Woman waits 4 days for surgery...

[Argyle]

How does everyone feel about the state of Health Care System?

Woman waits four days for surgery on leg break

Action taken only when legal secretary threatened to sue


Susy Horna spent four pain-filled days in Surrey Memorial Hospital waiting for an operation on her broken leg.
Horna, 48, a legal secretary who broke her leg shovelling snow, said her concerns were taken seriously only when she threatened to sue.
"You can't eat for 12 hours before surgery, so I didn't have anything to eat from Wednesday to Saturday," Horna said yesterday from her hospital bed, recovering from her Saturday operation. "The only thing they offer you is morphine."
Horna said she was denied a request to transfer to another hospital.
She said that if she faced the same situation again she would go to Vancouver's new private clinic for help.
"I would like to register at an emergency clinic," she said. "Even though I got my operation, it's a bittersweet victory. I know I had to bump someone to get my option."
Savik Sidhu, spokesman for the Fraser Health Authority, said treatment is not done on a first-come, first-serve basis.
"It's based on the acuity of the condition," Sidhu said.
"We understand it can be inconvenient when patients must wait a little bit longer than they hoped."
He said the private clinic would not have been able to deal with Horna's injury because patients can't stay the night at the facility after a procedure.
Sidhu also said the private clinic can't take patients who arrive by ambulance.
Horna was operated on the day after Dr. Mark Godley opened the for-profit Urgent Care Centre in Vancouver.
The B.C. government threatened to shut it down. But after talks with Health Minister George Abbott, the clinic dropped its plans to charge patients hundreds of dollars per visit. Instead, patients may use their Medical Services card to get treatment.
Abbott told Global TV the new clinic will help the public system deal with backlogs.
"The [private clinic] allows our operating rooms and hospitals to devote themselves to more serious injuries and more complex surgeries like hip replacements," Abbott said.
Today, Godley will ask Surrey council for permission to set up a private health-care facility in Newton.
He is trying to get zoning approval for the private hospital, and Surrey council is to hold a public hearing tonight.
Horna's husband, Carlos Horna, said he would welcome another medical option after his wife's four-day ordeal.
"I'm very disappointed with the whole system," he said. "There is apparently a private clinic coming into the system.
"The system isn't working, so the private clinics should be allowed."
Horna said she came forward with her story to help other people.
"I'm doing this because I think there are a lot of people that have been in my situation," she said, "because they are scared or because they have English as a second language.
"I got very upset, and I said I'm going to talk to a lawyer. Because I'm a legal secretary, they knew I could do that."
Horna also worried about the possibility of catching an illness because of the extended stay in hospital.
"You're afraid that you'll go in with a broken leg and come out with who-knows-what."
Horna stressed that her problem is with the system, not with the individual caregivers.
"The nurses have been very helpful -- it's not their fault."

On a side note here...has anyone noticed while either visiting someone...or being there themsleves...the amount of dust that is in hospitals? No lie...when I was in there for surgery...I could have sworn that I was in the wild west with all the dust bunnies resembling tumble weeds rolling around the floors. Nevermind the cobwebs hanging from all the lights!!

 

[Dude]

I think this is one where you need to have the personal experience in order to comment.

Personally, I've made my share of visits for injuries, and have always felt like I've been well cared for. We have also had very good experiences w/ my wife and giving birth to the kids at Langley memorial, and at the time, Mini Dude was in a very traumatic situation that wasn't looking very good for him when he came out. The doctors, nurses, and staff were all very calm, cool, and worked well as a team to get him breathing and keep him breathing. They were also very good with us, who as new parents had no clue what was happening.

On my stuff, let's be honest...they were all self inflicted, non-life threatening injuries. The leg was diagnosed day #1, and had surgery 3 days later...not entirely unlike this lady. But, again, non life threatening. The fact is, you're on good drugs one way or another...either waiting or recovering. There is no escaping the pain. The other surgeries were in morning, out afternoon, good drugs to keep me happy at home. One complaint: in waiting for a shoulder MRI, I was advised 8-12 month, during which time the injury would likely either get worse, or heal incorrectly. I paid $900.00 for a private MRI, had my pictures to Dr. McCormick by the end of the week, and was under the knife within a month (because he's a specialist). BC med would not cover the costs of the MRI, which I was prepared for...but here is a situation where working in conjunction w/ the private sector makes sense if it means reducing the wait times and lists for everyone.

Another, my step mom was creamed last December by a hit & run crossing a street. A lot of very bad injuries and surgeries, including internal. She seemed to be getting first class care, and she reported that she was treated very well during her stay. Sure, she had to share a room, but no big deal.

Now, I have not had the misfortune of having a loved one w/ a life threatening illness put out by the inefficiencies of our Medicare system, which I do know exist, and which have been well reported. This lady, she's just crying poor me, and the media has jumped all over it. It reeks of a prime example of the reporter being irresponsible. If she had to wait because a trauma came in to take her surgery time, I think most rational people would agree that there is no issue with that.

I'd like to hear of some legitimate claims where peoples lives have been put at risk due to the overtaxed system. Those are the stories that need to be told and exploited, not some whinny bitch who- boo hoo- was in pain waiting an extra day or two, instead of being in pain recovering. There is a place in this system for private / public co-operation. It is done in other medical related fields already in this province, so let's expand on this.

 

[Argyle]

Ya Dude...but what about those dust bunnies man? WTF about them?!?!?!?!?!

 

[Dude]

I'm sure somebody will say it is because of private services taking over cleaning, but whatever. Don't tell me a union guy can push a mop better than a non-union guy. The only certainties are the union guy will take two more coffee breaks during his duty, and the non-union guy will be deported out if he so much as whispers about poor working conditions.

Way back in "the day", I used to supply filtration for BC hospital, including the ER services. You don't want to understand how poor the air quality is in those ERs, or maternity wards, or anywhere for that matter. This is what happens when you leave it to buyers to make decisions via use of public tenders. The spec gets reduced time after time, because they essentially buy whoever is lowest w/ out reviewing the bids. Successful bidder then realises they've given away the farm to get the business, so they slide in their "equal".

It's a joke.

 

[screamingbeauty3]

I wonder what other things were more severe than this woman's broken leg that had to come before her? How could the hospital make someone not eat for four days? That's just not right!

 

[LFC2]

Agree with Dude whole heartedly. Have had family in life threatening positions twice in the last 3 years and the system was amazing. On one occasion a family member also went without eating for a time as surgery was put off a couple of times due to other more urgent cases. It happens.

As Dude says, slow news day in the province. It is all about shocking us as we respond to so little else. Those stories are in there every day, sometimes on the front page, other times buried. How else would I find out Borat caused the split between Pam and Kid Rock?? It's what I expect and want to take in while still in a fog enjoying my coffee.

 

[BlazeArmy]

I wonder what other things were more severe than this woman's broken leg that had to come before her? How could the hospital make someone not eat for four days? That's just not right!

Seeing what they serve for food at some of the hospitals these days, she may have been better off.

Before anyone goes off on that, my aunt works in food services at a hospital and she says it is pretty terrible some of the stuff they have to serve. Some of ti is ggod too thogugh.

 

[Dude]

I wonder what other things were more severe than this woman's broken leg that had to come before her? How could the hospital make someone not eat for four days? That's just not right!

Have I missed a pisstake here? Let's assume not, that you are actually being serious.

A broken leg is rarely life threatening.

In a large facility like SMH, there can be PLENTY of life threatening illnesses and injuries taking priority. How about a heart attack? Motor vehicle accident w/ victims suffering internal injuries? Even a compound fracture is more serious than a broken ankle.

And, get real...she did not starve, she was just not fed solid foods. They do this in the best interest of getting her under the knife ASAP. In the meantime, they feed the patient intravenously. That means fluid. Through a tube.

 

[screamingbeauty3]

Have I missed a pisstake here? Let's assume not, that you are actually being serious.

A broken leg is rarely life threatening.

In a large facility like SMH, there can be PLENTY of life threatening illnesses and injuries taking priority. How about a heart attack? Motor vehicle accident w/ victims suffering internal injuries? Even a compound fracture is more serious than a broken ankle.

And, get real...she did not starve, she was just not fed solid foods. They do this in the best interest of getting her under the knife ASAP. In the meantime, they feed the patient intravenously. That means fluid. Through a tube.

First I know what intravenous means.

Secondly I know that there are worse things than a broken leg I was just stating this because I am sure that patients were taken care of that were less worse off than she was considering it took four days!

Yes I am sure she was better off without that crappy hospital food. Just think of it if you were in her place though. It looks like you're siding with the hospital.

 

[Dude]

Read my post numbskull...I was in her place!

In this case, yeah...siding w/ the hospital. Urgent care first.

 

[screamingbeauty3]

Read my post numbskull...I was in her place!

In this case, yeah...siding w/ the hospital. Urgent care first.

I never said that urgent shouldn't be first I was simply stating that people should look at how long it took her to get treatment. Simple as that.

 

[Dude]

First I know what intravenous means.

Secondly I know that there are worse things than a broken leg I was just stating this because I am sure that patients were taken care of that were less worse off than she was considering it took four days!

Yes I am sure she was better off without that crappy hospital food. Just think of it if you were in her place though. It looks like you're siding with the hospital.

The point is that this article and the subject in it are trying to take her situation to make a case for a private / public care synergy. This isn't the situation to build a case on.

Take this situation...why does she wait longer? Because she is behind pre-booked critical illness surgery times, and she's behind critical emergency surgeries. She is 3rd on the pecking order. Even when I got shoulder surgery, I was bumped two extra days for the same reasons. Difference was, I was able to go home, and get back to a somewhat regular schedule, w/ the exception of no food for 12 hours prior.

If the feds and unions can somehow come up w/ a plan to have the public system make use of private facilities, it will be with the aim of reducing the critical list. People like this lady will always be low on the totem pole, unless they want to pay for faster treatment themselves. She'd be under the knife in 24-48 hours instead of 96. Personally, I think they should have that option, but not on my tax bill.

 

[screamingbeauty3]

The point is that this article and the subject in it are trying to take her situation to make a case for a private / public care synergy. This isn't the situation to build a case on.

Take this situation...why does she wait longer? Because she is behind pre-booked critical illness surgery times, and she's behind critical emergency surgeries. She is 3rd on the pecking order. Even when I got shoulder surgery, I was bumped two extra days for the same reasons. Difference was, I was able to go home, and get back to a somewhat regular schedule, w/ the exception of no food for 12 hours prior.

If the feds and unions can somehow come up w/ a plan to have the public system make use of private facilities, it will be with the aim of reducing the critical list. People like this lady will always be low on the totem pole, unless they want to pay for faster treatment themselves. She'd be under the knife in 24-48 hours instead of 96. Personally, I think they should have that option, but not on my tax bill.

I agree with you I was just trying to make the point that I don't think it's was reasonable that she just got attention when she threatened to sue.

 

[colemanj]

When I broke my arm in a game a couple of weeks ago (volleyed by my own player) I waited three days for surgery, and believe me not eating from midnight to 8 PM every day, just in case, was no picinic. Most of it was C sections bumping me -- women are such babies -- with the occasional brain or spine surgery rolling in. Really hard to complain, actually. Definitely, never thought about running into the newsroom here at CBC waving my poor butchered arm about.

I will get into the scars from the shaving though -- did they not think I would wake up and notice that all the flesh was gone from my arm? Did they not care that it might feel like someone had poured acid all over my arm the next day? Sueing or going to the media might be an option, but I have always leaned towards physical confrontation as a redemptive strategy. I know where you are day-care surgery nurses -- one of you is taking it in the shins next time I'm at LGH!

 

[The Franchise]

Seeing what they serve for food at some of the hospitals these days, she may have been better off.

Before anyone goes off on that, my aunt works in food services at a hospital and she says it is pretty terrible some of the stuff they have to serve. Some of ti is ggod too thogugh.

Your aunt must be good with the Microwave as everything is shipped from Toronto then heated in the microwave....then served fresh to the patients.

It's pretty bad when the nurse last week told my Grandpa who is getting treated for throat cancer not to eat the food, have relatives bring some in

 

[Captain Shamrock]

Well, I was just in last Wednesday for operation number 10 and things went really well. The hospital was clean, one hot nurse in the recovery room and then I was shipped out approximately 2.5 hours after the scope.

I'm sure it was a nightmare for this lady but I have had nothing but positive experiences with my operations over the years.

 

[Ballbaby]

Well, I was just in last Wednesday for operation number 10 and things went really well. The hospital was clean, one hot nurse in the recovery room and then I was shipped out approximately 2.5 hours after the scope.

I'm sure it was a nightmare for this lady but I have had nothing but positive experiences with my operations over the years.

Yep, if anyone has the right to offer an opinion on this topic, it is the Irish Pin Cushion.

"Hot" nurse huh? I could just picture you under all those blankets gawking at her without being noticed. Then the occasional witty line in the hopes something worthy of Penthouse Forum will develop.

 

[trece verde]

If you've ever met colemanj you'd know that his post is a complete pisstake. If he really threatened a nurse by kicking her in the shins, she'd just laugh at him, slip a bit of roofies in his IV, and snap on the latex glove before giving him the "physical confrontation as a redemptive strategy." And he'd enjoy it.

I first heard his story shortly after he got sprung from Lion's Gate. The frightening thing about it is that he's one of those guys who disappears when he turns sideways - like Freestyler - so him not eating for that long is a frightening thought. There are refugees with more body fat than he has.