Comments on: http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/03/it-seems-that-patients-are-surprised.html Tue, 14 Feb 2012 23:00:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: ClassAct101http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/03/it-seems-that-patients-are-surprised.html#comment-67819 ClassAct101 Fri, 13 Oct 2006 17:51:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/03/20160.html#comment-67819 ...that is an ADDITIONAL 24 hours after the Doc leaves and after she is there all night until the next morning! …that is an ADDITIONAL 24 hours after the Doc leaves and after she is there all night until the next morning!

]]> By: ClassAct101http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/03/it-seems-that-patients-are-surprised.html#comment-67816 ClassAct101 Fri, 13 Oct 2006 17:30:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/03/20160.html#comment-67816 My 29 year old married, healthy daughter, Professional, mother of 3, 5'5", 130 lbs, woke up AM with cramping which she attributed to her upcoming cycle. 12 hours later, her husband took her to ER with excrucating abdominal pain, nausea, fever. The ER doc perscribes pain meds, no effect, pain increasing, he perscribes a different kind of pain med, ordered blood work and told her he thought she had the flu. Later, ordered a CAT scan to look at her appendix and the CAT was inconclusive because he could not see the Appendix. So he RULED OUT Appendicitis and told her she had a virus and ordered more tests. 24 hours later, her belly is HUGE, fever spiking above 103, in agony she gets a second opinion...2nd opinion Doc says get laproscopic NOW!!...by then her appendix has ruptured and things are a DISASTER. Over 2 weeks have now passed and she is home but so weak she can hardly walk, still in pain. Husband losing time from work, danger of abcesses, what a disaster! So, in my opinion, people going to the ER are treated like they are just going in because they aren't feeling very well or have flu symptoms and that leads to this kind of missed diagnosis and potential lawsuits. All I can say is that the ER doc that told her she had the flu and left her laying there for 24 hours in agony better not send her a bill. Her insurance will pay him enough as it is. By the way, she never saw him again until the day they wanted to discharge her, still vomiting up her liquid diet, unable to eat, diarrhea, and in pain. So, some people who go to the ER REALLY need to be believed when they say they are sick, because they ARE! My 29 year old married, healthy daughter, Professional, mother of 3, 5’5″, 130 lbs, woke up AM with cramping which she attributed to her upcoming cycle. 12 hours later, her husband took her to ER with excrucating abdominal pain, nausea, fever. The ER doc perscribes pain meds, no effect, pain increasing, he perscribes a different kind of pain med, ordered blood work and told her he thought she had the flu. Later, ordered a CAT scan to look at her appendix and the CAT was inconclusive because he could not see the Appendix. So he RULED OUT Appendicitis and told her she had a virus and ordered more tests. 24 hours later, her belly is HUGE, fever spiking above 103, in agony she gets a second opinion…2nd opinion Doc says get laproscopic NOW!!…by then her appendix has ruptured and things are a DISASTER. Over 2 weeks have now passed and she is home but so weak she can hardly walk, still in pain. Husband losing time from work, danger of abcesses, what a disaster! So, in my opinion, people going to the ER are treated like they are just going in because they aren’t feeling very well or have flu symptoms and that leads to this kind of missed diagnosis and potential lawsuits. All I can say is that the ER doc that told her she had the flu and left her laying there for 24 hours in agony better not send her a bill. Her insurance will pay him enough as it is. By the way, she never saw him again until the day they wanted to discharge her, still vomiting up her liquid diet, unable to eat, diarrhea, and in pain. So, some people who go to the ER REALLY need to be believed when they say they are sick, because they ARE!

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/03/it-seems-that-patients-are-surprised.html#comment-61314 Anonymous Thu, 30 Mar 2006 21:17:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/03/20160.html#comment-61314 The last post brings up an important issue. Our current tort system demands unlimited care at any cost. By 2015 it’s estimated that health care will represent 20% of GDP. If that’s acceptable to society we should leave the tort system intact and let plaintiff’s attorneys set the standard of care. On the other hand if affordable quality health care is a worthy goal, let evidence based medicine set the standard of care. Not picking up every cancer or appendicitis will then have to be an acceptable trade off. As resources are limited, we can’t have it both ways. The last post brings up an important issue. Our current tort system demands unlimited care at any cost. By 2015 it’s estimated that health care will represent 20% of GDP. If that’s acceptable to society we should leave the tort system intact and let plaintiff’s attorneys set the standard of care. On the other hand if affordable quality health care is a worthy goal, let evidence based medicine set the standard of care. Not picking up every cancer or appendicitis will then have to be an acceptable trade off. As resources are limited, we can’t have it both ways.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/03/it-seems-that-patients-are-surprised.html#comment-61267 Anonymous Thu, 30 Mar 2006 02:05:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/03/20160.html#comment-61267 "Ignored" - I love the choice of words - sounds so malicious - those evil docs<br/><br/>Anonymous ER doc who sleeps well at night is a great example of why and ER is a great place to be if you are very sick but not a good place to be if you just have a headache. This doc is willing to spend amazing amounts of money and subject patients to painful tests in order to sleep better at night. I wonder if he/she will sleep well when the system hits such a high proportion of GDP that it becomes unsustainable. But hey, a few of those pick ups over the years justifies it all. “Ignored” – I love the choice of words – sounds so malicious – those evil docs

Anonymous ER doc who sleeps well at night is a great example of why and ER is a great place to be if you are very sick but not a good place to be if you just have a headache. This doc is willing to spend amazing amounts of money and subject patients to painful tests in order to sleep better at night. I wonder if he/she will sleep well when the system hits such a high proportion of GDP that it becomes unsustainable. But hey, a few of those pick ups over the years justifies it all.

]]> By: Walter E. Wallishttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/03/it-seems-that-patients-are-surprised.html#comment-61250 Walter E. Wallis Wed, 29 Mar 2006 21:49:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/03/20160.html#comment-61250 Remember when they had insurance machines in airports? Perhaps they should put them back in doctor's offices. Let you buy all the insurance you think you are worth, but limit your recovery to just direct damages. It is the punitive that hurts. Remember when they had insurance machines in airports? Perhaps they should put them back in doctor’s offices. Let you buy all the insurance you think you are worth, but limit your recovery to just direct damages. It is the punitive that hurts.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/03/it-seems-that-patients-are-surprised.html#comment-60153 Anonymous Wed, 08 Mar 2006 22:42:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/03/20160.html#comment-60153 "I was one of those cases of ignored appendicitis that nearly killed me."<br/><br/>How much money did you make off the settlement? “I was one of those cases of ignored appendicitis that nearly killed me.”

How much money did you make off the settlement?

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/03/it-seems-that-patients-are-surprised.html#comment-60135 Anonymous Wed, 08 Mar 2006 19:34:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/03/20160.html#comment-60135 It sounds like you "ignored" it too...or do you not consider yourself to have any responsibility in the matter? It sounds like you “ignored” it too…or do you not consider yourself to have any responsibility in the matter?

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/03/it-seems-that-patients-are-surprised.html#comment-60112 Anonymous Wed, 08 Mar 2006 06:21:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/03/20160.html#comment-60112 You hang in there, SarahW. I was one of those cases of ignored appendicitis that nearly killed me. You hang in there, SarahW. I was one of those cases of ignored appendicitis that nearly killed me.

]]> By: SarahWhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/03/it-seems-that-patients-are-surprised.html#comment-60093 SarahW Tue, 07 Mar 2006 04:49:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/03/20160.html#comment-60093 Web MD has its place and I don't knock people who look things up on it. But that has nothing to do with me, and with respect, you are being an ass.<br/><br/> I realize you dont' know me, but I wish you would, too.<br/><br/>If he's among their membership, I think MENSA might have a word with the ER doc who did just what I described. Web MD has its place and I don’t knock people who look things up on it. But that has nothing to do with me, and with respect, you are being an ass.

I realize you dont’ know me, but I wish you would, too.

If he’s among their membership, I think MENSA might have a word with the ER doc who did just what I described.

]]> By: SarahWhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/03/it-seems-that-patients-are-surprised.html#comment-60092 SarahW Tue, 07 Mar 2006 04:11:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/03/20160.html#comment-60092 ::eye roll:: ::eye roll::

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