It usually DOES work. I've been to the ER a few times.....I had a collapsed lung which resulted in immediate surgery. Kidney infection, which resulted in really good pain meds and a strong antibiotic. Kidney stones- more good pain meds and nurses constantly walking me to the bathroom to pass it. It finally passed 15 minutes before the time the doctor said he would admit me. I have always received excellent healthcare.

Linny63

It usually DOES work. I've been to the ER a few times.....I had a collapsed lung which resulted in immediate surgery. Kidney infection, which resulted in really good pain meds and a strong antibiotic. Kidney stones- more good pain meds and nurses constantly walking me to the bathroom to pass it. It finally passed 15 minutes before the time the doctor said he would admit me. I have always received excellent healthcare.

Sounds like you haven't had primary care. It's because of people on state-funded/assisted insurance plans constantly using the ER because they can't get access to primary care that so many hospital networks across the country are always getting more expensive. This is particularly prevalent in my old state of Arizona. People often like to blame it on "all those illegal immigrants" but the truth is much more convoluted than that. I'd know, because I used to have to resort to the ER when I couldn't get primary care. I've had multiple episodes of passing kidney stones with nothing because even the ER wasn't an option.

It's this lack of primary care that's overwhelming ERs everywhere and contributing to cluster@!$%# situations like this one.

Solidox, Why wasn't the ER an option? Because you weren't willing to pay the bill? I'm not willing to pay for a Lexus, so I drive a Honda. I must have missed your point.

That's exactly true.

If we Had insurance for everyone then People wouldn't wait untill it was a life and death emergency to get care. The cost of treating a patient correctly the first time is FAR FAR less then having to treat them when they become so sick that they have to go to the ER.

Linny, Read it again.

Stop trying to blame Bush for every malady that comes along, be it medical or something else. The ER and the hospital failed here, not the medical system as a whole. Geez, you people amaze me that you would take an article about one hospital's failure and turn it into a mudfest aimed at our medical system and Bush. What is wrong with some of you that you cannot read and comprehend what you are reading? Why is it so damned hard to stay on subject? ADD?

Anyone can get primary care if they are willing to pay the bill. And anyone can go to the emergency room and pay the bill.

I have primary care. Tell me how a kidney stone or a collapsed lung after a bout with pneumonia could have been prevented by my doctor- even with my great insurance. (perhaps I could have prevented the kidney stone though diet. I don't know for sure.) I went to the doctor yesterday morning and found out that i have pneumonia again. I had a urine test, chest x-ray and a thorough exam. I have a heavy cough. How can the good care I reveived yesterday prevent me from coughing another hole in my lung- and requiring a trip to the ER?

Wow. You nailed me. Actually I am 5'7" and weigh 103 pounds. I drink water and juice all day. People actually tease me about my ever-present bottle of watered down juice. Any other idiotic guesses?????????

The article does not state when Roshunda actually went to a doctor. She left the ER at 3:30AM and a "FEW HOURS LATER" went to a doctor. What's a "FEW HOURS"? I'm not excusing the possibility of lack of proper care, just don't immediately jump to conclusions.

I've personally experienced both good and bad treatment in a hospital ER. The health care system is in a mess partly due to the current regulations that demand hospital ER treatment to anyone regardless of the illness. It is being over run by people without insurance that do not have a regular doctor. They go to an ER to treat anything, life threatening or not. Why should patients wait hours to be seen because there is a backlog of patients with colds. sore throats, minor cuts and scrapes?

There needs to be a secondary system to keep them out of the ER.

Mo,

About 50,000 Americans die every year in this country because they did not get adequate health care and the Bush Admin saw nothing wrong with this. Maybe the immoral scumbags deserve a little criticism.

I've always experience excellent care in my ER. I go to the primary doctor when necessary, but a couple of times in the middle of the night, I was in serious pain. Primary care is not an option in the middle of the night, so I went to the ER. Both times it was a kidney stone. I was seen right away both times, checked on constantly, diagnosed quickly, etc. Most of the time the ERs work. I don't know what is happening at the ER mentioned in the article. I'm guessing with this woman, they saw nothing on the monitor to indicate anything wrong and they sent her home. But why would they give a pregnant woman a sleeping pill? It will be interesting to see how it all turns out and what information is revealed.

This article states that she had a primary care physician. It does not state whether she had insurance. The article (all 110 words!) about the other woman- link provided by newsviner- did not state if that woman had insurance. If this woman (Latricia) had prenatal care by her primary care physician, how would insurance reform have helped her? Where is the proof that there was any wrong-doing besides by the nurses' aides who are the first contact at the ER?

Is there a doctor on the vine who can tell us why a pregnant woman would be given a sleeping pill, and under what circumstances that option would be indicated? Thanks.

Sorry I was gone so long yourkidding. This "fatty" was having some broiled talapia, a fresh yam and brussel sprouts for dinner.

About the sleeping pills, I have been given sleeping pills while pregnant before and it didnt cause any problems, actually one time was when I was in labor.

It is actually amazed me that you could be on this kind of medication while pregnant, at one time I was even given a narcotic pain pill while pregnant.

Anyway I think it's pretty common for doctors to give this kind of medication to pregnant women so I doubt that it has any effects on the babies.

johnjohnincalif, this woman should have been examined and whether or not she was in labor should have been determined - immediately. ER staff should have taken measures to stop the labor, not send her home at 3:30 in the morning. Her own doctor should have been called. From article details, none of these procedures were followed. The baby died as the result. The mother should never have had to 'wait a few hours' to see her doctor. The doctor or another doctor on call should have been on this immediately. All the sleeping pill did was shut her up - and might have had a bearing on fetal death. That will be determined. She was hooked up to a monitor, but no one came in and looked at the monitor.

This was not the mother's fault nor the result of anything she 'did wrong'. This occurred because she was not treated at the ER with standard procedures. A lawsuit is in order, at the very least.

gottahaveice, being on sleeping pills during pregnancy is certainly a doctor's call, but your experience doesn't necessarily mean this hospital did the right thing in this woman's case. Ever heard of Thalydomide? I haven't heard much of anything about pregnant women being given sleeping pills, certainly not in a situation like this, and I wasn't given any sleeping pills when I went into early labor. I was given emergency C-sections or medicine to stop the labor - with constant monitoring.

Bart, I've had 4 high-risk pregnancies. One ended in stillbirth because the intern didn't have a clue and the attending doctor was never contacted, nor were my records made available. One was a premie, delivered regularly. One was premature labor - which was stopped at the ER and then the baby was delivered later by emergency C-section because he was too big for me to have normally. One was premature labor which ended in an emergency C-section. I was in ERs in every case.

I actually do have some experience, in many different medical settings, to be able to make some comments on this subject. Further, the remark from john..., certainly didn't include any factual information, but YOU didn't make one note of that fact. Don't attack me because I have pointed out what should have been done.

And YOU or johnjohn weren't there, either. I'll bet neither of you have been pregnant - so back off, buddy.

ER's are over ridden with public aid, drug seekers, people who use the ER for colds, sun burn, stubbed toes, because they are too lazy to call their primary. It doesn't cost them anything so they don't care. So many girls come in with too many kids because it keeps them in all kinds of public aid.

If they go to a doctor they do pay a small co-pay.But 10 bucks can buy a pack of cigarettes and some Bud. It costs the system about 80 dollars for an office visit.. An ER visit is a good 12 hundred that the state pays maybe 20% and you can't collect from the public aid recipient.

And Obama wants to give out more public aid. In that case, with his agenda, there is going to be a lot more deaths because nobody gives a flip anymore.

This is Obama Care. State run hospitals.

Linny63

Solidox, Why wasn't the ER an option? Because you weren't willing to pay the bill? I'm not willing to pay for a Lexus, so I drive a Honda. I must have missed your point.

Willing to pay the bill? I was unemployed and visiting my then fiance (who was in graduate school at the time; we were NOT rich) and my insurance would not cover anything out of my state. I could not have possibly afforded a $1500-$2000 or higher ER bill. Being that I was in no shape to fly back to Arizona for treatment either, I had to tough it out.

This ridiculous "willing to pay the bill" mentality is part of the problem. You people don't know even a quarter of what you THINK you do.

Vicki,

Wow ignorance knows no bounds huh! The idea of rehabilitating our health care system is to lighten the load on our ER system, so that it goes back to being an actual Emergency/Trauma system. If more Government funding and clinics were put into place for indigent care less people would have to rely on the ER system it is fairly simple. Just check your hatred and bigotry at the door and try to pay attention, you'll get it sooner or later.

Spg,

Check your facts. I work in ER. I see it first hand. We have a clinic that takes walk ins but going up one flight if stairs is still too much work.

Wow, your ignorance knows no boundries does it?

Where did you you see hatred and bigotry? Did you happen to see yourself in my post as well as your mirror?

Vicky, Respectfully not all hospitals are the same.

Secoundly while you might provide urgent care asside from the ER many people who don't have insurance are afraid they'll get turned away from Urgent care as well... so they rely on the ER.

It's both a education problem and a providing problem...

But the core is their are people in trouble and they don't know what to do.

that's what I was going to say...

"Pay no attention to the employees being fired..."

Obviously she had a problem with the pregnancy when she got to the hospital. Just MAYBE hysteria was the reason they sedated her. If they found no irregularities they felt that it was ok to release her. This article tells us nothing, yet you are all commenting on how the system failed her. My guess is that she can/will become pregnant again. I wonder why there was no mention of the man who impregnated her. I would think he'd have an opinion on this and want to be heard.

Linny,

Who was "they" as in "...they felt that it was ok to release her? The story stated that she was not seen by a doctor or an RN. Who made the decision that it was ok for her to go home?

Linny63

Obviously she had a problem with the pregnancy when she got to the hospital. Just MAYBE hysteria was the reason they sedated her. If they found no irregularities they felt that it was ok to release her. This article tells us nothing, yet you are all commenting on how the system failed her. My guess is that she can/will become pregnant again. I wonder why there was no mention of the man who impregnated her. I would think he'd have an opinion on this and want to be heard.

Wtf? The system DID fail her. She wasn't even seen by an actual doctor and clearly had a pack of incompetent boobs trying to practice beyond their scope. It sounds like she had half a dozen triage nurses just telling her everything was fine when it very clearly was not. It would have been clear to a doctor, anyway. If that isn't indicative of a system failure...

Why you're even mentioning the man who impregnated her or her intentions regarding pregnancy is beyond me... Makes no sense and has absolutely nothing to do with the topic.

Well, to be honest here, at 22 weeks she had a miscarriage - not a "premature baby that died". But the treatment couldn't have helped (giving a pregnant woman a sleeping pill?)

Maybe there is nothing they could have done , but at least she should have seen a doctor and determined that was indeed the case and explained that to her. I mean a miscarriage can be an emotionally devastating loss. Like showing some caring would not have hurt anyone.

I thought when a pregnant woman comes in to the ER as a rule they are generally taken straight to the maternity ward and examined just in case. I should say that was the case for every pregnant woman I have known as well as myself. I've never seen one have to sit and wait or not even be seen at all.

This hospital failed TWICE for two different pregnant women. There is definitely some issue of competence for this hospital.

giving a pregnant woman a sleeping pill?

What doesn't make sense about her comments?

Richard went to UMC's emergency department about 10:20 p.m.

She was placed in a room in the labor and delivery department then connected to an external fetal monitor.

was eventually given a sleeping pill and sent home about 3:30 a.m.

I dare say she was not given a sleeping pill before 11:30 p.m. (if at all). How many hospitals give a patient a sleeping pill and than send them home 4 hours later?

I am going to raise the BS flag on this whole story. Her comments through her lawyer just don't jive.

If she was in fact not seen by a doctor or a nurse, who signed her release forms? There is a mountain of paperwork with an ER visit.

Certainly the system needs to be improved, but I suspect there is more to this story than is being revealed.

And just out of curiosity, if she didn't see a doctor or a nurse, did she connect herself to the fetal monitor?????

"Just MAYBE hysteria was the reason they sedated her."

Well, duh, a woman who's having pains and is too early to go into labor just MIGHT be hysterical...ya think????? If they had taken the proper care of her maybe she would have calmed down without a sleeping pill (what kind of idiot gives a sleeping pill to a pregnant woman, to begin with?)

" If they found no irregularities they felt that it was ok to release her."

Proving they were idiots, since she was in active labor.

"This article tells us nothing, yet you are all commenting on how the system failed her. "

It sure as hell did fail her, since they failed to notice she was in active (and too early) labor.

"My guess is that she can/will become pregnant again."

So for you, babies are like goldfish. If one dies you just "get another one"??? Wow. Just wow.

More on this story

According to the lawsuit, Richard was complaining of labor pains when she went to UMC's emergency department at about 10:20 p.m. on Dec. 8.

Richard, already a mother of three, was 22 weeks pregnant and had been receiving prenatal care. She was placed in a room in the labor and delivery department, and was placed on an external fetal monitor.

"She was never seen by a physician or any advanced nursing personnel," the lawsuit alleges. "Her cervix was never checked for dilation. She was given a sleeping pill and sent home."

Richard was discharged around 3:30 a.m. A few hours later, she went to her private doctor, who determined she was in active labor.

He sent her via ambulance to UMC where she delivered her premature baby who died," according to the lawsuit.

The document claims UMC violated the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act by failing to screen and treat Richard.

http://www.lvrj.com/news/lawsuit-says-umc-didnt-give-treatment-80403287.html

And the other woman as well

According to the Abney lawsuit, she arrived at UMC with her fiance, Raffinee Dewberry, on Nov. 30 and waited for six hours without being treated, despite her complaints about abdominal pain.

She then went to nearby Valley Hospital but said she left after hospital staff suggested she could face a similar wait there.

Within 20 minutes of arriving home on Dec. 1, Abney gave birth. She has told the Review-Journal she did not know she was pregnant.

On Dec. 10, UMC officials moved to fire six employees involved in the Abney case. The six, whose names were not released, were suspended pending termination proceedings.

So if the hospital did nothing wrong, why fire 6 people after these events?

Maybe she wasn't a top priority at the ER. Maybe other people felt just as bad or worse than she did, or got there before she did. If SHE didn't know she was pregnant so she could tell the hospital, how could the hospital know because she was complaining of pain. I'd like to see the video footage of that ER. Dollars to donuts, it was crammed with illegals and that's why she sat for 6 hours waiting for treatment. Same with the other hospital that warned her of a similiar wait time.

my opinion is that they fired the 6 people to reduce the liklihood of a lawsuit. (haha!) and also to be politically correct. I doubt anyone would ahve been fired if it had happened to me- skinny white woman-= slimmer chance of a lwsuit and no NAACP or Rev Sharpie to fight for her "rights".

Right they fired 6 people "just in case". Well then, I suppose those 6 people now have a lawsuit if they did nothing wrong.

I'm kind of curious, Linny63, how seeing a video would help you determine whether the waiting room was

crammed with illegals?

Surely you aren't implying that you can identify someone who has illegally entered this country on sight alone? I would take this further and lay out the "type" of people that I suspect you're referring to, but I'd hate to be accused of putting words in your mouth.

At the last hospital I worked for several males were fired over just allegations of misconduct. One was an RN who did a break for another nurse. 15 min. he drained a 13 yr old heart patient's catheter. She said he fondled her. Her room was right by the unit coordinator's desk. the curtain was open, the doors are glass. He was arrested and held over New Yrs. He was fired. She recanted and it came out that her parents were getting a divorce and she was acting out and looking for attention. The nurse did sue and received compensation but neither the hospital nor MNA stood up for him when the allegations were made.

Another was an RN who was getting a divorce and he and his soon-to-be ex-wife were caring for her deceased mother's medical foster child. All it took was one call to the hospital saying he might have fondled this child and BOOM fired. no investigation, nothing. there were more. after that we never made the male therapists do any EKGs on any girl over 10. and if it was absolutely necessary a nurse would be present.

We will have to see how this turns out.

Why is the system so poor, in your opinion?

The system works just fine for me. I've never had a problem with ANY medical care I have received. (Nor has anyone in my family.) If you think this is bad, wait until Obama starts his CASKETS FOR CLUNKERS program. Gramma won't get diddly. Will there be outrage then? I'd be willing to bet that Obama's illegal (criminal) aunt who lives in PUBLIC HOUSING will get all the care she needs. So will the rest of the illegal aliens. (Sorry, I meant Undocumented Democrats.)

So you are another one that says yes, our current system is bad, but turn around and oppose ANY and ALL proposals to reform it? But I guess that that is a typical conservative, all bit*hes and no ideas or action... Oh well

Linny

First of all Obama is not the one writing the bill. Secondly the public option has already been taken out so there is NO Obama health care reform thanks to all those who live with their lips firmly affixed to the asses of insurances companies and those too stupid to see what is going on.

If you have had no problem then so far you are lucky but as it stands, the insurance companies are able to keep raising premiums, deny people insurance for pre-existing conditions and any other excuse they can think of.

Meanwhile, they can happily go on covering only healthy people as they continue to drive up the cost for everyone else.

WOW best health care in the world!

And I'd like to see a link proving your statement about this coverage for illegals.

Bartman.. agreed they do nothing but complain and use no facts at all to make an argument and offer no alternative or suggestion. Ahhh Republican 3.0

I hope the next version is better. I rather liked the original version myself.

If you are addressing ME, Bartman, I never agreed the system was bad. I think it works just fine. The incoming system is BAD BAD BAD.

WTF, just for your info, I have endometriosis, asthma/COPD and a dreadful family history of cancer. Not exactly what you'd call healthy. It just so happens that I have a job and receive very good insurance as part of my compensation package.

I don't care who is physically writing the bill. Obama ran on a health care reform platform and the Democrats are writing it on his watch.

Linny63

WTF, just for your info, I have endometriosis, asthma/COPD and a dreadful family history of cancer. Not exactly what you'd call healthy. It just so happens that I have a job and receive very good insurance as part of my compensation package.

How much of that insurance is Medicare/Medicaid?

The current system sucks. My Parents who are now retired can't get health insurance that covers the things they need it most for... Skin cancer you know those Pre-existing conditions.

I on the otherhand had to let my ACL heal on it's own when I ripped it 5 years ago, now my insurance that I do have won't touch it because... oh PreExisting.

In the mean time I go into the Hospital with great insurance and before they even notice my dyslocated Elbow they ask for Proof of insurance, which I didn't have because I was Skiing, Sorry Just didn't have the damn card. So I get secound rate care. And if you don't think theirs a difference GO to the hospital without your card, I double dog dare you.

Linny the insurance companies denied insurance to a 4 month old baby fgs for being overweight. He was being breast fed!! There was a picture of this kid and he most definitely was NOT overweight. He was chubby as some babes can be but it was not an obesity issue.

The insurance company then turned around and insured him. Want to know why?

Just so happens his dad was an anchor for a news station and aired his story.

If you think that health care does not need reformed just because yours is working out okay for you then you have your head in the sand.

a baby what??? What is an fgs??????

Are you qualified to determine if a person is overweight just by looking at a photo of him/her? (A good trick, incidentally. Can you guess my weight??) Perhaps the insurance company had a DOCTOR examine the child and determine that he was too fat to be healthy. What was the insurance company's main reason for refusing to cover him? Did you read the refusal docs? Were there other health concerns linked to his weight? Do you even know, or are you skimming the surface? If the isnurance companies are as strong as you say, one guy- tv anchor or not- could not have changed their minds. Some bad press in one town- where, by the way? - would not ahve forced them to reverse their decison. My 18 month old grandson is quite chubby and he's insured. (also breastfed- until he was one year old.)

Solidex, none of my insurance is medicare/medicaid. I have a job.

My mother is on medicare and received OUTSTANDING care when she had a heart attack. (She has no backup insurance plan or gap coverage.) She suffers dreadfully from fibromyalgia and arthritis and has never once gone without good care. She has every medicine she needs and is allowed to have follow-up (liver) tests because of the meds she is on. Still not sure what you're all complaining about.

This child was in the 99th percentile for babies his age. He was long which added to his weight.

And the insurance company said they did not accept babies over the 95th percentile no matter how healthy.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,564501,00.html

Yup this happened in Colorado, they then Refused another baby because she was too thin.

Also Confirmed to be perfectly healthy.

The problem is the Health insurance companies DON’T make decisions based on information from doctors, they make choices based on statistics and random thresholds.

Hi Sandra L. - Virtually 100% of medical care in hospitals is provided by nursing staff. Doctors do rounds and "visit" for about 5 minutes per patient. But when budget crunches occur, it's nursing staff that gets cut. So we have the remaining nurses in charge of more patients than they can possibly care for. Infection control staff is also cut. Patient care suffers. Preventable infections increase.

Greed is not unheard of in the medical community. The doctor who instructed nurses to re-use syringes simply wanted more money. The nurses didn't report him to the medical board, which they should have. Greed trumped "do no harm".

Research is difficult because the medical board simply won't provide a searchable website where you can find out if your doctor is competent and how many complaints have been made against them. It's almost impossible to cause a doctor to lose his license to practice in Nevada, no matter what he/she's done.

And finally, the state of Nevada doesn't really care about the citizenry. They call us a "right to work" state (meaning you can lose your job for no reason), the police force is nearly as corrupt as the New Orleans police, we're at the bottom of every heath related index, and the politicians have no ethics whatsoever. I worked with officials in Carson City and they hate the general public and feel that providing any care or service means that the public is a drag on the system. I was shocked at their open disdain for the population, especially the vulnerable. I avoided them as much as possible because they made me sick to my stomach.

And the insurance companies......well, we all know who rations care and institutes death panels. When it take a PhD to read a 50 page hospital bill to insure you're not being cheated, it's completely out of hand. Medical billing offices are inaccurate, nasty, and pejorative.

Anything else you want to know?

And if you don't think theirs a difference GO to the hospital without your card, I double dog dare you.

I NEVER carry my insurance card to any treatment center - planned or unplanned visits. If the quality of care is better by carrying, then maybe I will start. I can't think of getting any better care, but maybe they will go to the trouble of wiping my arse and then bring me newspapers and slippers because that is about all they have not done yet.

And if you don't think theirs a difference GO to the hospital without your card, I double dog dare you.

This is just a statement of fact not a defense or our current system or an endorsement of the new.

I am an RN in one of the largest hospitals and San Diego. THE ER IS NOT ALLOWED TO ASK FOR ANY INSURANCE INFO until all exams and treatment plan has been written up by a doctor. Then if the plan is written as admit patient for blah blah blah the patient must be admitted regardless of insurance or lack there of and all test will be given, in addition to any new treatment and tests while hospitalized. THIS IS LAW period.

We had a young woman who lived in the hospital for nearly 2 months. She come to the ER and was diagnosed with acute renal failure. The discharge planners needed to find a dialysis center that would donate the dialysis she needed 3x a week for her to stay a live (hospital ethics board found it unethical to send her back to Mexico where she was sure to die). This was made much more complicated by the fact that she was an illegal alien otherwise she could have gotten medi-cal right a way. In the end the hospital is still to this day paying for her dialysis. It’s a lot cheaper then having her stay in the hospital for extended periods. This story by no means is rare believe me I have a MILLION stories just like this one. The majority 95-99% involve illegal aliens and the homeless.

I was recently in the ER and here they ask you first for insurance and if not how you intend to pay right after they triage you. It has been the same way in every ER I have ever been in and I have been in several in several different states.

(Not California's)

As I said I work in San Diego California and this is law in this state. I will look up the law for other states, I am very curious.

This state is Virginia and I can assure you they asked right after triage. I have just been to the ER. I had a kidney stone about 2 weeks ago. They did the same thing I have seen done in every ER I have ever had to go to. I have 3 kids so I've seen a few. (laughs)

We worked construction which took us to multiple states (most of them the southeast.) And I have never seen it done differently.

States I have lived in; Virginia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Texas, New Mexico and Michigan.

I should clarify and state that is was the southeastern states that ask first treat later.

careful now. yourkidding will accuse you of being a fat smoker who doesn't drink water since you had that kidney stone.

I'm a 107lb non-smoker that doesn't drink enough water actually. I very likely did bring on my own kidney stone. No idea. I never did get to find out what kind it was. Some are hereditary but I can't think of anyone in my family that had one with any certainty. If they did, it was too long ago to remember.

I live in East TN and was trail running in Oak Ridge and fell into a pile of rocks. I split my mouth from nose to lips and needed five stitches. The ER in Knoxville made sure my mouth was packed with gauze and the bleeding slowed. I had a great pain shot and lidocaine shots numbing my mouth before they even asked for my insurance cards. I didn't have the insurance cards (trail running) and they pulled my name up in the computer along with my insurance information. This must be set as hospital policy because even the ER in my own city isn't as nice.

Are you qualified to determine if a person is overweight just by looking at a photo of him/her? (A good trick, incidentally. Can you guess my weight??) Perhaps the insurance company had a DOCTOR examine the child and determine that he was too fat to be healthy. What was the insurance company's main reason for refusing to cover him? Did you read the refusal docs? Were there other health concerns linked to his weight? Do you even know, or are you skimming the surface? If the isnurance companies are as strong as you say, one guy- tv anchor or not- could not have changed their minds. Some bad press in one town- where, by the way? - would not ahve forced them to reverse their decison. My 18 month old grandson is quite chubby and he's insured. (also breastfed- until he was one year old.)

Sorry, Linny, I live in Colorado where this case took place, and it was indeed mostly public opinion that caused Rocky Mountain Health Plan to reverse their decision. As for their being other health concerns - the baby's pediatrician stated that the baby did not have any health problems and was simply in a high weight percentile. And as the parents said - what were they supposed to do about the baby's weight, since he was breastfeeding?

In the end, RMHP stated that this case had "brought to light a flaw in their underwriting system". Now if we could get United Healthcare to admit the same thing - as two weeks after this case came up, they denied coverage to a HEALTHY child for being too skinny.

linney YOUR the one with the Kiddney stone... not me.

Shall we add Dementia to your list of problems?

On a side note... I don't think you would be this wound up about my "guess" if it wasn't VERY close to the mark.

it's well known that kidney stones are linked to a lack of water:

http://www.ehealthmd.com/library/kidneystones/KS_prevention.html

as for Linney being Overweight and a Smoker...

Well This is Linney's second bout of Pneumonia...

http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/Pneumonia.html

Which indicates Linney is either simply in Poor health, over 65, under 5, HIV positive, cancer, or perhaps... A smoker.

Considering the state of the country I am going with a Overweight smoker. And considering Linney’s reaction All of my money is sitting on me being right. Why so fiercely deny it? Besides it’s the least terrifying guess in my opinion

If I’m wrong of course, and I were Linney… I would be WAY too concerned that I might have cancer to be wasting all day on the internet.

Particularly if you ARE as underweight as you stated, Weakened immune system, loss of weight… history of cancer in the family?

Your doctor doesn’t go by Zoidburg does he?

Illegal aliens have bankrupted the hospitals and public schools. Hoepfully your insurance covers the removal of your head from your ass.

Linny...

Did you know that there is universal health care in mexico and their care is BETTER then ours.

If I was Illigal in America, I would GO HOME and get better care!!

Linny63

Illegal aliens have bankrupted the hospitals and public schools. Hoepfully your insurance covers the removal of your head from your ass.

Actually, if you want someone to blame, blame insurance companies for making both primary and urgent care expensive by refusing to pay hospitals and doctors what they owe, and refusing to give people coverage to at least what they pay into their plans.

This may be true but there are no jobs or welfare in Mexico. If the great healthcare overrode all the rest of the benefits of living in Mexico, they wouldn't be HERE.

Linny, you are exactly right. I worked at an inner city hospital in a city with 3 very LARGE immigrant populations, most on MA and they think nothing of coming to the ED with 4-5 kids in tow, asking for tylenol or flu shots for the lot of them. There were days when we didn't see a single English-speaking family til midday! I would suggest to the triage nurse that they refer some of these ppl to the free clinic or an Urgent care as the wait time for a non-life threatening visit to ED could be over 3 hrs. Of course, don't forget the free cab ride home.

you bleeding heart liberals who want to give amnesty to illegals are to blame for the health care problems. illegals are bankrupting us. wait and see what happens to the cost and quality of healthcare if the leftists get there way. you think it's bad now? insurance companies are salivating.

Healthcare is better in Mexico? Good....................go there for your meds and procedures. Their sanitation issues are unbelievable, their "replacement" medications are suspect at best. And I might ask two questions....

1. How is it that so many people died there from the swine flue?

2. Where are their doctor's trained?

Did you know that there is universal health care in mexico and their care is BETTER then ours.

If I was Illigal in America, I would GO HOME and get better care!!\

Oh my God I call total BS on your comment!

I work in a large hospital in San Diego we have TONS of illegal aliens coming in to get medical care. Our hospital ethics board will rarely ever send an illegal back to Mexico because it is sure to mean their death! We have American citizens who went to Mexico for "cheap" dental care (in patient for 4 months, wound vac's, much of jaw had to be removed nearly died several times from the severe septicemia) and eye laser surgery (blind now due to the great medical care of Mexico) I could go on and on and on. Christ man you have no idea what you’re talking about!

Linny63

Solidex, none of my insurance is medicare/medicaid. I have a job.

My mother is on medicare and received OUTSTANDING care when she had a heart attack. (She has no backup insurance plan or gap coverage.) She suffers dreadfully from fibromyalgia and arthritis and has never once gone without good care. She has every medicine she needs and is allowed to have follow-up (liver) tests because of the meds she is on. Still not sure what you're all complaining about.

Well, we're off to a bad start since it's "solidox", not "Solidex", so I can already tell your reading comprehension is a touch off... I guess that's why you're unable to discern the complaints are about stifled access to affordable (for most Americans) primary care.

Anyway, it's interesting that you're one of those anti-socialized medicine types but you'll openly praise Medicare for your mother. Don't you know Medicare IS socialized medicine? It's subsidized by taxpayers. Everybody else is paying for her health care and you approve... I hate to break it to you but you're a socialist.

Seems to me that all you people complaining about illegal aliens are missing the point. There are many native-born Americans and naturalized citizens who either have no health insurance or have such poor insurance that they are unable to afford co-pays. And these are EMPLOYED individuals - in many cases ones who make just enough money to not be eligible for Medicaid. People like this often do not have a primary care physician, and are not getting preventive care. They then end up in the ER when they are seriously ill, and in need of expensive treatment. Had they been able to afford primary care, they would have been taken care of BEFORE the need arose to go to the ER. THIS is what is causing the overloads in many ERs - NOT illegal aliens.

soliDOX, my mother worked her tail end off- two jobs since she was a teenager. My father was a heavy equipment operator. Most of the time our family did not have insurance. Mom paid $5 per pay to the doctors and hospitals- even when my sister and i were both in the hospital for required surgeries at the same time. I am a socialist? You must be on crack.

I got your name wrong because I didn't care enough to get it right.

It was only the fault of the hospital because they handled it badly. (And FYI sexual activity is good for a healthy pregnancy.)

YES Naturally while they weren't bothering to notify a doctor that she was even there they did a WHOLE toxicity lab.

NO NO NO you Imbecile! READ THE ARTICLE! PLEASE READ THE ARTICLE BEFORE YOU COMMENT!

The smell of money is in the air.

Just because the same lawyer is representing these two women should not be an indication that he is an ambulance chaser. After all, by his own admission he was a paramedic for several years.

Actually you'd all be surpised how often tox screens are run on patients in the ER, urine and blood only not nails and hair LOL come on. We take your blood and urine and never have to tell you we are running a tox screen on it but a lot of the time we do send it down to the lab and run one.

And FYI sexual activity is good for a healthy pregnancy.)

If this was such a healthy pregnancy, why the miscarriage? You ninny!

Many aspects of a lifestyle can cause a pregnancy to go awry. Either of these women could have been doing a multitude of things that were harmful to the fetus. Urine samples are ok as far as they go but hair and nails give a much clearer picture of drug use.

yourkidding, are you close kin to either of these woman? btw you should have that caps lock seen to. It appears to be stuck.

Losing a child because of incompetent medical care is NOT a frivolous lawsuit.

No one will ever know what the issue with that baby actually was. Had this woman received prompt care, perhaps the baby could have been saved. But since she received no care and had to go to her doctor later, it delayed treatment and led to the loss of her child! Optomyst is right....Not a frivolous lawsuit!

Had this woman received prompt care, perhaps the baby could have been saved.

The pregnant woman, Latricia Richard, reportedly went to UMC on December 8th after two days in pain.

So just when does prompt care start? She stayed at home nearly three days (according to other articles I read) before seeking help and now it is on the hospital because her baby died.

Frivolous!

perhaps that is why you are bankrupt!

Remember those words Linny, remember them when your parents are denied care and tests, even after they paid for their insurance.

My mother probably WILL be denied coverage under the new CASKETS FOR CLUNKERS program. So will my grandmother and parents' in law. So will I for that matter. With my medical history and how underweight I am, I will probably be deemed a bad risk. BTW, my father died in 1994. He received absolutely WONDERFUL care from the VA and died in his own home. I understand the VA benefits will be stripped to nearly nothing. What a lovely way to thank our Veterans for their service. God bless America.

Where exactly did you read that the VA benefits are going to be stripped? And what exactly is this Casket for Clunkers thing you keep talking so much about. I'd love to have the links for these two jewels.

OH GOD... ::slaps forhead::

Do you know who runs the VA hospitals sweet tart? It's the big bad goberment... yes... the ones that you don't think can run a hospital.

Do you know who cut the VA financing...

Do you you Cute little bubble bubble?

It was the last Presedent. I know I know that upsets you, it's ok SHhhh Shhh no cry cry.

Your doing a really really good job and some people might think you have a brain in that cute little head of yours so deep breaths, do some research and try again OK!

A very mature response. You're creepy (bubble bubble and no cry cry?) and you used the wrong form of "you're" in your name and most other times you mean "you are". SO glad you think I am doing a good job. How so? Just for the record, I'm not especially cute. Despite excellent health care and insurance, I am not healthy and am severely underweight.

Linny, I too would like to have the links for your "Caskets for Clunkers" (????) and the VA benefit thing........And YouTube doesn't count!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey Linny: Come to my state (TN). We give our vets FREE HIV and Hep B at the VA clinic with their colonoscopies, cause they didn't clean the machine well enough between uses. Great health care for vets. What an oxymoron. I'm a vet and I would love to know exactly what state gramps lived in so I could get this "absolutely WONDERFUL" coverage. My brother has PTSD so badly he can't go out in public and can't get correct meds from the VA. I'm sure he'd like to know, too.

My survivors' benefits include medical care. It beats any other insurance coverage. I choose my providers--I opted for Mayo--no questions asked. I'm in meds by mail and whatever my doctor prescribes is what I get.

Bart-1520868

quit with the personal attacks.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2009-08-31-mexico-health-care_N.htm

http://www.newsweek.com/id/169827

great job at calling all americans idiots.

jet mech, my father was treated at the VA hospital in Gainesville Florida. I am sorry that the care your brother is receiving is not adequate. Perhaps it is because the military does not believe in PTSD or even the damage that was casued by Agent Orange. (or so I've heard- unconfirmed) He was a crane operator in the USMC in the mid fifties. He died in 2004 (not 1994 as previously stated- I had a brain fart) of COPD/emphysema at home under Hospice care (fantastic organization. I thank God every day for the team that helped us through my dad's illness and death. I sincerely hope that your brother gets the treatment he needs and that you never suffer from anything that is not easily treated by your VA hospital. Is there a link to any info on the TN VA hospital that used unclean machines? That is something that I would be vocal about preventing in the future. Best wishes for the new year.

Linny: The VA's use of unclean machines happened in 3 states. In Feb. of 2009, the VA sent out letters to over 10,000 vets in TN, FL, and GA warning them they could have been exposed to HIV, Hep C, and Hep B, dating back as far as 2003 from the use of unclean colonoscopy machines. SUPPOSEDLY, this was taken up before Congress, BUT....

jet mech I can't find the words to express how it sickens me that our Veterans would be given substandard (and dangerous) treatment. I will do more research on this and make it a priority to make some noise about this. Be well.

I will not defend myself to you Amy. Read the posts and see the natural progression from poor hospital care to Obama's plan to bankrupt hospitals to illegals. Ask your mom to help you with the big words.

Love, (expletive deleted)

She had a private physician and had been under prenatal care.........................she must have been covered in some way. Regardless..............this is no excuse. They simply were to busy and forgot about her. And they gave her a sleeping pill?

Obviously this particular hospital and its employees are substandard. It doesn't mean the whole system is bad. What is the level of education of the first round intake people? Are they actual medical personnel or minimum wage clerks? Is the hospital in a good neighborhood or is it staffed with the only people who were willing to work in that part of town? Just questions. Never been to Vegas. Don't know the demographics or the socio-economics of the entire town.

Hi Linny63 - I live in Vegas. There are multiple instances in Vegas, as a whole, and this hospital in particular that would indicate that this is a systemic problem. For instance, ER staff is being investigated as "someone" from UMC is selling MVA patient information to local attorneys to enhance the possibility of lawsuits. We have several local clinics where the physician in charge re-used syringes to save money and exposed hundreds of residents to the possibility of hepatitis and HIV. Now this.... It isn't a surprise to those of us who live here.

As for the socio-economic atmosphere, any job here has hundreds if not thousands of applicants. Wages here are below the norm. The economy has tanked and may not ever return to what we would have considered normal. The devestation here is almost beyond Katrina. And UMC is hemorraging $. Who is legal or illegal is irrelevant as the unemployment rate is only below the sorry state of Michigan. Poverty is rampant in every population here now and those who lost their jobs also lost insurance. Vegas may become "everytown".

Robb - I could agree with most of what you said, however, legal or illegal is relevant.

Hi Auntie - It may be relevant to other discussions but isn't relevant in determining who got good care at UMC. The system is broken for everyone who walks in that door as a patient.

Erica, cna you please post the link to the story on the other incident? I can't seem to find it. This article doesn't give the details. Thanks.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34383550/ns/health-more_health_news/

Thank you.

You're welcome and by the way fgs is the short version of "for goodness sake" or "for god's sake".

It's a bad habit. (laughs)

just because someone didn't want to do their job

No matter how good or how bad a medical system is, a person bears the responsibility to self advocate.

One was engaged to be married and the other went to her personal physician who determined she was indeed in active labor. Read the articles.

mel, when you were in the ER, what kind of injuries, etc did you see? Were people bleeding? Gunshot wounds? Accidental amputations? Or were the patients people who were sick and were using the ER as a primary care? My daughter works in a hosptial (She is a Doctor of Pharmacy) I am not challenging you; just asking what you saw. Thanks.

Of course, LET them Die in the streets! LOL moron.

Thank Bush. As someone earlier stated, he is the one that told the uninsured to just go to the emergency room.

Many people without insurance are hard working and not freeloaders. They simply can't afford the sky rocketing prices of insurance or can't get insured because of a pre-existing condition.

Those without jobs often get Medicaid. Kind of makes you wonder who is in the ER really doesn't it? If not, it should.

When George Bush spoke recently about access to healthcare, especially for the underprivileged, he said, "The immediate goal is to make sure there are more people on private insurance plans. I mean, people have access to healthcare in America. After all, you just go to an emergency room."

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/565099

You can find that quote just about anywhere.

I am sure there are some self-employed folks who can not afford insurance. Why can't they go to the doctor and pay as they go, as I did before I had insurance?

Anyone with group insurance coverage through an employer will be exempt from the "pre-existing condition" clause. Or am I wrong about that too, oh creepy wtf?

Yes that's right. All I can say is every one happy with the way that the health care system works. Next time you go to the ER try to walk a mile in those freeloader shoes see how you like it. Tell them you have no insurance see how you like that. You may not even live threw it. No joke No BS No spin. Try it and see until then you have no idea.

If they can't afford health insurance what makes you think they can all afford to "pay as you go". I know some can and do but those that can't, what do they do? They end up with bad credit and ostracized by people who think that because their life is working out those of others should be as well. That's just not a reality.

It does not matter which side of the aisle you are on politically. There has to be healthcare reform or we as a nation are never, ever, ever coming out of debt. And it is a lonnnnng climb back up at the moment.

Been there, done it.

You didn't answer my question. Once again you think because you did it everyone else can. That simply is not a realistic way to view things. People have different circumstances and different events that happen to them. Just because you were able to does not make everyone else able to.

Maybe I was able to do it becuase I worked hard to pay my bills. I knew I owed the money and eventually paid it off. It took a long time. I did not expect a handout or an entitlement. I promised the doctors and hospital that I would pay and I did. This was 25 years ago when I was a single mom follwing a divorce. Incidentally, I have ONE child, because that is all I could afford. I wanted her to go to college and have enough money to take care of her. I would have wanted more children but I couldn't afford it. See where I'm going with this? Personal responsibility. Some have it; some don't.

You know, even your newsvine name is disrespectful. Think we don't all know what wtf stands for? Nasty. Do you kiss your momma with that mouth?

I don't kiss my mother at all actually. You may not like my name but I have been very respectful to you.

Good thing for you you were not too injured to work or have some other unexpected financial crisis. Everything worked out good for you and that's nice but that does not negate the fact that you are not everyone else and neither were your circumstances anyone else's.

I am a single mother of 3 never been on welfare or food stamps. Nor did I get money from my own parents.

I have one son that is a marine in 29 Palms California who just got back from Iraq, one daughter in college and one more son on his way out of high school.

SO?

That doesn't mean everyone can just because I did it.

And you still haven't explained that Casket for Clunkers remark or given any link to back that statement up as well as the one about the VA benefits. Just reminding you because I'd really like to know where you got those facts.

BUt doens't it tick you off to see people with their hands out all the time, and telling us that they're entitled, after you worked so hard to raise productive children, especially by yourself? And then they sue or call the NAACP when they don't get special treatment? Why should she she have gone to the front of the line? And the other woman didn't even know she was pregnant. I'd say a heart attack or a bullet wound would take priority over someone who had pain in her abdomen. I sat for a while too when i had the kidney stone, but not when i thought I was having a heart attack when my lung collapsed.

I'm sorry you don't kiss your mom. I hope you still have her and can get back to the point when you would kiss her. It seems as thought you raised your children well. I hope they stay safe and healthy. And I hope they always kiss you.

Well I haven't seen any of the white people who sit on their ass waiting for a handout call the NAACP no. Actually I have never personally seen a black person do so either.

I do know plenty people, all races, who have sued or lied about disability and a myriad of other things so that they could stay on their lazy asses and sponge off the system.

Does it make me mad? Yes it does but I also know you don't throw out the bunch because of a few bad apples.

There are thousands of people out there that are not these people. So what do we do? Keep digging a bigger hole into our deficit and leave these honest hard working people, who just happened to hit a really unfortunate crisis out in the cold because we'd rather make sure the people that won't work don't get anything?

Reform is all about changing all these things; Making sure less people take advantage and at the same time making sure that people who aren't taking advantage don't end up in financial ruin or without health care.

My kids do kiss me. Never been ashamed to. I am lucky for that. We're very close. I hope they stay safe too. My son leaves for Afghanistan this year and my younger son is thinking to join the service when he graduates. Am I going prematurely gray? Hell yes!! (laughs)

wtf, Although we disagree on the health care policies, I do hope that your brave children stay safe- in whatever they choose to do. Our opinions are shaped by our personal experiences and we see things differently. Be well and Happy New Year.

I am sure there are some self-employed folks who can not afford insurance. Why can't they go to the doctor and pay as they go, as I did before I had insurance?

It's not just self-employed people who can't afford insurance. Our local newspaper has been running a series of articles on health insurance and there are many, many people - especially younger people - in white-collar jobs that are making the choice to decline their employer's group insurance because it costs too much. As far as "pay as you go" - maybe you were lucky enough to be able to afford that. But there are many low-paid people who don't have insurance and are living paycheck to paycheck just with getting the necessities of life. To them, a simple doctor's visit is too expensive. In addition, hospitals are becoming much more cautious about setting up payment plans because they were getting stiffed so often.

Are you trying to say the woman took the sleeping pill on her own? If so go back and read the article. The hospital gave it to her. Secondly why are you making an issue of their names? Not a racist are you?

drugs and alcohol may have been the cause, not the e.r staff. I'm sure she'll have more babies soon enough by different fathers. after all, more babies= more welfare. wait a minute, according to liberals this wasn't a baby that died, but a fetus. you pro abortion liberals should be elated.

Nowhere in the article did it even mention either mother was on drugs or drinking. So basically you're just making an unsubstantiated argument based on what their names are. You are definitely a racist and a waste of time. Last second of my time wasted on you.

Actually, it says she is a mother of three. No age given. No mention of any father(s). Charles is right. Liberals don't consider a 22 week fetus a baby. Does the term partial birth abortion ring any bells?

One of them had a fiance. So? Because one of them had three kids and they didn't mention the father she must absolutely be a drunk and a druggie. Once again.. there is nothing to substantiate that claim with.

You don't even know if she is single. Just because the paper didn't state it doesn't mean the father isn't around or that she is on drugs or a drunk or anything else.

And I can be just as general too and tell you how crappy I think men in general are. Especially white men. White Republican men.

But I prefer to look at them individually. So far none of them are looking that good right now and the ones that do are being pushed out by their own party. (purity test LAUGHS)

The fact is that there is something to do with someone in the wrong here and according to what we know so far it looks like it is the hospital in the wrong.

And you're wrong. Not all liberals think that way. Some do in fact consider it a fetus and some do not. That goes back to generalizing again.

I should correct that last statement by saying all liberals consider a fetus a fetus. Technically speaking that is what it is. Not all of them consider a fetus a baby.

The argument of weather she was given a sleeping pill should be easy to find out.

Meds come from a pyxsis with a touch screen. It's like a giant chest of draws you can ONLY access with your personal code AND your finger print and then ONLY after the order as been entered by the pharmacist, co-checked by another pharm assistant and the Pharm MUST have a doctors written order that is saved in a computer. ONLY after all this will the computer allow you to access the pyxsis, touch on the patients name, touch on the med ordered (only meds that have written md's order in the computer entered by the pharm will come up under that patients name) a drawer pops open you must count the pills enter number of pills counted (to be sure of no discrepancies) once pyxsis has deemed there are no discrepancies you take pill shut drawer. I went through this lengthy explanation so you can see that proving or disproving she was given a "sleeping pill" is rather easy and the more info people have the more understanding there is. In case of emergencies the RN can over ride the system BUT then the RN only has access to emergency medications such as atropine, lidocaine... and those are in a drawer dedicated only for emergency meds.

I was given morphine when I went into premature labor with my daughter so I am not sure if a sleeping pill is really that big a deal accept for the fact that was all that was done in regards to treating her.

The deal is she is claiming never having been seen by a doctor and my explanation of how a patient receives meds makes me have many questions about that claim. As I commented on page 2 the article I read was very short and as an RN left me with far more questions than answers.

jfzs, I am a Respiratory Therapist who works under an RCAT Protocol. (Respiratory Care Assess and Treat). I can write orders and override for a variety of Respiratory Meds well before the Pharmacist at another system hospital with 24 hr Pharm checks it. I can also withdraw from the ERB stock several meds. The RNs can write orders under the ER Triage protocol. We work so closely with our ED docs that they have no problem with it. They ALWAYS see the patients asap.

You are correct about the Pyxsis tho the last hospital I worked at, which was a very large midwest Pediatric hospital, we used a password not a fingerprint. Same thing tho. there is a record of what meds I took out. So they can easily pull the record of the patient.

There are standing orders written by the OB Doc and followed by an RN in Labor and Delivery. Sleeping medicine not uncommon. Pyxsis can have fingerprint and password too. If it was a night then the OB docs aren't there. It is at the RN's discretion (somewhat) on whether or not to inform doctor and/or house supervisior about theh situation. Maybe the OB doc on call was called, but didn't see the urgency or potential urgency in her VS and strips.

I understand all about standard orders BUT...

The article said she was in the ER, AND NEVER A RN OR DOCTOR. So WHO GOT THE "SLEEPING PILL"

get it now?

Sorry it timed out before I edited my post 20.12.

You are right lore and otoe there are circumstances when standard and emergency orders can be initiated in dept through out a hospital.

There are standing orders written by the OB Doc and followed by an RN in Labor and Delivery

She was not admitted to L&D she was in the ER.

Respiratory Therapist who works under an RCAT Protocol. (Respiratory Care Assess and Treat). I can write orders and override for a variety of Respiratory Meds

Right she wasn't in resp distress and you would not over-ride a "sleeping pill" for that anyway. But I did address the over-ride on emergency meds in post 20.7

I understand ALL about over-riding and emergency and standard orders but a "sleeping pill in ER for her problem I do not see falling under those policies.

It doesn't matter if they were understaffed at the time it happened. It is their responsibility to see to it that they can provide care when it is needed if they are going to operate an ER. If they can't run the hospital then perhaps it is best left to someone that can.

Once you might think it understandable and a mistake but twice? Not to mention they are being investigated for possibly giving out social security numbers and other information to ambulance chasers.

I know there are budget cuts and all those other things but that leaves them no less responsible or legally liable.

you won't get the e.r facts. this is the state controlled media, propaganda machine, media spin and will be used by the regime to try to sell us the @!$%# package that is their marxist utopian dream.

She had a private doctor that she saw hours later....I venture a guess that she had coverage. What does that have to do with anything?

She was also the mother of 3! I venture another guess that she knows her own body and knows when there's a problem!

The ER should have listened and called her own doctor! You're guess of an outside doc reading the strips....well, let me see....I don't need some doctor that hasn't even SEEN me diagnosing me! And if that was done, well that's malpractice in itself!

Then she should have called her private physician in the first place and he/she could have met her at the ob ward. I agree having three kids does let you know your own body but they would not have kept her there for that reason. Her contractions would have to have shown that she was having active labor contractions before they would have kept her or admitted her. She might have gone into active labor a few hours later when she went to her doctor (just as I went into active labor several hours after having gone in thinking I might have been in labor).

Her insurance company would not have paid for a "hunch" that she was right and something was wrong if she were admitted. That is the reality we live in with insurance companies. They don`t pay for hunches. Shoot..... sometimes they don`t pay for actual events. Furthermore, we don`t know whether her "doctor" was someone down at the community clinic. My point was that the article lacks information. It`s a throw away article of little relevance without actual information.

Separate issue is the whole notion of suing the hospital because they didn`t end up with a baby at the end of 40 weeks. Same with the other person also suing. More than likely the hospital will move in the direction of shutting down their entire delivery ward as some other hospitals have done around the country. Why take the risk and incur the expense of malpractice insurance?

I'm an Emergency Physician, and this is the first intelligent response I have seen in this thread yet. For those of you ER bashing, you need to stop. She was appropriately send from the ER to the Labor and Delivery triage area where it sounds like she was observed. When someone is observed there, the put the mother and baby (if able) on the "monitor" and watch for contractions and fetal heart rate. If there is no sign of active labor at that time, the patient is discharged. Not sure where the "sleeping pill" came in. At any rate, a 22 week fetus is not going to survive. The only thing is if they could have given a tocolytic - a drug to stop contractions. At any rate, I have a hard time believing that they would send her home if she was ACTUALLY having contractions as evidenced on the monitor. This sounds like a person who is looking for someone to blame and went running to the media expecting someone to help her in her "plight". Looks like they ate it up with a spoon. Yes I read the article from beginning to end.

P.S. Most of you people have no clue about medicine, how to practice medicine, and what is the standard of care.

I agree with everything but the fact that a 22-wk gestation will always result in death. The youngest surviving is 21 w 6 days. I worked as a Resp Therapist at a large well-respected pediatric hospital for 20 yrs. We were connected via tunnel to a bigger Adult facility with L&D. When I started in 1989 28 wkrs that survived birth often ended up with severe BPD and spent months to a few years on vents. Often suffered from ROP and went blind. Had NEC and had most of their intestines removed or had a Grade III head bleed. By the time I left there in 2008 they were always resuscitating 23-24 wkrs and would do a 22 if the the parents insisted. With the use of Oscillators barotrauma is greatly reduced, as well as the routine use of Survanta. Head cooling has helped with IVH, lower Sat levels has almost completely eliminated Retinopathy of Prematurity, still have a ways to go on the gut tho.

I have personally taken care of a 2 yr old girl who was completely normal except for some RAD. and she was a tad small. but could walk, run, talk, mimic. There weren't many like her, but they are out there.

But if we expect the Border Patrol to be able to enforce a long border, particularly in the south -- and the north, for that matter -- we ought to have a system that recognizes people are coming here to do jobs that Americans will not do. And there ought to be a legal way for them to do so.

When Bush said that a great republican I worked for said. You can't ship 20 million illegals home. When Obama was elected. He said. Obama is gonna give amnesty to 20 million illegal free loading pos's. When I asked him about his former stance he could not recall that Bush said that or that he would support it.

BTW I support neither party but those jobs there coming here to do. Are the jobs I do when I can get them and there not filled with a illegal. No amesty send them all home and shut down all the companys using illegals.

We have a company here that has been busted 3 times using illegals they had 500 the first time. The second time they had over 50 people work on one SS# the person incharge of hiring was selling that card number for 50$ a pop. Quit putting them to work and they will quit coming here.

Oh and my former employer the great republican guess who he replaced me with.

It is the liberals now and you and your fellow entitled are bringing this country to its knees.

Charlie

Your sadly mistaken but you need a excuse as to why your the kinda person you are. I pay my tax's and draw no entitlements. You are the problem with this country.

Bernie, have you even been in labor? The first thing you think about is to get to help. This was just wrong and no matter how you look at it or what party you belong to, THIS should piss you off.

The Rep did it, NO the Dem did it, the lie that will bring down this country.

Luvenia,

Yes, I called my doctor on the way to the hospital and he had the proper authorities ready and waiting.

I was told to go to the hospital when I reached labor where I had already filled out pre-registratration forms and did not have to place the call to my doctor myself.

And if you are on medicaid (if either of these women were) they get whatever doctor happens to be on call in the maternity ward at the time. At least that is how it worked in my state. So there wasn't any calling your usual doctor. Either way it was taken care of after you reached the hospital.

Where the heck do all you people live that get this crappy care?? I currently work at a 30 med/surg bed, 4 icu beds and 12 L&D beds. Our ED has 10 rooms and Urgent care has 5. we often have 2 docs on at the same time in ED. we have 1 from 2400-0600. we have 2 Hospitalists on that round each day and are on-call at night and they are expected to come in a see admitted patients.