I No Longer Have Much Faith in the Staff At This Hospital

by irishwitch
Daily Kos
Jan 28, 2014

...SInce I was up that early, I called Faye and told her I needed to get to the hospital today. I didn't tell her I had a really, really bad feeling about it. When we got there, Ben was upbeat (they put him on Zoloft and I want him off as soon as possible because the side effects are dreadful) because he thought he'd be going home today.

Our hopes were dashed. Very badly dashed and I am frankly thinking LAWSUIT because some of the stuff I am finally hearing indicates a level of incompetence that to me is just unbelievable. He is still on oxygen. His oxygen saturation isn't good enough to go home. Her boss and the cardiologist were fine discharging him, but the O2 levels when he walks go way down. So she decided he might have a blood clot in his luings, which apparently the oh-so-brilliant top 5 cardio hospitals in the country completely missed comp;etely.

I am the edn of my rope. I got very aggressive with the PA. I asked her why, when I asked the nurse about Deep Vein Thrombosis, said it was DVT, just a small superficial clot, othing to worry about. Nicole the PA said all clots are DVT, w=hich the AMerican Heart Association website (and several others that were not designed for civilians but for medical people) say is not true.

So they did a CAT scan, and NOW he had DVT behind his knee and a clot in his lung.

WHY THE FRIGGIN' HELL did they not do that CAT Scan when they discovered the one in his knee AND they knew he was having real problems breathing (turns out it was pneumonia which nobody bothered to tell us)? This sounds to me like GROSS incompetence. If there is a step beyond gross incompetence.

I was very aggressive in my questioning of Nicole, and MiL was mortified by aggressiveness and stopped out, leaving me unsure if she was leaving me there. I embarrassed her because I wanted to know the damned truth and was willing to have a knock-down dragout fight to get the facts. Because what I have gotten so far is at best half truths. And I am not passive aggressive. I WILL go to them at to learn the complete whole truth (which goes over with Nicole like a lead balloon and makes Ben unhappy with me). But so far they have made what seemed to me to have made so many mistakes which could have cost him his life, that I honestly have lost all faith in ANYONE at that hospital.ANd I wish I were ip North where family is respected and they actually the time to tell you the truth and generally don't make errors like not checking for a second clot in the lungs when his breathing isn't improving.

I'd also be thrilled to have nurses who speak something resembling the English language. His nurse today had a Southern accent so thick as to be unintelligible--and I can understand broad Yorkshire, thick Glaswegian, and very heavy Northern Irish brogues (reviews on Netflix always whine that they can't understand Irish accents)

I finally called Ben to get the info (since calling the damned nurses seems to be utterly useless), and heard about the blood clot. I have been crying non-stop and I no longer have any faith in this hospital or its staff. They've either been too incompetent to answer or they give me half truths. I don't trust any of them...

Los Angeles doctor runs down pedestrian, then gets him arrested

Author Steve Bevilacqua

Doctor causes harm, then lies about it to escape blame. Haven't I heard this before?

"...road rage lunatic who happened to be a doctor...The driver also pulled the gender card and claimed that her actions were justified because she was "very afraid" of me, despite the fact that she was in a car and I was on my ass in the street."

Book: A Layman's Handbook for Those Falsely Accused of Felonies
Man Run Over By Doctor Faced Lengthy Prison Sentence & Was Then Redeemed On National TV By Judge Judy
Ryan McCormick
Nov 19, 2013

One day Steve Bevilacqua was hit by a car crossing the street and almost went to prison for it. The driver who ran him down was charged with nothing, and Steve spent months in court fighting mandatory prison sentences for imaginary crimes. His book "KAFKA AT THE BEACH: A Layman's Handbook for Those Falsely Accused of Felonies" offers a firsthand account of being on the wrong end of America's justice system.

In KAFKA AT THE BEACH Steve Bevilacqua reveals:

How & why he was facing an 18-month mandatory prison sentence for assault, battery, and strong-armed robbery against the woman who ran him over with her car - crimes he did not commit.

How after he was run over, the driver cursed him, got out of her car, and then attempted to physically assault him.

A corrupt LAPD detective adds more false charges to Steve's existing ones.

In court, Steve meet the alcoholic city attorney who, chomping on pretzels and nursing a hangover, keeps confusing his case with others and becomes hellbent on sending Steve to prison for two years.

Redemption: TV's Judge Judy ruled in Steve's favor as he was suing the driver for cost incurred of her making deliberate false statements.



Santa Monica courthouse

"In the bizarre totalitarian odyssey that devoured a year of my life. I fought off a ferocious campaign to put me in prison, experienced the joys of bankruptcy, and struggled through an absurd maze of court-ordered therapy. However, I ultimately triumphed, achieving vindication on national television at the hands of the snarling modern-day Solomon known as Judge Judy." Steve Bevilacqua

Lights, Camera, Justice: If Only the Los Angeles Court System Were More Like Judge Judy
Steve Bevilacqua
Huff Post
07/31/2013

I was run down by a car while crossing the street, and almost went to prison for it, thanks to our local court system. Granted, what happened to me was an extreme incident, propelled by a road rage lunatic who happened to be a doctor yet should never have been listened to by anyone. The driver also pulled the gender card and claimed that her actions were justified because she was "very afraid" of me, despite the fact that she was in a car and I was on my ass in the street. But what transpired for the next 8 months in our city's court system was a totalitarian nightmare straight out of Kafka's The Trial.

Hundreds of hours, thousands of dollars, and one surreal stint in court-ordered therapy later, I was ravaged but free. Then this legal deathmarch was to play itself out again, on television. Amazingly enough, in one extremely loud afternoon, my fiasco was set right by the modern-day Solomon known as Judge Judy. The actual court system spent months squeezing every technicality in their agonized efforts to send me to prison at the expense of the obvious truth. Judge Judy was direct and ferociously sensible...

During my months in court, I endured City Attorneys defending a driver's right to run down a pedestrian with her car, while refusing to charge her with anything. The driver even admitted giving the finger to the downed pedestrian as she fled the scene, yet she didn't even receive a traffic ticket...

I have yet to see an argument based on some pigshit technicality succeed on Judge Judy while, in real courts, it seems to happen as often as not...

Kaiser doctor accused of not reporting sex abuse

Kaiser is a bit like the Catholic Church, it would seem, protecting its own at the expense of those it is supposed to care for.

Kaiser has also protected a doctor who altered a report by another doctor.

Kaiser doctor accused of not reporting sex abuse
By COURTNEY PERKES
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
August 2, 2011

The chief of family medicine at Kaiser Permanente in Orange County faces discipline by the California Medical Board for allegations that he failed to report to the state that another doctor was sexually abusing patients.

The board, in documents made public Tuesday, accuses Dr. Lance Charles Brunner of "willful failure" to alert state authorities three different times after Dr. David Hung Do was sanctioned by the Southern California Permanente Medical Group.
Article Tab: image1-Kaiser doctor accused of not reporting sex abuse
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State law requires reporting within 15 days of any loss of staff privileges based on medical discipline tied to actions "detrimental to patient safety or to the delivery of patient care."

John Stratman, a Kaiser spokesman, disputed the board's allegations and said on Tuesday a report was filed as required by law. He said he did not know the date and that Kaiser would "vigorously defend" Brunner.

In April, the medical board revoked Do's license after five Kaiser Permanente patients alleged that he examined them inappropriately between 2006 and 2008.

One of Do's patients came to see him for a prescription for a seasickness patch. Do touched her breast and put his bare hand down her pants, touching her genitals, according to the medical board. The patient reported the incident to Kaiser.

In deciding to revoke Do's medical license, the administrative law judge hearing the case described Do as a sexual predator. He has pleaded not guilty to four criminal counts of sexual battery and a pretrial hearing is scheduled for September.

In the case of Brunner, the board documents allege three instances during the internal disciplinary process where Brunner failed to alert the state as required by law. The first was after Do was removed from treating patients in June 2008 while under investigation for inappropriate touching.

In August, Do was terminated and given the right to a hearing. In February of 2009, an arbitration hearing was held and Do was allowed to submit a letter of resignation. His resignation was reported to the medical board in late March, nine months after he was barred from seeing patients.

State law allows for a fine for failure to report to the state, the board documents say.

To check a doctor's disciplinary record, visit medbd.ca.gov

Patient is shocked when reviewing medical record

Medical Malpractice/False Medical Records
posted by Yoko
30 Mar 2006
Medical News Today

When I was pregnant with my 4th child, I was told I was "slightly" high-risk. My OB doctor did not want me to take amnioscentesis test right away. He recomended me to go to this specialist who had 3-D fetal ultrasound. This specialist told me that my baby did not have Down syndrome or any other health problems. When I went back for the second time, she confirmed that everything was just fine. "No problem."

She also told me NOT to take amnioscentesis test since she did not see any signs of Down syndrome or any other problems. I did not reply that time since I believe my OB doctor would follow up with me. However, nobody did.

Three months later, my baby was born with Down syndrome and two VERY large heart defects, which needed to be repaired within 3 months.

A few weeks after, I went back to my OB's office to view my medical records. I was shocked to find out that both my OB doctor and this specialist were filling false statements in my record. For example, "she recommended me to take amnioscentesis test, but the patient declined it." And my OB doctor also stated he showed this report from the specialist to me - he never did. I was also shocked to find out I had been at higer risk than my actual age and after the blood test, the lab was suggesting I should get amnioscentesis test.

I am a teacher and finishing up my graduate school work, but with the unexpected pregnancy and a baby born with these problems, I cannot pursue my career any more.

I had a neighbor whose daughter had Down syndrome, which made her severley retarded. Every day I go through a very tough time to understand my family has to go through what this family went through. My baby is precious and I really want to do my best for him, but it is very very hard. What upsets me most is that I was never given an option and time to prepare for this.

Dr Mark Midei's medical license revoked

Dr Mark Midei's medical license revoked
July 13, 2011
Shelley Wood
The heart.org

The Maryland Medical Board has concluded its review of Dr Mark Midei, deciding to revoke his license, calling his violations of the Medical Practice Act "repeated and serious."

The disciplinary actions alert published on the board's website today notes that the board will not accept any application for reinstatement by Midei for at least two years. At that time, it is up to the board whether it will consider reinstatement of his license.

As previously reported by heartwire, Midei is alleged to have implanted hundreds of unneeded stents when he worked at St Joseph Medical Center in Towson, MD. The imbroglio was ultimately taken up by the US Senate Finance Committee, which issued a damning report back in December 2010.

For years, however, watchers have been waiting to hear what the Maryland Board of Physicians concluded, having charged Midei with violating the Medical Practice Act back in July 2010, focusing specifically on five patients it was alleged may have received stents unnecessarily. A subsequent seven-day hearing before an administrative law judge (ALJ) led to her issuing a 77-page "proposed decision" that Midei have his license revoked for having violated five provisions of the act, specifically those prohibiting:

* Unprofessional conduct in the practice of medicine.
* Willfully making a false report or record in the practice of medicine.
* Gross overutilization of health care services.
* Violations of the standard of quality care.
* Failure to keep adequate records...

NYC Doctor Accused of Falsely Telling Patients They Had HIV

NYC Doctor Accused of Falsely Telling Patients They Had HIV
June 4, 2011
Billy Hallowell

It’s a hard-to-believe accusation, but one that prosecutors believe to be true. A New York City doctor allegedly told about a dozen patients that they were infected with the HIV virus. Then, he purportedly treated them and billed Medicaid $700,000. As a result, he may face 15 years behind bars. FOX News has more:

Suresh Hemrajani, 57, was arraigned Friday in Manhattan Supreme Court on felony charges of grand larceny, fraud and falsifying business records. He was being held in lieu of $250,000 bail…

The doctor also created false records of his purported repeated treatments of the patients, even though most of them never visited his office more than once.

The scam was only revealed after the patients later attempted to obtain prescriptions from a hospital, were tested, and found to be HIV-negative, Vance said...

Doctors falsely diagnose patient HIV positive based on claims by Sheriff's deputy

Dr’s Falsely Diagnosed Larry HIV+ Positive Based On Claims of Sheriff Deputy???
Larry Sinclair
Apr• 05•11

Today we received records which were requested concerning Larry’s suicide attempt last September 27th. While reading the records we came across not one, not two, but four (4) Progress Reports and one (1) Discharge Summary where West Virginia Doctors “diagnosed” Larry as being HIV Positive. Not only did these Doctors make this incorrect diagnosis repeatedly, they did so without EVER having performed a single HIV test.

Today we contacted one of the Doctors who reported this false diagnosis to ask how they had come to such a diagnosis. The Doctor was kind enough to take our call and after reviewing the file called back and apologized for the diagnosis. The Doctor informed us they did not know exactly where the information had come from, but they believed it was relayed through the Emergency Room by the Deputy who had Larry taken to the hospital.

Larry is NOT HIV Positive nor has he ever been HIV Positive and to have a medical facility and multiple Doctors record such a diagnosis without ever conducting a test is reckless an unacceptable.

We have just received a call from the Hospital Administrator concerning the HIV Positive diagnosis entered in their records. They too have confirmed that upon review of all notes, reports, and diagnostic test there is NOTHING whatsoever that would suggest a diagnosis of HIV Positive. However, they explained that the diagnosis cannot be removed from the records but the Doctor can go back an add an amendment to the record noting it is erroneous. Anti-Sinclair bloggers have since 2008 posted on the Internet statements that Larry was HIV Positive and now we have a University Medical facility and Doctors placing the same in Larry’s medical records without any medical evidence to support it. This facility even transmitted the false diagnosis to a second medical facility.

We have sent a written request to Jefferson County Sheriff Robert Shirley to inquire as to whether his employee Cpl. Kevin J. Boyce told medical personnel that Larry was HIV Positive (which he is not) and why.

Death case doctor "knew he had made false record"

Death case doctor "knew he had made false record"
28 January 2010
Dewsbury Reporter

A JURY is deciding if a doctor lied to an inquest about signing the medical form of a woman who died after leaving hospital.

Dr Rohit Sinha has pleaded not guilty to perjury at the inquest of Wanda 'Jenny' Murphy, a widow from Brunswick Street, Westborough, in 2008.

Mrs Murphy cut short a trip to Malta in 2007 when she began having dizzy spells.

She was seen by Sinha at Dewsbury and District Hospital on August 13, and allegedly signed a self-discharge form and went home.

She later fell and broke her neck, and died in hospital on September 1 after contracting bronchial pneumonia.

A medical form suggested that Mrs Murphy had discharged herself from hospital, but after a complaint by her family who claimed that was not true, an inquiry started.

Prosecutor Paul Williams said: "Dr Sinha said he had signed her record card on August 13, 2007, to witness her signature and decision to self-discharge. But he had in fact signed it at a later date.

"He had made a false record and he knew it."

He said a photocopy of the form did not show Sinha's signature.

Leeds Crown Court heard Susan Terry, a friend and neighbour of Mrs Murphy, saw her the day after she left hospital, and she was clearly unwell.

She said: "She said she had been discharged and was very angry."

During the inquiry a senior nurse was asked to retrieve the document on August 24 and showed it to Sinha, of Hopton Drive, Sunderland. At that stage it had not been signed.

Mr Williams said: "When it appeared later in the investigation it had a signature. The doctor realised his mistake and put the signature in later."

Sinha then requested the contact details of a nurse involved in the inquiry, Nicola Royal.

Mr Williams said: "He said there should be no discrepancies between his statement and that of nurse Royal. There is an indication that he knew he had done wrong and was trying to cover up."

Sinha, 31, has no previous convictions. Christopher Hague, consultant gastroenterologist at Wansbeck Hospital, worked with him between August 2008 and August 2009.

"I would call him an excellent junior doctor and someone who should have an excellent future in the medical field. I would work with him again at any time," he told the court.

Michael Bowes QC, defending Sinha, said Sinha had never told the coroner he had 'definitely' signed the card on August 13.

He added: "Being pretty sure he signed it, is not the same as definitely signing it. Therefore, it is not perjury."

UCI doctor disciplined for false surgery record

UCI doctor disciplined for false surgery record
May 20, 2010
By COURTNEY PERKES
OC Register.com

An anesthesiologist at UC Irvine Medical Center was disciplined Thursday by the California Medical Board for falsely pre-filling out a patient record before surgery.

Dr. Peter Breen, former chairman of the anesthesiology department, reached a settlement with the board for a public letter of reprimand, the least severe form of discipline. Neither Breen nor his attorney, Peter Osinoff, could be reached for comment Thursday.

In 2008, inspectors for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services discovered that UCI anesthesiologists were attempting to save time by filling out operating room records in advance. In one case, inspectors found a completed form that said a patient left the operating table that day at 10:30 a.m. However, it was 9:30 a.m. and the patient was still in surgery.

A short time later, the board sought to discipline Breen.

According to legal documents, Breen admitted that in 2006 he falsely filled out a surgery form for a cataract patient in advance of surgery, indicating that the patient was stable and comfortable.

Surgeons conducting clinical trials to test Medtronic Inc bone-growth failed to report serious complications

Surgeons in Medtronic trials omitted results: report
Jun 28, 2011

(Reuters) - Surgeons conducting clinical trials to test a Medtronic Inc bone-growth protein used in spine surgery, some of whom got at least $62 million from the company, failed to report serious complications in their research papers, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Fifteen of the surgeons got at least $62 million from the company over the past decade, the paper said, citing an analysis of Medtronic documents and disclosures on the company's website.

A new study in the Spine Journal said serious complications including cancer, sterility, infections, bone dissolution and worsened back and leg pain, occurred in 10 to 50 percent of patients who were administered Infuse or a sister product in 13 clinical trials funded by Medtronic and conducted by the surgeons between 2000 and 2010, the Wall Street Journal said.

These complications weren't reported in research papers the surgeons wrote on those trials, even though the papers were peer-reviewed, the study said.

A U.S. Senate committee is investigating whether surgeons who were paid consulting and other fees by Medtronic failed to note the complications of Infuse.

The company last week said the three main side effect concerns raised by the committee are listed as warnings on the product labels, as approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

In a statement, Omar Ishrak, Medtronic's chief executive, on Tuesday said the Spine Journal study does not raise questions about the data Medtronic submitted to the FDA in the approval process.

"Based on that data, we strongly believe that the safety profile reported to the FDA and summarized in the product label support the safe use of rhBMP-2 for the identified indications," he said. The company will continue to investigate questions surrounding researchers' potential conflicts of interest and refine policies as needed, he said.

A company spokesman declined additional comment.