Fwd: Concerning hospital staff

June 27, 2001

This is the email I sent to Dr. Herron....I just wanted everybody to know that I am truly going to pursue this and am going to be in contact with the hospital administrator also...If anybody would like they can send me an email of their own personal experience with the staff at Mt. Sinai, I will, with your permission, come armed with them when I go to the hospital for my consul...I don't know if it would help but it can't hurt...Listening to and some of the othersss....I have no desire to go through this or to have others do so even if it means I have to open my big mouth...

Thanks gang

Cindy S

cinloo59@...

Dear Dr. Herron,

Needless to say, I have heard wonderful things about you...what a relief. I have my first consul with you on August 10th and I'm looking forward to it and to speaking with you but I do have a concern.

As you are surely aware, there are a number of sites online where pre-ops and post-ops discuss everything and anything, including doctors and hospitals.

Time after time, Mt. Sinai comes up short as far as hospital staff and care goes. While my fears in regard to the surgery are one thing...I did not expect the outpour of emotions about the horrible aftercare. Now I certainly understand the nurses are a busy group and I do not envy them their profession, neither do I wish to get through a surgery and be neglected and tormented after....I'm curious. Has anybody else mentioned this to you and the other doctors? Has anything been done or is this being looked into? I would hate to go through making a difficult choice to have this done only be forgotten when I am pain and in need.

I would appreciate you reply and if possible...someone I could speak to about this concern....Truth is Doctor...I'm not alone in this...Many people are choosing NYU over Mt. Sinai and I think you and your associates should be aware.

Thank you very much and again...I look forward to meeting you and .....

Shapiro

cinloo59@...

June 27, 2001

Well folks,

This was the kind and prompt reply I got from Dr. Herron....he is a gentleman and from the sound of your opinions... a great doctor...but this is a pat answer to my concern....in any case....those that wish to email me, please do....while the doctor is together on this....the hospital needs to address it properly and business is business and I doubt that even Mt. Sinai would not miss a few of us going elsewhere....Funny isn't it....I'm becoming less scared of the actual operation then of dealing with the staff after....such a long road this is and so many damn bumps...

Cindy S

Ms. Shapiro,

The issues you bring up are real, and we are taking major steps to

remedy the situation. Gretchen Hodge-Penn is the nursing manager on

our main patient floor. She is one of the most committed nurses I have

ever encountered! She even travelled to Washington DC on her own time

to attend the American Society for Bariatric Surgery meeting. She is

working diligently to improve the nursing situation in out hospital. I

have watched her work countless weekends and nights, and she is

continuing to do so...

As you may imagine, these changes do take time. Until we get all the

nursing issues straightened out, many patients have had health aides

or assistants with them during their 3 days in the hospital after

surgery. The nurses are there to help with medications and medical

issues, but the aides can help with getting out of bed, unplugging the

IV pump, etc.

Thank you again for your concern, and I look forward to meeting you in

August.

Sincerely,

M. Herron, MD -- Laparoscopic and Bariatric Surgery

Asst. Professor of Surgery

Division of Laparoscopic Surgery

Mount Sinai Medical Center

1 Gustave L. Levy Place #1103

New York, NY 10029-6574

______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________

Subject: Concerning hospital staff

Author: Cinloo59@...> at Internet-Mail

Date: 6/27/01 11:43 AM

Dear Dr. Herron,

Needless to say, I have heard wonderful things about you...what a relief. I

have my first consul with you on August 10th and I'm looking forward to it

and to speaking with you but I do have a concern.

As you are surely aware, there are a number of sites online where pre-ops and

post-ops discuss everything and anything, including doctors and hospitals.

Time after time, Mt. Sinai comes up short as far as hospital staff and care

goes. While my fears in regard to the surgery are one thing...I did not

expect the outpour of emotions about the horrible aftercare. Now I certainly

understand the nurses are a busy group and I do not envy them their

profession, neither do I wish to get through a surgery and be neglected and

tormented after....I'm curious. Has anybody else mentioned this to you and

the other doctors? Has anything been done or is this being looked into? I

would hate to go through making a difficult choice to have this done only be

forgotten when I am pain and in need.

I would appreciate you reply and if possible...someone I could speak to about

this concern....Truth is Doctor...I'm not alone in this...Many people are

choosing NYU over Mt. Sinai and I think you and your associates should be

aware.

Thank you very much and again...I look forward to meeting you and .....

Shapiro

cinloo59@...

Dear Dr.

Herron,

Needless to say, I have heard wonderful things about you...what a relief. I

have my first consul with you on August 10th and I'm looking forward to it

and to speaking with you but I do have a concern.

As you are surely aware, there are a number of sites online where pre-ops

and