Urgent Care Network Terem Ordered to Pay 736,000 Shekels for Appendicitis Misdiagnosis
The Haifa Magistrate's Court recently ruled that the urgent care clinic network Terem must pay 736,000 shekels to a 50-year-old woman due to negligence in diagnosing appendicitis. In October 2019, the woman arrived at Terem's Nahariya clinic suffering severe abdominal pain and vomiting. After a physical examination, she was given intravenous painkillers, and the doctors ruled out appendicitis, releasing her home. However, her pain persisted, and three days later she was admitted to Rambam Medical Center, where a ruptured appendix was diagnosed.
Following the rupture, the woman suffered complications including bowel obstruction and required multiple surgeries, including removal of the appendix and gallbladder. She filed a lawsuit claiming the urgent care doctors should have conducted a more thorough evaluation, including blood tests and an abdominal ultrasound, rather than relying solely on a physical exam. Terem argued it acted according to accepted medical standards and that her symptoms did not indicate acute appendicitis at the time. They also claimed her disability was only 10% and unrelated to the initial event.
The court accepted the opinion of a medical expert who stated that blood tests should have been performed to rule out appendicitis, as they would likely have shown signs of acute inflammation. The expert concluded that the delayed diagnosis caused the appendix rupture, blood infection, and bowel obstruction. Judge Hadar Masouri emphasized that the standard of care for doctors at urgent care clinics must be the same as for those in hospitals or health maintenance organizations, rejecting Terem's attempt to lower the standard due to the clinic setting.
The court ruled Terem must compensate the woman for her damages, deducting 5% for contributory negligence because she delayed seeking further medical care despite severe pain. The judge noted her ongoing symptoms include chronic diarrhea, severe abdominal pain, extreme weakness, and frequent fainting, significantly impairing her quality of life. Her functional disability was assessed at 20%. After deductions, she was awarded approximately 610,000 shekels for lost wages, assistance needs, and other damages. Terem was also ordered to cover her legal expenses, totaling about 126,000 shekels including VAT.
