chicago.
On Feb. 14, Keith A. Hebeisen, partner at Clifford Law Offices in Chicago, filed a complaint against the University of Chicago Hospitals. and Health Systems and Dr. Husam H. Balkhy, according to a news release from Clifford Law Offices.
Balkhy attempted to repair Colbyâs heart valve on Sept. 25, 2023, with a minimally invasive robotic heart valve procedure, according to the release.
The UChicago Medicine website said Balkhy is âis a pioneer in the field of minimally invasive and robotic cardiac surgery.â
Several attempts were made to transition Colby off bypass following the procedure and Colby suffered severe heart failure, according to the complaint and news release.
Colby âwas transferred from the operating room to the intensive care unit in critical condition,â according to the release. Colby, 69, died on Oct. 15, according to the complaint and âwhile still in the care of the defendants,â according to the release.
David Chodak, Colbyâs son, is the plaintiff and the executor of her estate, according to the release.
[ Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox celebrates Ruth Colbyâs life and legacy ]
The complaint included a letter from an expert dated Feb. 12. The expert is a âpracticing board-certified cardiovascular surgeon and a board-certified trauma general surgeon, with additional prior board certification in surgical critical careâ and more than 40 years of surgical experience, according to the expert in the letter.
After reviewing more than 8,000 of Colbyâs health records, the expert wrote that Colbyâs death was âpreventable.â
The expert wrote in the letter that when complications arise during a robotic minimally invasive mitral valve repair, the standard of care is to switch to an open procedure and replace the valve.
âOur expert report states that Ms. Colby underwent the wrong procedure which was negligently performed,â Hebeisen said in the news release. âWe intend to get to the bottom of what happened because Ms. Colby did everything as she was advised and relied on this hospital and its doctor to properly treat her condition without her dying.â
Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox declined to comment.
Colby joined Silver Cross in 2005 as its senior vice president and chief strategy officer. She became became president and CEO of Silver Cross in 2017. Will County Stateâs Attorney Jim Glasgow previously said Colby was a powerful force in Will County yet extremely positive and âeasy to work with.â
[ Teaching and waitressing helped shape Ruth Colbyâs work ethic ]
Under Colbyâs leadership, Silver Cross developed strategic partnerships with the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, University of Chicago Medicine for cancer services and neurosciences, Rush University Medical Center for lung surgery and Lurie Childrenâs Hospital for pediatric services.
In August 2022, Silver Cross also opened the Amy, Matthew and Jay Vana Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Will Countyâs first and only Level III NICU. Colby worked with US HealthVest to build a 110-bed behavioral health hospital on the Silver Cross Campus, Silver Cross said.
The New Lenox Chamber of Commerceâs named Ruth Colby as the New Lenox Citizen of the Year at the chamberâs annual dinner on Feb. 15, 2023.
Jean Kenol, chairman of the Silver Cross board of directors, previously praised Colbyâs vision in a statement accompanying a news release from Silver Cross announcing Colbyâs death.
âRuth was a true servant leader and a driving force in transforming Silver Cross from a community hospital to a regional medical center and nationally recognized healthcare brand,â Kenol previously said. âShe was an inspiration to us all, was beloved by our hospital community and she loved them passionately in return. We will miss her terribly.â
Donald DeFrank, who married Colby in 2006, previously said Colby often took phone calls late at night because someone was worried about a relative who was just admitted.
Donald DeFrank, who married Colby in 2006, previously said Colby often took phone calls late at night because someone was worried about a relative who was just admitted.