update to OT - Worried Mom

[Guest guest]

Happy Holidays -

And I wanted to thank each of you who emailed me on and off list.

Your support meant so much.

The hospital discharged my son yesterday... but it was an absolutely AWFUL

day.

n's primary care physician has a medical assistant/secretary who

thinks it's her job to run interference for all calls to the doctor. The

PCP has not called the hospital at all, nor has he tried to contact the

doctor treating him there. He has no hospital privileges.

As a courtesy, Dr. Zachary tried to call the PCP. The medical asst said

that the PCP didn't need to hear about n because he wasn't the doctor

treating him. Excuse me....

Basically she blew him off.

And she tries to give medical opinions. She tells me that the doctor felt

that n should not have been discharged. How would the PCP know this if

he has had no contact with the doctors at the hospital?

I was livid. I asked her what sort of medical training she had... she said

she went to school to be a medical assistant. (What exactly does that

MEAN???? That she's a nosy secretary with a little bit of medical

knowledge... who gives bad opinions?)

Dr Z said that he is recommending to the hospital that none of Dr F's

patients be admitted... and he will not treat them. I am not quite sure

what the exchange was that he had with the office, but he happened to visit

n's room when I was having a fairly heated exchange with this gal in

the PCP's office. I said that it was fine to screen calls, but I was not

going to have her run interference and relay my information to the doctor

when I needed to talk with him myself. I had a child in the hospital, and I

don't make frivolous calls. The child was being discharged and Dr F would

need to resume care for him... and apparently he didn't want any part of

that. Malpractice considerations, he alluded to, when I finally did talk

with him.

I could hardly believe it when Dr Z suggested that I might want to file a

complaint with the Texas Board of Physicians... I've never heard a doctor

make this particular recommendation against another. (And the whole nursing

/ social worker / hospital staff was up in arms about this incident...)

I was so angry throughout the day, that I could virtually chew through iron

bars. Dr Z gave me the name of another family physician who participated in

my healthcare plan. And apparently others in the hospital thought well of

him too. That's where we will be tomorrow.

Oh... n was discharged on the condition that I was able to keep him

fairly sedentary, and that I would be able to administer his meds to him.

He gets a shot of Lovenox every 12 hours, because his INF levels are still

not right. He also must take 10 mg of coumadin.

The Lovenox was a source of concern to me... No one was available from

Tricare to approve the prescription (it was Christmas eve, after all), but

the hospital would not release n to me unless I had the prescription

in place. This drug costs about $125/shot. I had to give them my credit

card number ... just in case Tricare would not pay. I am crossing my

fingers and taking it on faith that this will be covered.

To add to the fun... the drug supply company promised to courier the drugs

to me.

At 8pm last night, I was really sweating it. The delivery hadn't gotten

here yet... no one was answering the phone. I called the hospital several

times during the course of the afternoon to let them know. Everyone was in

" holiday mode " ... and all I wanted to know was whether I needed to bring him

to the emergency room if the drugs did not arrive in time.

The courier arrived at 10pm. Whew. Apparently, something " happened " to the

original courier... and they wound up sending out someone else.

I don't know if they are going to dock my pay for this time off, since I am

out of time for the year. And I don't know whether n will be

re-admitted to the hospital as of this time. But I have my son home for the

holiday. I picked up his best friend from the airport, and the two kids are

so happy together. They are like brothers. will be 18 soon, and

n is 14... but I had this kid stay over my house more than he would

stay at home. Let's just say that his home conditions were a lot less than

ideal... and my husband and I gladly welcomed and his brother into our

home whenever they wanted to be with us. The boys basically grew up together

over the past 10 years.

Thanks for your prayers, everyone. They are working, I am certain.

Blessings,

Keltie

[Guest guest]

I am so glad your son was able to be home for Christmas with his wonderful

family and brother-friend! I have to agree that you definitely need a new

pcp! and would not hesitate to report the entire incident. How many other

people are getting hurt because they do not have the strength or fortitude,

not to mention a wonderful patient advocate, to cut thru the garbage of the

assistant! Many Christmas blessings to you!

Phyllis

update to " OT - Worried Mom "

Happy Holidays -

And I wanted to thank each of you who emailed me on and off list.

Your support meant so much.

The hospital discharged my son yesterday... but it was an absolutely AWFUL

day.

n's primary care physician has a medical assistant/secretary who

thinks it's her job to run interference for all calls to the doctor. The

PCP has not called the hospital at all, nor has he tried to contact the

doctor treating him there. He has no hospital privileges.

As a courtesy, Dr. Zachary tried to call the PCP. The medical asst said

that the PCP didn't need to hear about n because he wasn't the doctor

treating him. Excuse me....

Basically she blew him off.

And she tries to give medical opinions. She tells me that the doctor felt

that n should not have been discharged. How would the PCP know this if

he has had no contact with the doctors at the hospital?

I was livid. I asked her what sort of medical training she had... she said

she went to school to be a medical assistant. (What exactly does that

MEAN???? That she's a nosy secretary with a little bit of medical

knowledge... who gives bad opinions?)

Dr Z said that he is recommending to the hospital that none of Dr F's

patients be admitted... and he will not treat them. I am not quite sure

what the exchange was that he had with the office, but he happened to visit

n's room when I was having a fairly heated exchange with this gal in

the PCP's office. I said that it was fine to screen calls, but I was not

going to have her run interference and relay my information to the doctor

when I needed to talk with him myself. I had a child in the hospital, and I

don't make frivolous calls. The child was being discharged and Dr F would

need to resume care for him... and apparently he didn't want any part of

that. Malpractice considerations, he alluded to, when I finally did talk

with him.

I could hardly believe it when Dr Z suggested that I might want to file a

complaint with the Texas Board of Physicians... I've never heard a doctor

make this particular recommendation against another. (And the whole nursing

/ social worker / hospital staff was up in arms about this incident...)

I was so angry throughout the day, that I could virtually chew through iron

bars. Dr Z gave me the name of another family physician who participated in

my healthcare plan. And apparently others in the hospital thought well of

him too. That's where we will be tomorrow.

Oh... n was discharged on the condition that I was able to keep him

fairly sedentary, and that I would be able to administer his meds to him.

He gets a shot of Lovenox every 12 hours, because his INF levels are still

not right. He also must take 10 mg of coumadin.

The Lovenox was a source of concern to me... No one was available from

Tricare to approve the prescription (it was Christmas eve, after all), but

the hospital would not release n to me unless I had the prescription

in place. This drug costs about $125/shot. I had to give them my credit

card number ... just in case Tricare would not pay. I am crossing my

fingers and taking it on faith that this will be covered.

To add to the fun... the drug supply company promised to courier the drugs

to me.

At 8pm last night, I was really sweating it. The delivery hadn't gotten

here yet... no one was answering the phone. I called the hospital several

times during the course of the afternoon to let them know. Everyone was in

" holiday mode " ... and all I wanted to know was whether I needed to bring him

to the emergency room if the drugs did not arrive in time.

The courier arrived at 10pm. Whew. Apparently, something " happened " to the

original courier... and they wound up sending out someone else.

I don't know if they are going to dock my pay for this time off, since I am

out of time for the year. And I don't know whether n will be

re-admitted to the hospital as of this time. But I have my son home for the

holiday. I picked up his best friend from the airport, and the two kids are

so happy together. They are like brothers. will be 18 soon, and

n is 14... but I had this kid stay over my house more than he would

stay at home. Let's just say that his home conditions were a lot less than

ideal... and my husband and I gladly welcomed and his brother into our

home whenever they wanted to be with us. The boys basically grew up together

over the past 10 years.

Thanks for your prayers, everyone. They are working, I am certain.

Blessings,

Keltie

Homepage: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Graduate-OSSG

Unsubscribe: mailto:Graduate-OSSG-unsubscribe