In 1994, the Georgia State Planning Agency notified the architect designing Atlanta Women’s Medical Center in Atlanta, Georgia, that plans for its two-story late-term abortion clinic needed to include an elevator.

The clinic’s owner, HUMEDCO Corporation, which runs a chain of three abortion clinics, claimed it would be too expensive to add an elevator and requested a waiver.

The Georgia Department of Human Services granted the waiver, through August 31, 2005. It went on to grant another waiver, through August 31, 2012.

The terms in both cases were that AWMC had to notify prospective patients of the stairs, escort recovering patients down the stairs, and also notify 911 operators that there was no elevator in the event of an emergency.

Meanwhile AWMC raked in the cash, between $3-3.5 MILLION every year from 2008 to 2011.

On October 20, 2011, an ambulance was called to AWMC (for what later turned out to be a perforated uterus)….
 

 … which triggered an unannounced visit from the Georgia Department of Community Health, because ambulance personnel were delayed in helping the patient due to the stairs, plus (click to enlarge)…
 

 Investigators also found incomplete charting and defective sterilization equipment. The clinic administrator told investigators s/he had, in fact, specifically instructed staff not to escort recovering patients “for staff safety after a staff member became involved in a patient-family altercation at discharge.” (Lovely business, abortion.)

In fact, GDCH has received numerous complaints over the years.

Yet, despite the fact AWMC had failed to follow any of the stipulations of its elevator waiver, GDCH did not revoke the waiver and merely instructed the clinic to start doing so.

In addition to violating this waiver, AWMC let a separate waiver lapse in 2010 for a rule requiring a licensed nurse to stay on the premises at all times during two-day abortion procedures.

Now AWMC is applying for another seven year waiver for an elevator. And in three documents filed with the state, it has covered up the October 2011 incident and the findings of the GDCH investigation.

In a July 17 letter to GDCH, AWMC attorney Elizabeth J. Appley (pictured right) either lied outright or passed on a lie she was fed:

… the Atlanta Women’s Medical Center can confirm compliance with each aspect of the waiver conditions, and shows that the health, safety and care of patients has not been compromised and that no adverse consequences have occurred to any patient related to the absence of an elevator….

At least one escort has accompanied each patient down the stairs upon discharge….

Ambulance services used by Atlanta Women’s Medical Center are notified of the Center’s second floor location….

Since our move to this location in May 1994, the Center has not experienced any advserve incidents regarding the waiver and  no compromise in patient care and safety….

The application also lied:

AWMC has met all requirements of the waiver since 1994 years [sic] without any incident or adverse consequences to patient care.

… as did the abortionist, Kenneth M. Twiddy (pictured right), in his July 17 letter to GDCH:

I have not seen a compromise in patient care, nor have any incidents related to stairway access been noted.

ACTION: Click to view a sample letter and email addresses for Brian W. Looby of the Georgia Healthcare Facility Regulation Division, and Sharon Dougherty and Blake Fulenwider of the Georgia Dept. of Community Health, stating an objection to giving yet another waiver to AWMC.

AWMC claims an elevator would cost $1 million. Forcing this dangerous back alley abortion mill to install an elevator and provide proper nursing care to patients will either slow it down or shut it down. Over half its patients are African-American.

[HT: Ichabod via Bryan Kemper of Stand True; photo of Appley via Facebook; photo of Twiddy via Vitals.com]

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