Katrina relief worker denied medical care

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CMiddleton
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Katrina relief worker denied medical care

Post by CMiddleton »

My girlfriend returned home after a 2 week deployment in Louisiana, she works for NDMS as a Veterinarian Medical Assistance Team Officer. She has been exposed to the sewage and God knows what else water down there, treading through it, washing it off animals, etc.

Yesterday she was complaining of some symptoms that were flu like. Other more dangerous conditions exist with the same symptoms, ie. West Nile Virus.

She called her Doctor in the Dayton area, Dr. Romer. The nurse told her that the soonest she could get her in is next Thursday. My gf kindly explained that she was in the water in New Orleans providing relief to victims of Katrina and that the potential for her to have a serious condition was exacerbated due to that fact. The nurse would not budge, and said next Thursday.

Now, as she lies in bed with a fever, I am steaming mad. Any suggestions for turning up the heat on this physician so he will provide prompt care to someone who has selflessly given of herself to save countless animals and prevent humans from diseased caused by decaying animals?
It can be difficult to remember that your mission was to drain the swamp, when you are up to your butt in alligators.
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BKVic
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Post by BKVic »

If she really thinks she is ill then take her to an ER, its that simple.


BKVic
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NavyChief
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Post by NavyChief »

ER, hut!!! After the fact, you may want to file some sort of complaint against the Doc and/or staff. But for the moment simply get her in for diagnosis/treatment.
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Petrovich
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Post by Petrovich »

Keep an eye on her. If she's not taking fluids, is feverish and develops diarrhea and/or vomiting she'll dehydrate VERY fast. Then you got a bigger problem.

Get some pedialyte or gatorade (pedialyte's better) and make her sip it pretty much constantly. Withold solid food for now. Use tylenol to treat the temp.

If she can't keep fluids down, or gets bad diarrhea take her to the ER.
AmericanGunner
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Post by AmericanGunner »

Take her to the ER then consult a Attorney.
TunnelRat
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Re: Katrina relief worker denied medical care

Post by TunnelRat »

CMiddleton wrote:The nurse told her that the soonest she could get her in is next Thursday.

***

Any suggestions for turning up the heat on this physician so he will provide prompt care ...
As a rule, if you want to see your doctor, you make an appointment. Doctors are busy -- appointments are usually scheduled days or even weeks in advance. Sometimes they will try to fit you in if they can, but often there is not a lot they can do about scheduling.

If you have an emergency, the normal route is to go to an emergency room.

I'm not sure I understand why you would want to "turn up the heat" on the doctor. It sounds like his office is running about average. It is doubtful that he even knows about your girlfriend. It would be the receptionist or appointment nurse who handles that sort of thing.

You may want to send the doctor a nice note about your girlfriends situation so he can give his appointment nurse hell. Meanwhile, get to the ER.
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CMiddleton
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monitoring the situation

Post by CMiddleton »

She went to work today, says she is feeling a little better. (I dont know if I believe that, coming from her).

We will go to ER if it becomes severe, and otherwise she will go to her Thursday appt and let the Doc know her concerns about acute issues arising and their lack of resonse/concern.

Thanks for the responses.
It can be difficult to remember that your mission was to drain the swamp, when you are up to your butt in alligators.
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BKVic
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Post by BKVic »

AmericanGunner wrote:Take her to the ER then consult a Attorney.



Consult an Attorney? Thats exactly what is wrong with this country today, everybody wanting to sue someone for nothing. Doctor appointments are made weeks, even months in advance. If there isnt a spot open then theres none open. This is exactly what the ER or urgant care centers are for.



BKVic
You can take the Mountaineer out of the mountains but you cant take the mountains out of the Mountaineer!! GO WVU!!!
Ursus americanus
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Post by Ursus americanus »

BKVic wrote:
AmericanGunner wrote:Take her to the ER then consult a Attorney.

Consult an Attorney? Thats exactly what is wrong with this country today, everybody wanting to sue someone for nothing. Doctor appointments are made weeks, even months in advance. If there isnt a spot open then theres none open. This is exactly what the ER or urgant care centers are for.


BKVic
And the problems emergency rooms and hospitals have is people run to the emergency room for non-life/limb threatening problems like two week old pains and the flu.

My experience with my doctor is that if I call and I have flu like symptoms they will work me in. I believe if I called and had the same circimstances CMiddleton's wife had they would work me in faster.

It is obvious you believe this to be more urgent than they do. My suggestion would be to leave a call and request for the doctor to call you (if your doctor will not return a call he's not worth his salt anyway) I would explain the the doc your circumstances - if he doesn't consider it urgent, get another doctor.

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AmericanGunner
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Post by AmericanGunner »

BKVic wrote:
AmericanGunner wrote:Take her to the ER then consult a Attorney.



Consult an Attorney? Thats exactly what is wrong with this country today, everybody wanting to sue someone for nothing. Doctor appointments are made weeks, even months in advance. If there isnt a spot open then theres none open. This is exactly what the ER or urgant care centers are for.



BKVic
The problem with this country is there are waaaay to many Citizens that do not care about jack unless it directly affects them case in point this Ladies Doctor.
David
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Post by David »

And the problems emergency rooms and hospitals have is people run to the emergency room for non-life/limb threatening problems like two week old pains and the flu.
You have a good point, but...
I work in an Emergency Department. If we only had true life threatening emergencies, then I don't know how long we would stay in business.
I would guess that 60-75% are non-urgent patients.

David
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