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athos
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ER violating the patient Bill of Rights
« on: Aug 26th, 2004, 7:19am » |
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My last visit to the ER has pushed me over the edge of tolerating the way they deal with me. I only go to the ER when I have reached the end of my rope and I can no longer deal with the pain and hope that they can do something..... I am more often wrong.
Here are three separate visits to the same ER in Lake Havasu Arizona.
June of 03
Dr. Ward attending physician
I arrived in the ER at 2pm with cycle after cycle. The ER was relatively empty and there was no one in the waiting area. I registered, told them the problem and proceed to wait more than 3 hours before I was taken back. Normally the cycle would be over by then, but I was getting hit hard with cycle after cycle.
I spent another hour wait for someone to see me. The first person to see me was a med student. Med students are not qualified to make an accurate assessment as to the condition of a patient. I told him my story and he asked what has worked/not worked for me in the past. I told him that O2 does not work for me and either does toradol. Their is nothing that I have found that works as an abortive, and I am allergic to triptans.
An hour later the doctor came in. I told him that I had just move to Havasu and what my situation was. He then proceeded to give me O2 and toradol and an anti-inflammatory. He then proceeded to give me a lecture on chronic pain and told me that "I do not take pride in treating patients like you"! I waited there for another hour just pacing and pounding my head against the wall.
My wife came back to see what was taking so long. I told what had been said and she went to talk to the doc. Dr. Ward would not even look at her. He called me a liar about just moving down there because I had been seen in the ER 6 months prior. I had been there before on a trip down to Havasu to go to my step dad’s funeral. I got hit hard and went to the ER. My wife gave him what for and he still did not have the courtesy to even look at her. At 9 pm he gave me a shot of something that would help me sleep, by then the cycles had stopped and I went home.
Within a few days I complained to the administration about that visit.
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Oct 03
Dr. Ward attending physician
I did not wait at all. Went back fairly quickly and was attended to within 15 min. What happened next was kinda scary. They gave me the maximum shot of Nubain. Another nurse showed up within 3 min of the first one and gave me another shot... I was not sure what she was giving me, but it ended up being the same shot, another maximum shot of Nubain. Nubain is a narcotic. They had overdosed me.... They watched me for awhile to see what my reaction would be... They told me that they were sorry for ODing me... What happed next was I got one hell of a rebound HA that triggered another cycle.
I again complained to the administration.
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I have had several other experiences there. Sometimes treated with respect other times not.
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Aug 04
Dr. ??? attending physician
This time I had another problem as well as CH. This was when I my legs were buckling and I was falling 2-3 times a day.
It was not long before I was seen.... I was put in a room. I started to pace back and forth around the bed....
I fell and was able to get up fine. And I continued to pace back and forth. I fell again and hit my head very hard on the floor and just kind of laid there for a bit until my head was clear from the fall... The person I was with yelled for the staff to come in quick... The nurse, "Chuck", came in and said "Falling down will not get you seen any quicker!" Kind of pissed me off.
The doctor came in and told me that there was nothing that he could do. I told him that I want to get through this and that is why I am here. Knock me out, do what ever, I don't want to go through this anymore. I just want pain killers, I have plenty at home and they keep me awake... I am past the point being able to deal with it. He gave me 2 vicodin and a valium and sent me home.
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I am learning that I am not the only one this happens to. I have become good friends with the pharmacist and she told me that she hears a lot of people complaining about the treatment that they are receiving at the ER here in Lake Havasu. I am thinking of getting every one else that I can find, get their stories and file a class action suit against them.
Anyone have any thoughts on this?
--Ken
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Ronny
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Re: ER violating the patient Bill of Rights
« Reply #1 on: Aug 26th, 2004, 8:03am » |
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Hi,
Scary story,
I went to ER only once, i can't complain about it. The nurse did some tests and called a neuro, he came about 30 mins later and made an appointment the same afternoon in his office.
I think, after an experience like yours, i wouldnt go back there.
Ronny.
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vig
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Re: ER violating the patient Bill of Rights
« Reply #2 on: Aug 26th, 2004, 8:22am » |
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My ONLY ER story went like this...
Before I was diagnosed, I had a headache and the flu at the same time. I was taken to the ER and well, naturally they thought meningitis... so it's time for the Spinal Tap. Intravenous antibiotics and fluid because I was dehydrated was what they gave me. An hour after I got home, I was urinating blood. I went back to the ER. After the indignity of testing, they said I had prostatitis. I haven't gone back to an ER since, even when I needed to.
I don't trust doctors anymore.
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don
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Re: ER violating the patient Bill of Rights
« Reply #3 on: Aug 26th, 2004, 9:17am » |
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Just contact the regulatory agency that accredits ERs.
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don
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Re: ER violating the patient Bill of Rights
« Reply #5 on: Aug 26th, 2004, 11:29am » |
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Thats it Lizzie.
I went brain dead and couldn't remember.
Any one seen my drool cup?
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Lizzie2
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Re: ER violating the patient Bill of Rights
« Reply #6 on: Aug 26th, 2004, 11:36am » |
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LOL it's ok Don
I just gave that link to Athos the other night on MSN, so I had it bookmarked. 
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athos
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Re: ER violating the patient Bill of Rights
« Reply #7 on: Aug 26th, 2004, 11:39am » |
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I need to get responses from others that are local here... I think that it will be more effective if there are a dozen of us than just 1
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Gator
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Re: ER violating the patient Bill of Rights
« Reply #8 on: Aug 26th, 2004, 11:53am » |
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on Aug 26th, 2004, 11:39am, athos wrote:| I need to get responses from others that are local here... I think that it will be more effective if there are a dozen of us than just 1 |
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I agree. 1 person might be seen as a whiner or a hard to please crank exaggerating the problem. Numerous people filing complaints would definitely carry more weight.
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Lizzie2
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Re: ER violating the patient Bill of Rights
« Reply #9 on: Aug 26th, 2004, 11:58am » |
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Technically the info you have is plenty enough for a complaint that will weigh merit, but I can see why you'd want to have more than just yours included. Give me a bit to resolve my current insurance situation (on the phone right now!) and I'll reread what you wrote because I think I had a few ideas.
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Cerberus
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Re: ER violating the patient Bill of Rights
« Reply #10 on: Aug 26th, 2004, 10:20pm » |
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There is some sort of monitoring board that regulates quality of care and has something to do with how much money that hospital gets based on complaints and grieveances...dunno what it is called but someone posted an heirarchy of hospital complaints thread sometime not too long ago...
Ramon
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OneEyeBlind
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Re: ER violating the patient Bill of Rights
« Reply #11 on: Aug 26th, 2004, 10:26pm » |
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Don, your drool cup is at my house ...... I'm using it. I have no clue.
Good luck with whatever you try and do Athos !!!!!!!!
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Samantha_Smith
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Re: ER violating the patient Bill of Rights
« Reply #12 on: Aug 27th, 2004, 4:47pm » |
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Call your state's Attorney General's Office, tell them you wish to file a complaint against a medical doctor and ask them to give you the telephone number and address of the Board of Professional Regulation. (That's the Board that oversees license's to doctors, nurses, real estate agents, etc.) They can take disciplinary action against the doctor(s) or nurse(s) who harmed you. It's a long, hard process, but I've been through it and it works. I didn't win any money, but I walked away with my dignity, reputation, and a knowledge that I, the patient, have rights!
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Charlie
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Re: ER violating the patient Bill of Rights
« Reply #13 on: Aug 27th, 2004, 10:22pm » |
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I still think we need an ID card such as epileptics and the like use. You never know and at the worst, it won't work.
Horrible stories 
Charlie
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