Letter

This is what I received shortly after the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) investigated the hospital, less than two weeks after P__'s death. Yes, I have covered my name and address, along with the CCR# which IDs the complaint.

The line that I find particularly interesting is the lone-line paragraph a little over half-way down the page: "There were violations of State and Federal Regulations identified relative to the allegations and deficiencies were cited."

The past two years

Northside Hospital temporarily closed to ambulances after license expires, found at http://www.tampabay.com/news/health/article992788.ece and http://www.sptimes.com/2008/02/23/Southpinellas/State_threatens_North.shtmlhttp://www.sptimes.com/2008/02/23/Southpinellas/State_threatens_North.shtml, found at http://www.sptimes.com/2008/02/23/Southpinellas/State_threatens_North.shtml . Both articles were from the St. Petersburg Times.

AHCA reports

Friday, I recieved the last of the AHCA reports from my attorney. She had forwarded the main batch earlier. With the last batch, though, was a note saying we needed to talk. The appointment is set for tomorrow. Wow, do we have a lot to talk about.

At this point, it's probably not the best thing to release all the notes I've written in response to N.side's version that they gave AHCA. Suffice it to say that I found error after outrigtht indications that N.side was practicing more than their share of CYA.

For anyone else who has had problems with N.side who hasn't contacted an attorney, please be advised that it's my understanding that, in most cases, you have two years to file suit. There may be a loop-hole, time-wise, but don't count on it. Try finding an attorney. If the first one turns you down, contact another. And another. But you have to be the one who decides whether or not it's a problem which needs to be brought to the attention of a lawyer. Did the ER give you one bandaid rather than two? A nurse took 45 seconds to respond to a call light rather than 30 seconds? I wouldn't bother. But a medical screwup? That's another thing.

Will keep everyone posted...

I can't say much at the moment...

Things are heating up to the point where I've got to start watching what I post. Why? For the simple reason that I don't want to jeopardize the case. Anything that I post on here is, of course, open to anyone and everyone to read...including anyone from N.side.

However, I have read part of the ACHA file on the case...The only thing I can say is it's enough to knock anyone's socks off.

If that sounds cryptic, I'm sorry. But be assured that things are moving forward as planned. Maybe better than planned...

One last thought for the evening: Over the past few months, I have heard time and again, "But what can I do? I'm only one person." So was Rosa Parks. So is Erin Brockovich. I could go on. My point is that maybe one person (you, me, or any other "one person") might not be able to change the world (or our corner of it) in the positive way we'd like to.

But if that one person doesn't, who will?

We've got a name...

Anyone who has commented on this blog and who has a complaint against Northside hospital, if you are planning to send along said complaint to AHCA and to Northside, their CEO is Ward Boston, III. But please, if you send a written complaint to Northside (which is preferrable to a phone call), remember three things, please: 1) send a copy to AHCA (after calling AHCA), 2) BE POLITE!, and 3) keep it honest. I can't emphasize these three things. Sending a copy to AHCA assures that it won't "get lost". Being polite and truthful are absolutely imperative to getting heard and helping us change the system. I don't like being screamed at or having people calling me names or threatening me; I imagine neither does Mr. Boston. If we keep what we say truthful, we stand a better chance of being listened to than if we're rude or not fully truthful.

Let's face it, anyone following this most likely wants positive change here--for all of us and our loved ones. Let's all go about it the right way.

I honestly meant to touch base with everyone by now...I have tomorrow off, so will attempt to so at that time.

Loretta (who posted just a little while ago; this is something that anyone who had problems at Northside can do, so everyone listen up): Write down everything that happened to you or your loved one. Even if it seems trivial (ie, "It took 10 minutes for anyone to answer a call light," or "So-and-so on the night shift refused to help with the bedpan"), write it down. Conversely, if something positive happened ("One nurse in the ER, Sue Anne Lastname, was extremely helpful and made sure we were taken care of"), write that down, too. It will help in several ways: You're acknowledging those who are doing their job well; you're appreciative; etc. Then, once you've written down everything that happened while you or your loved one was hospitalized (or as much as you can remember; obviously, it's important to do this as soon as possible), make two copies, one to keep, the other to send to the Agency for Health Care Administration. You could possibly make a third & fourth copy; one to send to Northside Hospital (address: 6000 49th Street North, St. Pete, FL 33709; I would address this to the President/CEO, though a cursory Google search didn't pull up any names; anyone?), one to HCA's corporate headquarters (HCA, Inc., One Park Plaza, Nashville, TN 37203; anyone, does Bill Frist still run HCA?).

To start an investigation with the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), the phone number is 888-419-3456. There is a local branch of AHCA, but to start an investigation, you have to go through the toll-free number. I found that it was good to have the notes I had written in front of me when I called so that when I got a live person, I didn't sit there, saying, "Uh, so then we, um, I think it happened Thursday, or was it Friday..." You'll have everything there in front of you so you can be as concise as possible.

I hope this helps, Loretta, as well as anyone else who was wondering. Granted, it won't make what happened to you disappear--it won't bring my husband back, though I wish it would--but if enough of us stand up and say, "This is what happened to me, to my loved one, and I'm mad, because it shouldn't have happened," maybe, just maybe, we can keep it from happening to more people.

Let's face it, if someone--or enough someones--had done what all of us are trying to do now years ago, our loved ones may not have had to endure the horrors that they endured at Northside Hospital.

And if anyone reading this has never been in Northside (or any other HCA or for-profit hospital) and gotten the horrible lack of care you've been reading about, consider yourself fortunate. But in the meantime, voice your concern. Write letters. Make phone calls. You never know when it will be you being transported to the nearest understaffed for-profit hospital.

Please, please, please help me make a difference. For all of us.