 ok case or no case?
Hello everyone,
Today I am writing to seek advice on how to handle a situation we had with a hospital. We live in the state of Florida. My father became very ill Feb 1, 2009 with an unknown infection. He spent 1 week in our local hospital and 1 week in a rehab. His caring Doctor at rehab was unable to find this infection and suggested we move him to another hospital. This new hospital is very well known and an excellent hospital. So upon the advice we took my dad to this hospital on Feb 19, 2009. The first thing they find is a bleed on his brain. The neurologist said this is why dad’s mental state is so poor. I mean he knows who we are (his family) but can not tell you where he is at, his age, date, even thinks he is in a hotel room, ECT. But this neurologist said 3-4 months he should return to us just unknown how much. So because of this unknown infection dad has suffered 2 minor heart attacks has not eaten by himself since Feb 19, 2009. Feeding tube placed Feb 21, 2009. Well last week, March 11, 2009 Head Dr tells us that early next week, dad can be transported to rehab and start. Infection seems to be gone, still even this hospital couldn’t find it, but white blood count normal now. Head Dr. tells my mom a social worker will call her to make sure proper medical transport is gotten and Nursing home selected for rehab. March 12, 2009 Social workers call, mom tells her what nursing home. See we traveled 100 miles a day to go see my dad in this hospital and we traveled this daily since Feb 19, 2009. The nursing home mom picks is 10 minutes away from my mother’s house. Social worker explains mom will have to pay the transport, mom says fine. Social worker calls back tells mom the cost of transport and gives her name and number of the transport, tells us that he will be moved at 2 pm on March 13, 2009. Mom calls, pays for transport.
Mom and I arrive at nursing home to wait for dad and transport gets him there about 3:45 pm. Nurses shocked to see my father. So they place him in his bed. Now he has an IV still in (hooked to nothing), catheter (spelling) and the feeding tube (hooked to nothing).
Nurses call this hospital because there are no discharge orders or instruction for my father. Hospital sends a fax that contains nothing they need only something about moving him to the 6th floor of that hospital. Then they can’t remove the feeding tube. So they tell mom my dad needs to go back. Nursing home calls for medical transport, 6 pm transport brings him back to this hospital 50 miles away. Now please remember my dad’s mental state. We get to this hospital (mom and I), we tell the intake lady why we are there and she says, he’s in the hallway waiting on a bed they will call us in a few minutes. 30 minutes go by, mom goes back to this same lady and asks what’s happening and she leaves the desk comes back and says she can’t find him. Mom says you better find him. Lady comes back says just a few more minutes he’s in a bed they will call you. Another 30 minutes goes by and mom goes to information, explains why we are here and this lady tells us his room number and buzzes us in the ER. We get in my fathers room and use the call button to call nurse and she comes right away. She had been trying to call our home, but no answer, no kidding we tell her we have been sitting in the ER waiting room for over an hour. After we explain the past day to her, she takes us to see a doctor. It happens to be the Doctor who was there on Feb 19, 2009 when we first bring my dad there. We explain to him and the nurse sitting next to him says “the hospital would never release him with out DR orders or instruction. We said oh yes they did. So the Dr says he will investigate. We go back to dad’s room. 30 minutes later this same nurse comes in and says “A mistake was made, he should never have been released.” So mom speaks up and asks who is going to pay for this medical transport to our home town and back (nursing home paid for transport back to hospital). The nurse says “you have to take that up with administration.” Then she continues by saying “well no harm done, no reason to seek a lawyer”. My mom said no harm to whom? We say no more to this nurse.
Now Dad had nothing to eat or drink since 2 pm that afternoon, we left at 10 pm and he still had not had anything. He is now confused more about where he is at. He finally goes off to sleep.
Ok what advice? If my mom was to hiring an attorney, would we get anywhere?
Thanks for listening to this long saga.
Mlshelton64  |
03-16-2009, 07:09 AM
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