Medical Malpractice By Way Of Mercy Hospital Springfield Missouri

The following is an actual letter that was sent to Mercy Hospital and to the Joint Commission.
There was no reply or response from either entity.

Under the banner of Homeland Security this sort of subjection is allowed and even encouraged by this Fascist government of the US.   Certain large hospitals along with FEMA and the Red Cross can detain American citizens against their will.  This is a little known fact, however it is very real.

February 19, 2012
Mercy a.k.a. St. Johns

Regarding emergency room visit 2-16-2012

To whom it may concern:

I entered the E.R. at about 1 A.M. on a Thursday morning, and went straight to the reception desk.  I was asked my problem, I stated my colon was severely impacted and now I could not pass urine.  I told the woman in reception it had been approximately 16 hours since I had urinated and I was in severe pain.  So much pain I could not sit down and was doubled over for her interview.  She pointed in the general direction of the triage rooms and had me walk, still doubled over, to the row of rooms which I assumed were the triage rooms.  Both rooms 1 and 2 were occupied.  I asked the person in room 2 where to go, she said to go on to room 3.  I went in and waited, actually someone came very promptly.  I was asked my problem and I repeated my previous statement, severely impacted colon, and unable to urinate.  The same person, I'm guessing she was a nurse, ( she never identified herself) proceeded to administer a urinary catheter.  She made the comment that a piece of skin had came off and was visible in the bag.  She said she was sending the urine to be tested along with the piece of tissue.  One month later I am still waiting for the results.  She said I would need to wait for the doctor to see me and it would be as soon as possible.  She closed both doors to the room, probably for my privacy.  Now the inept part begins.

No one ever came back to check on me, I am unable to sit down I am in so much pain so I am in the floor by the chairs, watching the clock.  Three hours went by and I notice my catheter bag is completely full, so I found a bathroom and drained the bag.  I went back to the room and continued to wait.  I started to feel like I might pass out so I opened both doors to the room.  At least with the doors opened somebody might actually see me if I were to faint.  With the over abundance of digital clocks in your E.R. I was very aware of the hours of my pain getting worse and of the neglect I received.  I had to empty my bag again, no one had bothered to come back and check on me at all.  Now my pain is getting worse and I am starting to think, maybe they have forgotten about me, so I decided to get up and leave while I could still walk.  I made it out the front doors and was about sixty feet from the emergency room doors when the person who installed the catheter came running and yelling after me.  She said you cannot just leave, you haven't been seen by a doctor..  I was in so much pain it was altering my senses and so I walked back in to the E.R.  She sent me back to the number three room, again by myself.  I was invisible in this room, but not when I started to leave, she never once asked me if I was feeling better or worse.  For some unknown reason there two security guards posted outside my room, one at each door.  They stayed there for the rest of the night. They would occasionally  talk to hospital staff passing by, you know  normal hospital gossip.  With my increased pain and the two guards hovering outside I started to wonder if I was going to be arrested or " Baker Acted".  With all of this pain, and the waiting and no attention being given to me, I started to think about my older sister who died of an impacted colon.  She checked herself into a Kansas City Missouri hospital, St. Lukes, complaining of stomach pains just like me.  Three days later she is dead, due to her colon bursting while the hospital did nothing.  My sister was actually sedated and placed on a "Vent" while they did testing .  It took the attention of a first year nursing student suggesting to the attending doctor at St. Lukes  to actually perform a exploratory surgery to discover her problem  The nursing student had properly diagnosed the problem.  Colon had burst completely destroying her organs with fecal waste.  So here I sit, impacted bowel, ER staff refusing to allow me to leave, guards outside the doors.   Finally after about two more hours they made me leave the room and go out into the general waiting area, apparently they needed the triage  room for another hapless patient.  I proceed to the general population area and had to kneel down in the floor, could not sit because of the  severe abdomen pain.  Guards followed me outside and both stood there watching me.  I went over to the receptionist and asked to check myself out A.M.A.  (Against Medical Advice).  She informed me if I did this my catheter would have to be removed, by force if necessary.  Now mind you, this would have been removing something inside my body which technically belonged to me and endangering my very life.  Now at this point I am beyond tired and extremely weak, I would have been unable to defend myself from these two guards, I  am also a 63 year old man with an extremely bad back so fighting back would have been futile.  I then asked if I could get something from a concession or from the E.R. to coat my stomach, I have a bad ulcer and it was also starting to hurt.  The receptionist informed me there was nothing available and if I tried to leave the area to get something the catheter would be forcibly removed.  I asked what was taking so long and was informed their computer system was down and no patient was able to see a doctor, I repeat no one was able to see a doctor.  The waiting room was very full. 

I was unaware that medical care stops when the computers are "Down"  She went on to say the system was down before I had come in several hour before.  My oldest son trained at ST. Johns over 22 years ago, you know back when it was an actual facsimile of a hospital.  Back in the day if you were trained at ST.Johns you were welcomed at other hospitals, especially down South.  Back then if you were a fully trained E.M.T. they would promote you to status of paramedic in states like Alabama, they were so highly respected.  They valued the training of Missouri care givers that much.  So much for the good old days when the welfare of the patient meant more than billing and collecting.  I actually know some of the people in your billing department, they are constantly being told to try to find any loopholes to bill Medicare , whether it is a legal charge or not. The top ten rating of St. Johns- Mercy is based on billing and collecting, not quality of care. Your priorities are evident.

Now back to the waiting game to see the doctor.  Around 7:15 a.m. I was finally sent back to see a doctor, this being the morning shift.  Was there even a doctor on staff for the previous shift?  If so why was I denied access to such a doctor who might have actually helped me?  I was instructed to go to the appointed area somewhere several feet away from the waiting room area.  I was sent there on my own, no one took me there, I had to walk the entire way by myself.  Due to my worsening condition I cannot sit or lie down so I am kneeling on the floor when the doctor and nurse finally arrive in the room.  The first thing out of the nurses mouth was to ask me if I were praying since I was on my knees, not Are you okay or to ask if I had fallen, I raised myself up without any assistance from the doctor or nurse.  The doctor listens to my heart through the gown and listens to my breathing, does not check my catheter, simply asks why I am there.  I repeat the story, severely impacted colon unable to urinate before catheter was installed.  He tell me to drink water, take stool softeners, go to my regular doctor on Monday and get the catheter removed, go home have a nice day.  A woman from accounts receivable comes in to recheck all the pertinent billing information and to verify for sure who I am.  In total she spent more time with me than the doctor did.  But then again billing and collecting are more important than care of patients.  For six and one half hours I was in pain and forced to remain there for a six minute doctor visit.  I left the hospital unescorted no wheel chair, no guards anymore, their mission had been fulfilled.  My son in Florida when hearing of this insanity was appalled,  if this had happened in the Florida system there would have been severe consequences for the staff.  Now I understand the incompetence, it starts with the doctor and trickles down the chain.  I suppose me being severely impacted posed no health risk at all, as no one bothered to check this , no scans or labs were performed, I could have died in your E.R. and nobody would have been concerned.  Just another elderly person.  The amount of time I spent I could have driven to St. Louis, to a real hospital such as Barnes. 

When an E.R. cannot treat patients, they go on diversion, I should have been told I would not be treated until the computer system was back online.  I know your hospital is classified a Trauma One hospital requiring you to be fully staffed at all times, for all occasions.  I just saw in the newspaper, allegedly a patient was sexually assaulted in you hospital while in your care and it was on camera, so much for quality care and being in a safe environment.  Where were your security guards while this woman was being attacked  Were they perhaps detaining another elderly person to prevent them from leaving your exquisite care?  If this in normal procedure at Mercy-St Johns the general public should be informed.  There is a web site dedicated to exposing corruption such as this , I will post this letter there.




Mercy
1235 East Cherokee
Springfield MO 65804


The Joint Commission
One Renaissance Boulevard
Oakbrook Terrace
IL  60181