Hotmail
Woman trapped in hospital elevator dies later
34-year-old patient was stuck for 3 hours; cause of death not disclosed
 | Health care videos |
 Health care fight over abortion funding Nov. 9: Controversy over health care reform may have shifted from public option to abortion funding. The Stupak amendment, tacked on the House bill, may affect even women using private insurers. NBC's Kelly O’Donnell reports from Washington. |
 | INTERACTIVE |
 | Dose of reality Do health care reform headlines leave you saying “huh?” Visit msnbc.com's guide to health reform and send us claims you'd like fact-checked. |
DES MOINES, Iowa - Procedures at an Iowa hospital are under review following the death of a patient who was trapped in a hospital elevator for nearly three hours.
Officials at Mary Greeley Medical Center in Des Moines say 34-year-old Tamela Sims died Sunday morning after being brought to intensive care from the emergency room. A spokeswoman says Sims’ condition was stabilized in the ICU, but she died a short time later.
The cause of death hasn’t been disclosed.
Sims’ mother says her daughter weighed more than 500 pounds and was claustrophobic.
The hospital spokeswoman says there was medical help and equipment in the stuck elevator, and that doctors were available through an elevator telephone and a ceiling outlet.
She also says the elevator’s inspection report was up to code.
- Discuss Story On Newsvine
-
Rate Story:
View popularLowHigh - Instant Message
MORE FROM HEALTH CARE |
 Health care Section Front |
| Add Health care headlines to your news reader: |
Resource guide