Inmate, prison guard stuck to MRI machine at unregulated site
Journalists in Arizona uncovered a previously uninvestigated incident that happened at a SimonMed Imaging center in Avondale, Arizona, involving an inmate and a prison guard who both became stuck to an MRI machine.
According to ABC15, despite SimonMed being one of the largest imaging chains in the country, its operations in the state are not regulated, meaning the state was unable to investigate the incident. The inmate, Lacey Windust, suffered injuries severe enough to require an emergency room visit.
During a routine MRI scan in May 2022, a SimonMed technologist made a critical error, instructing the guard not to remove the metal shackles around Windust's waist. This mistake resulted in Windust being stuck to the inside wall of the MRI machine, where she says she immediately experienced excruciating pain as the metal shackles crushed her.
The prison guard attempted to intervene but ended up stuck himself when his gun came into contact with the machine.
Despite their pleas, several minutes passed before someone hit the emergency shutoff button. Windust sustained injuries, including a deep cut on her hand, bruises, and imprints from the shackles.
According to journalists covering this story, SimonMed's own incident report revealed that employees waited for a lead engineer to arrive on the scene before taking action. None of the 60 SimonMed locations in Arizona are regulated by the state health department due to an exemption granted to the company, the report noted. The exemption was reportedly granted based on the fact that the chain is “physician owned.” However, journalists are questioning how the company can make that claim given the number of locations, especially after SimonMed received a significant investment from a private equity firm that now has a large ownership stake.
In response to the report, the Arizona department of health is reviewing SimonMed's exemption and says it will ensure the facilities have all of the necessary licenses. SimonMed provided a statement to reporters emphasizing its commitment to patient safety and compliance with the law.
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Chad is an award-winning writer and editor with over 15 years of experience working in media. He has a decade-long professional background in healthcare, working as a writer and in public relations.