After baby’s death, mother calls for changes at Salem Hospital

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – A Salem mother is calling for changes in procedures at Salem Hospital after her daughter died of meningitis.

Ginger McCall says her 7-week-old baby came down with a fever on March 15.

The Salem Statesman Journal reports the child was seen at the hospital emergency room and discharged, but hours later, her vital signs crashed. The baby died March 17.

McCall says her daughter might still be alive if someone had diagnosed the infection during her first emergency room visit.

She says she wishes she would’ve known to insist on a meningitis test or driven 90 minutes to a children’s hospital in Portland.

McCall says she’s hoping hospital staff in Salem will become better educated about meningitis symptoms.

Salem Hospital officials said they could not comment on the death because of privacy concerns.