A Short Rant About Medical Care

[Dawico]

What damages are they going to sue for? What harm or potential harm has occurred? Patient was not checked on for 20 minutes? This is Texas, and the laws don't support such frivolous lawsuits like other states.

You want to find another transfusion center would be the easiest way to let them know your displeasure, and will hurt the business. Sorry about your sister, Benenglish, but I would keep the big picture in mind.

You can view pictures, right?

While not life threatening and hopefully not permanent, somebody should still be held accountable for negligence.

Like stated above, we don't really know if this is a common occurrence or once in a lifetime sutuation. But either way, somebody should have to answer for it.

Might be the nurse, might be their supervisor, might even be those that make the hospital policies.

 

[benenglish]

A few details to help people flesh out their arguments, if they want to make arguments. (That was not my intention, btw. I just needed to vent.)

• This was a stand-alone infusion center, not a hospital.
• This infusion center has a main office and a small satellite office; we were at the satellite office.
• The nurse was literally the only employee in the place.
• Yes, it's a HIPAA violation but I was able to overhear the nurse on the phone. Apparently, the workflow in their business is for the back office at the primary location to handle insurance BUT when questions/snafus occur, this nurse can deal with problems. She was literally trying to get cancer medicine approved for someone with an income below the poverty line. She was dealing with an insurer (I get the impression it was some state-funded program) who wanted a financial statement to prove the inability of the patient to pay. The nurse was advocating on behalf of the patient, telling the person on the other end of the phone exactly which forms were required, which were not, and insisting that the payer was already in possession of all the documentation legally required. It was clear to me that the nurse knew the forms and procedures involved like the back of her hand. As far as I was concerned, she was doing God's work and trying to save a life.
• Despite the previous bullet, I still blame the nurse for not monitoring closely enough. It was the nurse who initiated the phone call, apparently because she thought she had some downtime. She had seen my sister blow blood vessels before and she should have known that she did NOT have downtime.
• The injury to my sister is completely painless and cosmetic. It still looks awful.
• The disfigurement will last (best guess) about a year.
• Neither my sister nor I intend to sue anyone. Our minds could be changed but at the moment we are considering less drastic mechanisms of complaint.

 

[benenglish]

What damages are they going to sue for?

Probably none, because neither of us is inclined to sue anyone. However,...

What harm or potential harm has occurred?

...I consider that a serious disfigurement that will last a year rises to the level of "harm".

 

[Hoji]

That's what back office staff is for, not the nurse that is actually providing care. It's inexcusable, and everyone involved that it was "only" iron discoloration. I'd be looking for some medical licenses to nail to my wall.

I'd maybe be thinking about nailing something a little more substantial than a medical license to the wall.

 

[Dawico]

Probably none, because neither of us is inclined to sue anyone. However,...
...I consider that a serious disfigurement that will last a year rises to the level of "harm".

That is more or less how I feel about it.

I am not saying run out and sue for millions, but do enough to try to be sure this or worse will not happen to the next patient.

 

[AustinN4]

Probably none, because neither of us is inclined to sue anyone. However,...
...I consider that a serious disfigurement that will last a year rises to the level of "harm".

There needs to be consequences.

 

[Vaquero]

There needs to be consequences.

The consequences of a legal suit would likely be the closing of the satellite office and a much longer travel for Ben and his sister for future treatments.

 

[jrbfishn]

I can understand Ben's points. Better staffing would be a good thing.

sent from an idgit coffeeholic

 

[AustinN4]

The consequences of a legal suit would likely be the closing of the satellite office and a much longer travel for Ben and his sister for future treatments.

What is the point of having a place nearby if that is the type of "care" one gets there. Maybe not a lawsuit, but some consequences need to occur. Maybe just a strong letter the the supervising Doc, but something.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

Go back and ask for the manager.
When they go to shake your Sisters hand, I'm sure they'll ask what happened.
Tell em....

 

[Army 1911]

20 years ago, my wife was in a car wreck and left in a coma for a little less than a month. She was not supposed to survive the night, then she wasn't supposed to wake from the come, then she wasn't supposed to be able to get out of a wheel chair, then she wasn't supposed to walk again. She is the poster child for over achievement.

However, when she was at the re-hab hospital, I noticed that she got more re-hap and better re-hab when I was there. And I was there as much as possible.

I always watch what they do with her except I didn't go into the operating room when she had breast cancer 10 years ago. You have to let those medicos you are there and watching.

 

[TheDan]

let's remember that mistakes happen regardless of the field!

If I make a mistake at work, a client and/or my employer might lose some money. If a medical professional makes a mistake someone might lose their life.


Individual accountability is ever present, but I mostly blame the situation on the system. Customer service has gone down dramatically in doctors' office while it's getting a little better in other industries. The insurance industry using the government tools is mostly responsible for this.

Just wait until the bastards refuse to accept your medical insurance, send you away, but advise that if you bring CASH, they'll help you! GGGGRRRRR!

It's gotten to the point that the only place you can get top notch care is at the ones that have refused all insurance. Not having to deal with all the crap that comes with trying to get paid through a third party allows them to actually focus on their job and you as a client.

 

[benenglish]

It's gotten to the point that the only place you can get top notch care is at the ones that have refused all insurance. Not having to deal with all the crap that comes with trying to get paid through a third party allows them to actually focus on their job and you as a client.

My mother once had a (minor) bad experience at a doctor's office. After we left, she said something about customer service not being what it should.

I told her "I'm sure they serve their customers just fine but you're not their customer. The customer of any business is the one who pays. The customer of the doctor's practice is the insurance company. The patient is just an incidental distraction."

I realize and explained to her at the time that my statements were glib and not entirely true. Most doctor's and nurses don't view things that way. But I'll never forget the sorrowful look that came over her face as she slowly realized that there was a kernel of truth to what I had said.

 

[Schutz]

Yup that's bullshit. Prayers

 

[dustoffjoe]

I really hate to hear this, not to discount the mistake but healthcare workers are being crunched everyday, staffing is being cut more and more and nurses and doctors are basically being told to do more with less.