Woman dies in hopital waiting room

[Edwina's Secretary]

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

And again Moore chooses not to tell the story, he parks his moron arse in the middle of the it.

Just so we are clear....the opinion expressed is based on seeing "a clip" and what the accusedly-biased media has said...

Just so we are clear....

[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?

[RICHARD]

Just so we are clear....the opinion expressed is based on seeing "a clip" and what the accusedly-biased media has said...

Just so we are clear....

Let's see, MM walking and talking to the camera,
MM making statements that have no merit to them.
MM being MM.

I'd rather watch Oprah clips.

[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.

[Cataholic]

I heard/read something recently that really made alot of sense to me.

Health CARE is a "right".

Health INSURANCE is a "priviledge".

When we start making excuses for what the people inside the ER did, our problem is evident. It doesn't matter if this person was from mars, to die in an ER, when prevention was two feet away is a crime.

Oh, but wait! They have the tort system to fight the good fight still...right?

Oh, but wait! Tort (de)form took that away from them too.

[sandragonfly]

not more than nine months ago, a girl with a really bad blood infection who just had lost her medical insurance because of moving (oh, from state to another) admitted into ER only with 10% chance of living.. she was crawling fragile in pain and in her vomit puddles, doesn't matter if it was blood or not. or waiting three days at home of hoping I'll feel better matters either.

and what if I died in those 8 hours of waiting? oh well, just because they thought I abuse the hospital.

there are some honest people out there, do have a feel about all this - three sides. I am tired of hearing hospital's defenses as well too.

[Edwina's Secretary]

Let's see, MM walking and talking to the camera,
MM making statements that have no merit to them.
MM being MM.

I'd rather watch Oprah clips.

I just think reviews should be given by people who have actually SEEN the movie. I haven't so I won't make a comment on the merits of the movie or of MM's comments.

I have some videotapes of Oprah's show. Shall I send them to you?

[Marigold2]

The woman's boyfriend did not speak English? Was there anyone around that did understand what he was trying to say? Could the patient speak English? I would hate to think that she was ignored like that. I cannot believe that not just one but many people walked away from her and left her to die. Perhaps they thought she was drunk or on drugs. Perhaps they had more urgent cases they had to tend to first. I don't think we have all the info here. I work with nurses and dr's everyday and I have NEVER met any who would knowingly ignore a patient who is suffering and in pain. Lets wait till we have all the facts before we place blame. I have seen the Dr I work for in tears over a patients death or illness. And what of all the nurses. Did they all walk away from her as well, why, why would they do that?

[Catlady711]

And what of all the nurses. Did they all walk away from her as well, why, why would they do that?

That's sorta like asking why people murder, steal, set fire to things, beat people up, do drugs, etc. For many things there is just no answer, or at least not an easily acceptable answer.

[wombat2u2004]

That's sorta like asking why people murder, steal, set fire to things, beat people up, do drugs, etc. For many things there is just no answer, or at least not an easily acceptable answer.

There's no comparison.
A nurse has a duty of care.
Wom

[Marigold2]

Wombat you are correct. This is not on the streets, this is in a hospital. I have NEVER met a nurse who would act this way.

[RICHARD]

I just think reviews should be given by people who have actually SEEN the movie. I haven't so I won't make a comment on the merits of the movie or of MM's comments.

I have some videotapes of Oprah's show. Shall I send them to you?

First of all you are asking me to admit to seeing an illegally downloaded clip....so I won't give you any more reviews.


CM,

The HMO I worked for was so into "getting people turned around" because of the fed payments.

They were so hung up on the DRG rules that they would literally ask doctors to get people out-plus, we had "Code Census" calls over the paging system....that meant the docs had to discharge patients because there were no beds in the place.

[Edwina's Secretary]

I don't think we have all the info here. I work with nurses and dr's everyday and I have NEVER met any who would knowingly ignore a patient who is suffering and in pain. Lets wait till we have all the facts before we place blame.

As described in the article...there is a videotape of the whole incident... of hospital personnel..including nurses...watching her...cleaning up AROUND her...ignoring her. Oh yes...they did call the police to remove her.

Not wanting to believe it doesn't make it any less real....

I have NEVER met a person who would abuse an animal...but regrettably I know they exist.....

[ratdogg]

I think this whole situation is a combination of many factors. I think the hospital workers get verbally abused quite often, especially in an inner city hospital. It think they have to have defenses for their own mental health and I think they are probably under appreciated. I think they may be over worked and I think they simply made a huge error. I think this is how real life is and nothing is perfect. I think this is just a sad sad situation. again, this is nothing but conjecture. mistakes were made. a woman died. there's always an urge to find blame, but maybe the blame doesn't need to be placed.