Due to the positive campaign for a new hospital, I’m sure we will have one.
However, there are issues that will need to be addressed, that, so far have not been mentioned, and I’m certain ours are not the only cases of this.
If, when the new facilities are built, will the same personnel be employed there?
I ask this for several reasons. Past experiences at the current hospital lead me to think that some, (and I stress some, not all), of these people should find a new career field.
Most recently, my father had been taken to the emergency room complaining of all the classic symptoms of a heart attack. After some blood work and checking, for approximately three hours, he was sent home. (I have sat there longer with my daughter who was trying to obtain relief for a debilitating migraine headache).
Thankfully, an EMT with concerns for his well-being, checked on him twice the next day. After his second visit with Dad, the EMT took him back to the ER. More checks and review of the previous night’s test results; the EMT pushed the attending ER doctor to transport Dad to Wichita. The doctor stated he would have to get authorization. OK, so who’s in charge in the ER? Why would the on-duty doctor have to “get authorization” and from whom would he obtain such “authorization.” Dad told the doctor he would authorize the transport west. That done, Dad was sent to the Heart Hospital on Thursday. On Friday, Dad underwent a heart catheterization procedure, which resulted in a stent emplacement in the main artery to the heart. Dad was told the artery was 98 or 99 percent blocked, and that was the “widow-maker” blockage.
Now who here in lola missed something like that? And can we expect similar results in a new hospital? I hope not!
My next door neighbor passed away in the Iola hospital. Now I know he’s not the first, nor will he be the last. But, when his wife left him at midnight he was OK, had spoken to her and was looking forward to seeing her the next day. At approximately 3 a.m. the hospital called to inform the wife she needed to come back, that there was a problem.
Upon her return they informed her that her husband had passed away, time of death on certificate, 12:15 am. So why a nearly three-hour delay in notification of next of kin?
My wife received a bill from ACH recently. Not unusual, right? The bill received was from a visit nearly two years ago. After going through our records, we found the statement and previous billing showing paid in full at that time. (Is this our for-profit management in progress)? After several phone calls and copies of proof of payment later we were finally left alone on this bill.
A close friend of ours went through a similar experience recently.
Her husband being currently deployed overseas with the military, her notice said she owed for a visit from nearly six years ago. Now come on! Bookkeeping should have already written that off as uncollectible and forgot it. Nope, sorry. Oh, but she keeps receipts too. Guess what? Yep, paid in full. She had kept the receipt and a copy of the canceled check. Now they, too, are being left alone on this.
Now don’t get me wrong, I can see the need for a new hospital, and I see where now would be a very good time with all the financial advantages, but unless better patient care and record keeping is taken care of, are we really any better off.
Gene Gardner,
Moran, Kan.
