For those of you who have been following my blog this year, you will all recall that I had to have a Mohs Surgery and reconstructive surgery after. You also will recall the horror of seeing my face for the first time, and then the second time after that surgery.
After going to Boston and meeting a fabulous plastic surgeon there, I decided that the hospital should know what had been done to me.
My first attempt was to drive over and meet with Patient Relations, bringing my unfixed face, and pictures of the first two surgeries. I was patted on the head and told that “Sometimes these things happen”.
So, I wrote them a letter. I sent it to my daughter first to get her advice. She cleaned it up, and in the end produced a fantastic letter!
I sent it off, registered letter in July, and then waited. In fact last night Hubby and I were talking about how strange it was that we had not heard a word from the hospital.
Then on Tuesday in the mail, was a letter from the hospital. It was filled with apologies and concern on one hand and then a disclaimer on the other.
The one really laughable paragraph is when the doctor says he spoke to me in the OR before the first surgery. I think if you check dates on the blog you will see that the Anesthesiologist had me snowed under before I left the pre-op area.
Anyway, their letter showed me two things, 1) they realized that the original plastic surgeon could cause them real problems, and 2) they were covering their butts!
Hubby still isn’t happy, but I told him if I caused the surgeon one sleepless night, then I was happy. At least now they know why I did not come back for further treatment, and perhaps that surgeon will think twice about butchering someone else like he did me.
So, tell me. Have you ever had a doctor do something that either made you angry/uncomfortable/etc.? Did you alert the hospital to let them know what had occurred?
My current plastic surgeon Dr. P. is always up front with me and explains everything. Now that I have local anesthesia, he even tells me what he is doing while he is doing it.
Should doctors be accountable so that they teach their patients via slideshows, what they will do, so the patient will not pass out from the shock when they wake up in the recovery room?
I think Doctors need to make sure the patient understands what is happening and before they get into the operating room for sure. A booklet with photos would help. You could see what was done and in the end how it all turned out. The before and after shots etc. Love YOU, Mel
My father-in-law had heart surgery via a “new method” in November of 2011 … Instead of breaking the sternum to go into his heart area, they went in thru his rib cage, kind of prying 2 ribs apart for the instruments to enter the area. During the surgery, his diaphragm (sp?) was cut/nicked. The dr did NOT know this … in fact, post-surgery, my FIL just couldn’t catch his breath; they told him “this was normal…bla bla bla”. For weeks, months, he couldn’t lie flat without feeling like he was dying of suffrocation (sp?). Finally, they went to a second doctor, a pulmonary speciailist, who determined the problem with the diaphram NOT with his lungs or heart at all.
NOW the dilemma: should he go back and tell his heart surgeon? Should he SUE for damages to his health (permanent damages since a cut diaphram will NEVER heal….). Many friends told him to SUE the heart surgeon since this is life altering.
My FIL made an appt to see his surgeon, took the records and documentation of the injury to his diaphragm, and the heart surgeon had NO IDEA he had done this. It was an honest mistake … however, that doesn’t change the fact that my FIL is forever limited in his breathing. 🙁
Now, he has decided NOT to sue because at least his surgeon was HONEST that it was a mistake he made. I am glad my FIL did tell him so he is aware for FUTURE REFERENCE!! AND this is why it is good that you told your patient rep and all too – to help OTHERS not go through what you have…. which I know has been very hard. 🙁 You are blessed with a good plastic surgeon now – but still, that doesn’t make up for the trama of the past. DOCTORS SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE!!!!! Yes!!!! And a patient – in the end – is his or her own best advocate. Glad you all spoke up – wish there could have been more done for you in some way…. ditto for my father-in-law. 🙁
My cardiologist only turned on the ventricular sensor on my pacemaker when he put it in. I went into Afib about two years ago, and the pacemaker was keeping my heartrate at 129 beats per minute. I went to my pulmonologist because it was affecting my breathing. He sent me to the ER and to a new cardiologist. This was in October. I finally received a call from my first cardiologist in December that basically said “Oops” we forgot to turn that on. He is the head of cardiology so there was no where higher to go. I did complain to the hospital and considered going to the press because I was scared for other patients. Like you, I now have cardiologists I trust with my life. Cannot believe he was able to get away with an “Oops”!!!
Hard call Maribeth, but did they actually admit it and apologize? They put you through a miserable ordeal and didn’t even suggest how it could be fixed or that it could. You had to find out what to do on your own, with help from friends and family. If it were me, I would go a bit further, not sure about the level of a lawsuit, but I would go further. You got a gem of second plastic surgeon which is awesome though:)