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Post by kygal on Mar 28, 2007 13:45:35 GMT -5
Hi all,
I'm looking for some help, advice or anything you might have to offer me regarding doctors. Some of you may have seen my posts about my husband having pseudomonas and it not being addressed by our family doctor. He had it in his system, not being treated, for at least, over a month before we saw the specialist and she told us he had it. She saw it from his hospital records we have sent to her for reference. Our family doctor took care of him in the hospital, so she had access to these same records. This is the same family doctor who didn't address this and also shrugged off our displeasure that she had let my husband get so down and out with his COPD and her lack of referral to the specialist. She seemed to think it was ok and not her fault because she claimed she didn't get the message that the specialist we asked to see wasn't taking referrals at that time.
I'm sure I'm dancing around the issue and if there's something you don't understand, please feel free to ask. But, I'm just wondering if there's anything we can do to hold her accountable. From all I've seen, the College of Physicians doesn't ever seem to find anything wrong with the doctors but this is getting ridiculous. I was willing to let go of the fact about the long time in getting the specialist referral but now her lack of care could have killed my husband. Any help is appreciated.
Mary
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Post by spike99 on Apr 15, 2007 20:06:20 GMT -5
Mary,
I'm sorry your doctor failed to communicate or someone didn't communicate to her, and your husband took more damage for it (sort of speaking). Nobody wants to see a love one endure more pain. Especially when it didn't need to happen.
Doctors are people too and unfortunately, they do make mistakes. Sometimes, they make honest mistakes and most of the time (on the other end of the scale), they do a great job. A job above and beyond years of their education and training.
When thinking about your doctor (this doctor) and this incident, seriously ask youself "was this an honest mistake?" or was this "mistake on purpose?" If this was an honest mistake due to "work overload", lack of professional communications between 2 doctors of for some other reason, then "it was an honest mistake". Sometimes, honest mistakes happen. It isn't right and should never happen in the medical field but it does. Just like the 3 huge "honest mistakes" they made on my son, during his battles with leukemia - ALL. Just like your husband, my 5 year old son had to "take the pain" and carry on with life as well. So yes, I feel your frustration, I feel your pain but sometimes, honest mistakes do happen.
If you feel this mistake was on purpose, do document everything and consult a few lawyers. With lawyers, most have a 1 hour free consultation session. If they feel you have a case, you might want to sue the doctor. As a minimum. document and do chat with the proper authority in College of Physicians. They may say it was an honest accident as well but a black mark will go into the doctors file. Too many black dots over time and it will show a pattern of inappropriate behavior - for a doctor. But as mentioned above, this incident could have been an honest mistake. Something to think about....
BTW: 99.99% of the doctors I encounter in my woods are excellent. They do their job and many of them go above and beyond their duties. Yes, some have very cold attitudes (re: to much medical and not enough people passion) but overall, I'm proud of the doctors that serve my family. If not, I get a different doctor. Hopefully, you've gotten a different doctor as well.
Hope this helps - some how....
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