-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: update
Date: Mon, 08 Feb 1999 15:27:04 -0600
From: "Charles T. Meyer, M.D." <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
References: <[log in to unmask]>
<[log in to unmask]>

Leslie,

While I often defend physicians here on the list and try to help
listmembers see things from the MD perspective,  the behavior you
describe is insensitive to the needs of the patient and family as well
as- again from your descriptions-  incompetent and irresponsible.  By
all means report it for investigation by the State Medical Licensure
Board and at least talk to an attorney.  A good physician should be
willing to explain the reasons for what he or she is doing without
feeling threatened.


Your mother-in-law is lucky to have someone looking out after her that
is willing to question as well as listen and who uses such good
judgment.

Charlie
Leslie and Bill wrote:
>
> Well Lynn
> Thank you for your comments,
>
> Carmel chose the previous doctor and we had no problems with her until
> this hospitalization. Then she chose not to take care of her in the
> hospital and turned her over to what they called an "intensivest" a
> doctor who had no private practice,(wonder why she doesn't have her own
> practice? and takes care of patients of other doctors?) she is one who
> just see patients in the hospital.
>
> This doctor refused to meet with the family, just made phone calls.
> Obviously did not reviewed the lab or radiology results until she was
> planning the dicharge. The MRI was done 1/6 and she reported the result
> of hydrocephalus 1/9. She never addressed the lab results of the CK
> level (indicating muscle damage -usually cardiac), abnormal thyroid
> levels, abnormal potassium levels.  She never addressed the results of
> the MRI which showed evidence of previous or current stroke as well as
> nursing documentation of left sided weakness on admission and for 2 days
> after admission.
>
> According to the nurses taking care of Carmel, this doctor had been
> fired from many many cases because of her treatment or misdiagnosises.
> Another person in case management who used to work there and left
> because of the working condition, explained that she knew of patients
> who died because of misdiagnosis by this doctor.
>
> There were no personalities differences, how could there be , we never
> met the doctor.
>
> Although Carm has problems with memory loss and some confusion, we as
> her family we there and gave a complete medical history including a
> complete list of her meds, which they couldn't find to continue them in
> the hospital and no one seemed concerned even when her blood pressure
> reading were as high as 190's/90's; or when her thyroid tests were
> abnormal ( she had been on thyroid meds).
>
> We see it with Carm and I see it working as a nurse in our hospital,
> there are so many people out there who continue to think that doctors
> have their best interest in mind and are there to help them they have
> complete trust in their doctor--- they don't know they can demand an
> explanation or ask for a second opinion and many times, they are
> threatened by the doctor "I am the doctor and you WILL do as I say".
> They don't have the education to know that they have rights.
>
> This is espically true of Carmel, who now depends on us to go with her
> to the doctors and hospital and be her advocate. She just can't remember
> and appears to have faith in the doctors that they will treat her right.
> - and doesn't know when she is not getting good care unitl we discuss it
> and I explain what should happen.
>
> So we wait on the test results and hopefully get ito the neurologist
> soon.
>
> We are informed consumers and the care received at the hospital as well
> as pcp refusal to care for her following discharge needs action on our
> part. Informing them of the problems and any damage would go in one ear
> and out the other, and the letter in the trash, based on previous
> experience with this office and esp. the husband. It won't do anything
> to stop this from happening to someone else. They "get away with this"
> with Carm, there will be other elderly patients treated the same way,
> and somewhere, sometime, someone will end up dying - I hope it won't be
> anyone I know or care about.
>
> We will start with a complaint to the insurance company, as well as
> insurnace board since nylcare delayed her treatment by refusal of the
> referral, and then a complaint to the medical board in Austin. Doctors
> are not GODS and they are not above the law.
>
> Well, I will get back down off the soapbox.

--
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Charles T. Meyer,  M.D.
Middleton (Madison), Wisconsin
[log in to unmask]
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