Hosptal horror stories

[larryJ]

Last Tuesday, I took a spill and was pretty sure my wrist was broken and I had banged my head on the concrete driveway causing a deep cut.  I went to our closest hospital for emergency treatment.  At this point, I had more or less stopped the bleeding on my head.  When I went in I was the only one in the waiting room and went directly to the admitting desk where a young lady took my information.  My forehead began to bleed again and I asked for something to hold on the cut.  She handed me some tissues. There I sat for twenty minutes until a triage nurse called me in for information. By this time,the tissuse was used up and I asked for more.  I was given some gauze pads. I was then taken to a treatment room.  The next person I saw was the finance person to sign the papers.  The next person I saw was the cleaning lady mopping the floor.  After two hours, i tried to attract some attention and was told someone would be with me shortly.  After a few more minutes, I went to the admitting desk, had her cut off I.D. tag, and told her to tear up the paperwork.  I told her I was going somewhere else to get help. I went to the next hospital and had all my prolems taken care of within an hour.  My head required six stitches and my left wrist is broken.  As if the lack of treatment wasn't bad enough, (and here is the horror part) today. I received a bill for a $50 co-pay from the first hospital!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I haven't had to type and peck leltter in a long time

[Wilma]

I kind of know how you feel.  Just kind of.  I sat so long in the doctor's office one day I was about ready to tell them I would come back when I was feeling better.

[Joanna]

That's just horrible!
Next time let me send my Mom with you. You may still have to wait a while, but the people in charge will be at least as uncomfortable as you are by the time she gets through with them...  Love that gal!

[Teresa]

You know? When I read that.. it just makes me furious!
What is our world coming to?!
Are people so programmed and desensitized that we as a human race lack compassion or feeling for anyone who is standing in front of us bleeding??!?

I am appalled and disgusted that a hospital or doctors office would do this... but I imagine that there are MANY in this category.
Good thing I wasn't there.. I might have made as ass out of myself.. but they would have known how I felt. and the 50$??
HA!! When pigs fly and hell freezes over....

Now!
With that said, I will finish my glass of milk and take the rest of my handful of vitamins and go to bed. ! 

[Bonnie M.]

That is a really bad experience.  I would imagine that you at least wouldn't be responsible for the $50.00 co-pay.  There was a story in the paper out here recently saying a couple had won a case where they'd sued the hospital for their baby getting no care in the emergency room, and, from what they said, while they were begging for help and attention, the baby died!

When I was back in Kansas about a year and a half ago, I had the worst attack of Vertigo that I'd ever had.  Those of you who have experienced Vertigo, will understand.  I was staying at the Silver Bell Motel in Longton, and was back there to attend the funeral of my 100 year old Aunt.  We'd just been back there for her 100th. birthday, so when she died a month later, I flew back without my husband or daughters going with me.  My sister and brother-in-law were there, so they took me to the Emergency room in Independence, about 4:00 in the morning.  I am here to tell you, that I was so well taken care of, and treated so nicely, that I could never sing their praises enough!  After some IV's and "whatever they did," they let me stay there and sleep, while the rest of the family attended the funeral.  I will always be grateful for their treatment of me.  So, this is a reverse sitution than the one Larry J. told us about!  There's hope!

[Diane Amberg]

Larry, I'm so sorry you had such a bad experience.  I don't understand why you had to wait so long if the ER was quiet. Since you did hit your head, that should have flagged quicker treatment!   Perhaps you should have told them you passed out for an unknown period of time.  Since you did fall hard enough to break your wrist, it was not an insignificant event.  You absolutely do have the right to complain to the ER administrator and the hospital administrator, unless they are separate.  Perhaps if there were serious cases that had come in by ambulance through another door I could understand the wait, but they should have told you.  I taught EMT classes for 32 years and one of the things I always stressed was that although we take hundreds of hours of training to be able to take care of people, there are no classes on how to be a victim.  Our patients have no idea what to expect, what normal care is or how long things should take.  We teach our EMTs to maintain "concerned neutrality."  You care, but you can't let yourself be overcome, or you can't function.  There can be a very fine line between concerned neutrality and desensitization.  People will long remember if they were treated with kindness. You were not treated correctly!

[larryJ]

FIRST FOLLOWUP  Thanks for caring and sharing. Yesterday I hunted and pecked a letter to the finance office to explain what had occurred.  During the night I thought it would be better to go there and talk to them in person.  I went this morning and asked for an itemized list of the services they had done.  When my file came up on the computer, the lady looked confused briefly and then printed out my request.  It showed a charge for level 1 care for $271 for talking to the triage nurse.  Then she informed me that all the services rendered had not been entered into the system yet.  I almost had to laugh, but managed to keep a straight face.  I told her not to hold her breath because that wasn't going to happen.  I pointed out that the insurance company might balk at paying two different triage nurses on the same day.  So stay tuned, folks, this could be a real page turner.  Oh, as for the $50 co-pay, that is how our insurance works.  If you are admitted overnight then the co-pay is not necessary.  Thanks again!  larry

[Dale Smith]

Sorry that you had to go through this.  Just thought I'd add my 2 cents.  My horror storry... which still irritates me to this day.   Two years ago, my mother fell down the stairs, while visiting at my sister's home, in Texas.  Luckily, she only broke her wrist.  While the services at the hospital weren't bad, what I do have a problem with is our Medicare system.  All my life, I have always heard that if somebody hurts themself at my house, my insurance has to pay.  So, when Mom fell down the stairs, at my sisters home, my sister immediately said that we should file a claim against her insurance.   While that was a task in itself... here is the kicker.  Don't know how many people know this,   BUT, when/if you ever get a settlement from the insurance company, did you know that any money you receive is required, by law, to be paid to Medicare to reimburse them?  To hell with the 20% or more that you have to pay out of your already meager funds.  I just can't imagine how someone that only has their Social Security to live on is supposed to survive in today's world.  I've written to my Congressman plenty of times to voice my corcerns over this situation.  I guess maybe if she had been an illegal immigrant, she would have had full medical care AND gotten to keep the insurance settlement.  What a crazy system!

[Wilma]

No, I didn't know that.  Hope I can remember it if the situation arises.  No need to collect on someone else's insurance if it is going to go to Medicare anyway.  I'll let Medicare pay for it and if they want, they can try to collect on the other person's insurance.

[flo]

another horror story - sort of - Several years ago I had a Dr. appt. and was on time, but still had to wait 2 hrs. which was normal and expected.  Even the 30 min. or longer you wait AFTER you are taken back and put in a room.  A nurse came in and told me there was a small child just came in with a broken leg and Dr. was going to cast it before he seen me.  I was fine with this and just picked up a magazine to read while I waited some more.  After about an hour, (it was an afternoon appt) things seemed to be getting pretty quiet out in the hallway.  I waited a few minutes then opened the door and looked out.  The office lights were off and some of the help was in a back room talking and laughing.  I went back there and immediately heard "oh, my gosh, I forgot and Dr. has left.  I'll call him back"  and my reply was "don't bother, this was for my blood pressure and as mad as I am, if I haven't had a stroke by now, I probably won't" and I immediately left.  I didn't get a bill, which was a good thing.