Ugh. I hate hospitals

[BlackTigers]

Friday, my dad went to the ER. Massive stomach pains, constipation, blood pressure through the roof (he's always had high BP, though).

They diagnosed it as pancreatitis, allowed him to come home Saturday night. Told him to stay on a soft diet. Oh, and they found a spot on his pancreas. Blood work was fine, CAT scan showed nothing, general MRI showed nothing to be worried about.

Monday morning, I wake up and find out he's beck in the hospital. They got his blood pressure down, and he started eating again after a few days on an IV diet, yum.

Literally 6 hours after he ate his first thing (I think it was some kind of jello, not sure). he was in immense pain. Morphiene drip, probably his 20th one in three days. He's now going back in for his third round of cat scans, MRI's, and tests. He's been in the hospital since Monday, and they still have no idea what's going on.

The son of a fucking bitch doctor, who I want to go punch in the face, decided to call and leave a message, saying they're almost positive it's a cancer of some sort. Pancreatic cancer. =/

You want to guess who got the message? My ten year old brother.... it wasn't pretty. I wouldn't have cared if one of them told us, while we were there. Or even while speaking to us. But the asshole left the most tact-less message I have ever heard on the answering machine, and ... ugh. Just a very, very long week.

 

[TheVrolok]

Terrible news. Sorry. I'm really surprised a physician called and left a message, there's generally against policy unless the patient/person in charge of patient left written approval of leaving an answer machine message. Even then, it's pretty rare to do this. Terrible move on the part of the physician.

 

[xchangx]

You want to guess who got the message? My ten year old brother.... it wasn't pretty. I wouldn't have cared if one of them told us, while we were there. Or even while speaking to us. But the asshole left the most tact-less message I have ever heard on the answering machine, and ... ugh. Just a very, very long week.

That right there is a big no-no. I'd almost say a HIPAA violation. They should have contacted you or your mom and asked you to come to the hospital to talk to you in person. Not over the answering machine. Did you happen to keep the message? I'd talk to the hospital and/or the dr about why they decided to leave a message.

 

[F1N3ST]

I hope with today's medicine your dad will be fine, sorry.

 

[PhoKingGuy]

Friday, my dad went to the ER. Massive stomach pains, constipation, blood pressure through the roof (he's always had high BP, though).

They diagnosed it as pancreatitis, allowed him to come home Saturday night. Told him to stay on a soft diet. Oh, and they found a spot on his pancreas. Blood work was fine, CAT scan showed nothing, general MRI showed nothing to be worried about.

Monday morning, I wake up and find out he's beck in the hospital. They got his blood pressure down, and he started eating again after a few days on an IV diet, yum.

Literally 6 hours after he ate his first thing (I think it was some kind of jello, not sure). he was in immense pain. Morphiene drip, probably his 20th one in three days. He's now going back in for his third round of cat scans, MRI's, and tests. He's been in the hospital since Monday, and they still have no idea what's going on.

The son of a fucking bitch doctor, who I want to go punch in the face, decided to call and leave a message, saying they're almost positive it's a cancer of some sort. Pancreatic cancer. =/

You want to guess who got the message? My ten year old brother.... it wasn't pretty. I wouldn't have cared if one of them told us, while we were there. Or even while speaking to us. But the asshole left the most tact-less message I have ever heard on the answering machine, and ... ugh. Just a very, very long week.

This breaks so many regulations its not even funny. Any chance the doc was foreign? A lot of them decide to do this because its what they are used to

 

[darkxshade]

I would recommend not seeking a 2nd opinion and sue 8 years from now.

 

[Mr. Pedantic]

Phoning up and deciding when nobody picks up to leave an answer message saying that your relative has pancreatic cancer is a big no-no. Why are US doctors so strange?

I would recommend not seeking a 2nd opinion and sue 8 years from now.

This.

 

[vi edit]

Originally Posted by BlackTigers You want to guess who got the message? My ten year old brother.... it wasn't pretty. I wouldn't have cared if one of them told us, while we were there. Or even while speaking to us. But the asshole left the most tact-less message I have ever heard on the answering machine, and ... ugh. Just a very, very long week. That right there is a big no-no. I'd almost say a HIPAA violation. They should have contacted you or your mom and asked you to come to the hospital to talk to you in person. Not over the answering machine. Did you happen to keep the message? I'd talk to the hospital and/or the dr about why they decided to leave a message.

Yeh. I think this is past the unethical side of things and into the illegal side. Not that it changes the outcome or emotions any. Definitely ask to speak with the head of the ethics department at the hospital.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

I know your pain and frustration in more ways than one. My dad's had pancreatitis twice. I got out of the hospital on 2/16 after getting my gall bladder removed, I was on an NPO diet for three days straight because my pancreas was inflamed. I'm STILL waiting for the hospital to file the claims with my insurance company so I can find out how much I'm going to be on the hook for.

The most enjoyable part of my hospital stay was when the phenegren knocked my lightweight ass out. Aside from that, it was 4.5 days of all around suck.

 

[nublikescake]

Yeh. I think this is past the unethical side of things and into the illegal side. Not that it changes the outcome or emotions any. Definitely ask to speak with the head of the ethics department at the hospital.

I second this. I suspect this guy is foreign too. Regardless, he could do this again and cause more trouble. Better to nip it in the bud.

 

[JohnnyGage]

This breaks so many regulations its not even funny. Any chance the doc was foreign? A lot of them decide to do this because its what they are used to

This, and its a HUGE this. Start working the chain of command at the hospital start with the nursing supervisor and find out where to go next. This is really unacceptable and I would start talking to nursing supervisor TODAY when you get there. This a HIPPA violation and should be addressed immediately.

 

[vi edit]

Yeh you have a couple options. First is to try to chase down a patient relations officer and see how quick you can get it run up the pole. And you can also try to get the ear of the Chief Medical Officer but depending on the size of the hospital and the business structure (is the MD a salaried employee or does he work for a private group) that can get pretty messy.

 

[Tristicus]

My father just recently passed away due to cancer, I'm sorry.

 

[caspur]

Have you considered it was actually the OP's father under the influence of the morphine drip that left a message on his own machine, in a different voice, diagnosing his condition while in a trance-like state?

 

[alkemyst]

chances are there was a release signed giving them permission to leave such a message.

Also an ER is no place for a final diagnosis...get stable and then get to a regular doctor/specialist. They are there to get you out of danger and do a good job doing so.

 

[SandEagle]

Have you considered it was actually the OP's father under the influence of the morphine drip that left a message on his own machine, in a different voice, diagnosing his condition while in a trance-like state?

u suck, but i lol'd. i don't understand why the doctor's son would leave such a message? :-/

btw OP .. sorry to hear....hope your old man pulls through.....lost my dad to cancer and i miss him everyday

the fight against cancer is a bigger fraud then the fight against drugs

 

[BlackTigers]

He's been admitted since Sunday? night. Not in ER anymore.

Yes, guy was foreign. My dad told them they could call to speak to my mother. He didn't think the retard would leave a message. And honestly....that part's out of the way. We really aren't concerned with this part of it anymore. More so getting him better.

Going in for surgery tomorrow. =/

 

[FelixDeCat]

Sorry to hear about your dad. I hope he makes a full recovery. I would definately file a complaint with the hospital.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Sorry to hear, though he's lucky he actually got MRIs and such done right away. This fact shows they had a bad feeling from the start. Often you wait months. So it's a good thing he was able to get them done right away, now lets hope they can treat it.

It does seem very strange for a doctor to leave a message like that though. :/

 

[BlackTigers]

holy sdhit, two biopsies tomorrow.

possible spot on liver.


this is borderline surreal.

 

[Brainonska511]

Sorry to hear, though he's lucky he actually got MRIs and such done right away. This fact shows they had a bad feeling from the start. Often you wait months. So it's a good thing he was able to get them done right away, now lets hope they can treat it.

It does seem very strange for a doctor to leave a message like that though. :/

Wait for months to get an MRI?

If there is a serious problem that needs to be looked at immediately, you don't wait for months.

To the OP:
Best of luck to you and your family. Hope your dad pulls through.

 

[RoloMather]

If you think you hate hospitals now, wait until you see the bill.

Then you will sing a different tune regarding UHC. Or the same tune, but louder.

 

[alkemyst]

If you think you hate hospitals now, wait until you see the bill.

Then you will sing a different tune regarding UHC. Or the same tune, but louder.

You will never get a chance to see a bill because you will never get through the lines.