The Bellevue Hospital

As most of you know Lilli was a pretty sick little girl this past week! Ends up the poor thing had a couple different virus brewing together at the same time. She is doing much better now but that's no thanks to The Bellevue Hospital! (and the rampage begins......)

"Its become almost a cliche, build it and they will come" This is a quote from the video clip on The Bellevue Hospitals web page. What the president/CEO of The Bellevue Hospital doesn't say in this 20 second clip is that if you don't like our policies you can go to Fisher Titus! That however is apparently what he believes because that is just what he told me to do!

Upon entering the ER this past weekend I asked the young man behind the glass divider what doctor was working the emergency room. You see, this is a question we are use to asking in the event that someone in our family ends up in the ER. This is due to our unfortunate history with The Bellevue Hospital and a particular doctor employed by them. After a brief moment the young man behind the desk obviously frustrated at my continuous request to be let in on the "BIG SECRET" spoke to me as if I was beneath him! IT"S SIMPLE MAM...I... CAN... NOT... TELL... YOU... WHO... THE... ER... DOCTOR... IS! The only thing that could have made this moment any more infuriating would have been him signing to me as he slowly and aggressively spoke the words like I was somehow mentally incompetent! Don't get me wrong I was confused given the fact that this was something our family had done at least a dozen times before without question! But mentally incompetent I am not!

Of course first thing this morning I was on the phone with the administration department at The Bellevue Hospital. I briefly explained our past litigation's with the unnamed ER Dr. and The Bellevue Hospital. I then informed the kind and understanding woman about the treatment I received in the ER. She assured me she would look into the matter and get back to me. A short time later is when I received the call from the president/CEO informing me that not disclosing the names of the doctors working the ER was their standard operating policy. I of course again explained to him my reasons for the request and questioned him about our past experiences with this in the ER. He again informed me of this "policy" assured me that Dr. ??? would have no issue treating my family despite past litigation's and then suggested we should just use Fisher Titus.

I was appalled and angry and just hung up the phone. We pay taxes in this town therefor we helped pay for the new hospital he speaks so highly of. I feel we not only have the right to use that hospital we have the right to have our concerns addressed just like any other citizen!

I of course later on got on the hospital website and read their list of "Patients Rights" and found some interesting things. Like the one that reads "You have the right to know the names and roles of people treating you" So that made me wonder when are you considered a patient and when does this right become effective? In triage hospitals are you not considered a patient from the moment you walk in the door? I called the hospital and left a message for the hospital compliance officer and also talked the kind woman in administration again she informed that she was unable to answer my question and would need to call me back. I have yet to here from either one of them!

This policy also states that patients have the right to comfort and dignity. Well the hospital has not treated us with much dignity and as far as comfort goes do they really feel that our family or the Dr involved for that matter would be comfortable in the same room given the past! I'm sure he would be polite as the president/CEO stated and probably very thorough but comfortable I highly doubt!

TO BE CONTINUED......