Woman dies in hopital waiting room

[Edwina's Secretary]

Micheal Moore has just released his next waste of celluloid, "Sicko".

So you've seen it RICHARD??????? What was your least favorite part?

[RICHARD]

So you've seen it RICHARD??????? What was your least favorite part?

taking emergency workers to Cuba to prove that they can get 'better' care.

Of course xuncle Fidel will roll out the red carpet for them, Please.

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Liz,

Did you know that there are "laws/rules" set up that limit the time that you spend in a hospital for any illness?And if you develop complications from that illness and overstay the insurance company will not pay?

Also, at the HMO I worked at, It was known that the docs HAD to discharge sick people because the hospital would not get paid.

There are some OB/GYNs who refuse to deliver babies because malpractice insurance is too costly.

I guess you haven't seen any commercials asking for sick people to call a toll free number to get in on a class action lawsuit?

Companies like Merck, Baxter U.S. Surgical spend thousands of dollars on the "HILL" trying to get exemptions to their products. And when they are put into circulation and fail the lawyers take over and the costs are passed on to the consumers.

BTW, Please don't ask, I do not know what I am talking about.

[Edwina's Secretary]

But did you see it RICHARD?

[RICHARD]

But did you see it RICHARD?

I saw a clip. not interested in Hi School Journalism.

[lizbud]

Richard, As one who has worked inside the hospital "system" for a long
time, I would think you have a lot to say about what goes on behind
the scenes. I've never had trouble with hospital care, but I've always had
insurance coverage too.

[lizbud]

I wonder if Sicko will win as many awards as his last film? He can always
get people talking about any subject thats for sure.

[RICHARD]

Richard, As one who has worked inside the hospital "system" for a long
time, I would think you have a lot to say about what goes on behind
the scenes. I've never had trouble with hospital care, but I've always had
insurance coverage too.

It takes one incident like this to erase thousands of times where people have taken an extra step to insure someone's health.

Here is another tidbit about healthcare.

Should you ever have a problem in a hospital setting, for example, there is an error in what medicine you are given-either the wrong one or the wrong amount- you might have a reaction..


THAT is what the note in your chart may say.
But, another form called something like an "Unusual Occurrence" report will be filled out and sent to a Quality Assurance department.

In big bold letters at the top of the form it states something like....

"DO NOT FILE WITH PATIENT CHART- DO NOT COPY - SEND TO QA DEPARTMENT"

It might describe a nurse at a shift change not paying attention to what they are doing..They make a mistake-but you have a "reaction".

------------

A resident surgeon who accidentally cuts a patient's vein, causing that patient to die on the OR table has the same form filled out.


The family is told that the patient had complications during the procedure.

[Marigold2]

Did this woman's family speak to her family physican, did anyone in her family speak to a Dr directly or a nurse? Why didn't her family pick her up off the floor?

[Edwina's Secretary]

Did this woman's family speak to her family physican, did anyone in her family speak to a Dr directly or a nurse? Why didn't her family pick her up off the floor?

Marigold...with a due respect...did you read the article? This is a county hospital. I doubt she had a family doctor. In this type of setting you see whatever doctor is next.

She and her family BEGGED for help.

I am going to assume that when you are dying and in HORRIBLE pain because your feces are pouring into your abdomenal cavity from the rupture in your bowel....sitting up in a plastic chair is less comfortable than lying down...for which the floor was her only choice. There aren't many chaise lounges in the waiting room at a county hospital.

Her husband as well as another patient waiting to be seen both called 911 -- who could do nothing for the reasons mentioned.

[cassiesmom]

Did you know that there are "laws/rules" set up that limit the time that you spend in a hospital for any illness?And if you develop complications from that illness and overstay the insurance company will not pay?

Also, at the HMO I worked at, It was known that the docs HAD to discharge sick people because the hospital would not get paid.

I'm an insurance nurse. I can't avoid responding to this post.

Should you develop complications from an illness and "overstay" it is inaccurate to say that insurance will not pay. The reason that you are in the hospital changes. Example: if you have an appendectomy and then come down with pneumonia - you have stayed in the hospital because of the pneumonia, not necessarily the appendectomy. There are many factors that go into determining how claims are paid. The only situation I know of where a claim is outrightly not paid is if the patient's insurance is not effective - if their plan has lapsed. Otherwise it MUST be looked at before we can determine if it will or won't be paid.

Insurance never tells doctors that their patients must be discharged because the physician or hospital is at risk of non-payment. The decision to discharge a patient is ALWAYS between the physician and the patient. This is not the first insurance I have worked for and my previous employer had the same practice. We don't force patients out of the hospital.

The whole issue of how people without health insurance do (or do not) receive health care makes me so MAD! I'd like to climb up to the top of the Sears Tower and scream. That wouldn't do any good, though. I think this sad case just adds to the argument that something has to change.