In Copyright Since September 11, 2000 This web site is in no manner affiliated with any Kaiser entity and the for profit Permanente. Permission is granted to mirror if credit to the author is given. | ABOUT US | CONTACT | | MCRC kaiserpapers.com/horror The Bill and Marie O'Dell Story
This is a case where it appears that Kaiser has a separate diagnosis for a patient but is not willing to admit to in writing because that would be an admission of Medicare Fraud and Breach of Contract with the O'Dell's. According to Mr. O'Dell, around 2 years ago Marie's Kaiser physician said that he thought she had SIADH ((syndrome of inappropriate anti-diuretic hormone). Bill O'Dell found on the internet that this could be caused by cancer of the lung and a requested that Kaiser do a workup to find the true root cause of her SIADBill requested and demanded that she be tested for this disease.
Kaiser refused to examine her and gave them the explanation that she was too old and ill for them to provide any treatment. Kaiser has currently placed Marie O'Dell in their Home Hospice Program, with the diagnosis of "Failure to Thrive." She has been prescribed Morphine to take in liquid drops under the tongue for breathing problems. Kaiser previously had placed her on their straight Home Health Program, for about one month, on paper. Little service was provided for her under this program.
A local funeral director has also advised Mr. O'Dell that if he did not place her in the Kaiser Hospice Program, that upon Marie's death he might be under suspicion of murder. The funeral director explained to Mr. O'Dell that under Oregon State Law that if Marie is under the care of Kaiser Hospice at the time of her death that he will not have any problems from the law enforcement authorities. - May 12, 2003
My wife was admitted to the hospital November 2001 with extremely low sodium (that causes dementia-like symptoms). Well despite two CHDR (Center for Health Dispute Resolutions) in our favor stating that Kaiser had to give my wife Skilled Nursing Care until she got well or her Medicare benefits ran out Kaiser has refused to give her one day of SNC. She was readmitted to the hospital one month later with identical symptoms and Kaiseragain refused SNC saying that it was a different case and that I would have to appeal to CHDR all over again.
I have been appealing through Social Security and CHDR and Administrative Law Judges for the past two years but still my wife suffers and gets minimal help from Kaiser. Even though we paid $600/mo for ten years ($72,000) for just her Medicare Plus II policy that was supposed to cover Nursing Care. . Kaiser has decided because my wife broke her right leg then fractured her right hip (they may have put too long a rod in her leg) that these two operations cost them almost $50,000 so my wife was an expensive patient. Now they define that she has dementia and say to read the fine print dementia is not covered in your Medicare Plus II (now called Sr. Advantage II) policy.
The first appeal to the Administrative Law Judge was thrown out by him , without even allowing me to appear, because he said the CHDR had ruled in our favor. I appealed this decision to the Social Security Administrative Review Board saying that is why I was appealing the case because CHDR had ruled in our favor but that Kaiser refused to follow the CHDR decision.
I have tried to contact attorneys in Oregon and they all say find a doctor to disagree with Kaiser and then come back to us. Well, if I knew what doctors would find fault with Kaiser I would go to them but I don't. Also because my wife has diabetes we cannot just quit and go to some other medical HMO or Blue Shield, in other words we are stuck.
Have you any knowledge of doctors or lawyers in Oregon that can help us Oregon residents stuck with Kaiser? Kaiser gave my wife about seven IV's of sodium in a three month period each time declaring her "medically stable" and could go home or to Custodial Care (not covered by Kaiser). She had to be re-admitted to the ER within 48 hours after being discharged from Kaiser hospital then within 12 hours after being released from the ER as "medically stable" she had another seizure and her eyeball popped out of its socket. Some medically stable, huh? I have tried to contact the media (TV, newspapers) but because Kaiser advertises the media does not want to lose Kaiser's advertising dollars.
Thank You,
Bill O'Dell bodell22@netzero.net
Vicki,
I had the Administrative Law Judge Hearing Thursday with the same Judge that dismissed an earlier appeal because CHDR (Center for Health Dispute Resolution) had ruled in our favor. In this hearing he would not allow any mention of the case that he already dismissed and stated that because Kaiser paid $400 of respite care that was equivalent to over $22,000 that 100 days of Skilled Nursing Care would have cost them. Although it will take 90 days to six months to get his decision he pretty well signaled that he was going to rule against us. The only thing positive was when he heard that Kaiser took four days instead of 24 hours for the Protime Clinic to call me and tell me to quick stop the coumadin blood thinner your wife is way too high, followed the next day by my wife's mini stroke (TIA attack) and the fact that my wife had her eyeball pop out of its socket due to having a seizure 12 hours after being released from the Kaiser ER as being medically stable the judge did say that I have a medical malpractice case against Kaiser but it does not belong in his court.
I am attaching a one page fax that I have sent to Oregon US Senator Gordon Smith concerning this prejudicial hearing saying that they should do away with ALJ, CHDR, and CMS to save taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars if Kaiser can come out and rule again that a patient does not qualify for Skilled Nursing Care after CHDR ruled that they do.
Bill O'Dell
December 14, 2002
US Senator Gordon H. Smith Portland Metro Office One World Trade Center 121 SW Salmon St., Suite 1250 Portland, OR 97204 Phone: (503)326-3386 Fax: (503)326-2900
Dear Senator Smith,
Re: Office of Hearings & Appeals, CHDR & CMS ref. Grace Marie O’Dell,
On Thursday, December 12, 2002, I attended the Social Security Hearings & Appeals hearing of Judge Joseph Schloss on two of our five ALJ appeals that I filed this year and found it to be an unfair, biased and prejudicial hearing more than you could imagine. Judge Schloss who had ruled in July of this year dismissing a previous case without even affording us a hearing on that date because CHDR had ruled in our favor started the first twenty minutes by not allowing into evidence most of the exhibits that I had submitted. He refused to subpoena additional Kaiser medical records that would refute Kaiser’s claim that Kaiser had solved my wife’s immediate medical problems and the evidence of the 97 errors in the Kaiser medical records that were in the case files. He led the expert witness to state the Judge’s pre-conceived notions. When I asked the doctor if additional medical evidence might change his mind the doctor agreed with me. Judge Schloss then restated the question by asking the doctor if what was in the present records would justify Kaiser’s position that my wife only needed Custodial Care from December 17, 2001. To which the doctor agreed with the Kaiser decision. He avoided placing into the case files that within 72 hours of her release from the hospital she had to be re-admitted to the hospital ER for the same low sodium issue. Then within ten hours after being again released as medically stable from the Kaiser ER room she had still another seizure due to low sodium and her eyeball popped out of its socket which is a condition requiring much greater level of care than “Custodial.” The Judge biased and prejudiced my case.
By Judge Schloss not allowing the 97 medical errors to be introduced or individual Kaiser Lab test results that supported my claim and refuted Kaiser’s claim that discontinuing hydrochlorothiazide solved her low sodium problem Judge Schloss showed his bias and did not afford me a fair hearing.
Judge Schloss stating that Kaiser met the Medical Center for Health Dispute Resolution by providing $400 of respite care instead of the approximately $22,000 that the “skilled nursing care” would have cost also shows bias and denied my wife the urgent and immediate medial care that she required. Kaiser paying some incidental expenses or by “re-evaluating” and applying the same Medicare criteria that CHDR had refuted not once but on two occasions shows Judge Schloss’s bias. This defeats the purpose and charter of the Center for Health Dispute Resolution. If the HMO can again go out to the home and refute the CHDR decision. If this is the case Congress should just do away with the whole CHDR, CMS & ALJ organizations and save the taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. This organization was set up to resolve disputes between Medicare patients and their HMO’s. If the HMO and/or the Administrative Law Judge can allow their decisions to be easily overturned it defeats the whole system.
Judge Schloss ended by criticizing me for trying to contact his office people when I was requesting by the Freedom of Information Act the two pages of exhibits to see that the records that I previously submitted were in fact entered into the case files. I told him that since he informed me that whatever I sent to him I also faxed to Kaiser. I was calling and faxing his office people to get the undated exhibit lists. I can send you, upon request, all copies of correspondence that I sent to his office. It all centered around the updated exhibit list the date of the trial and other public information that I should have been provided when I first requested that Judge Schloss send to me.
Please look into this matter for us, why the most recent Pre-Service claim of MRI with dye and sedation with CHDR is taking over two months instead of the 30-45 days, and why CMS is not answering your previous correspondence on this matter. My wife continues to have low sodium a year after being released from the hospital and Kaiser refuses to get to the true root cause of her illness. Thank You.
Sincerely,
Bill O’Dell, husband, medical representative and POA for Grace Marie O’Dell, Medical Case Number Removed. bodell22@netzero.net
Vicki,
I have not gotten a second opinion yet as all my time was taken either with Marie or preparing for the stupid hearing. I did check with Quotesmith.com and they had an attractive Medigap policy but when I got closer it was only for CA and they could not write in Oregon. Our local Sisters of Providence hospital has an HMO type but I am afraid of that type plan now and want only Medicare plus Medigap.
This week I plan to check into a second opinion from a doctor that the Alzheimer's Research group recommended (that is close to our home) or OHSU (Oregon Health Science University) but that is further with crowded parking. Like I said with Marie I can only go about one hour from our home plus with her dementia-like symptoms I have a 36 hour day. I am only getting 3-4 hours of sleep a night. The reason that I don't believe Kaiser that she has true dementia is that it came on so quickly and twice in the past year as her sodium level approached 140 (normal range is 136-148) she acted much more coherent. Even the Kaiser Regional Medical Director made the comment, "Oh, your wife doesn't have dementia as she answers my questions, knows that she is at a Kaiser Clinic and the season." But when her sodium goes to 128 she doesn't even recognize her husband of 39 yrs.
I have also sent an email to Liberty Medical to check what copayments they would charge for Marie's drugs and diabetic supplies as if they accept just the Medicare payments they would greatly widen my chances to get a Medigap policy and to have Medicare plus Medigap and do away with Kaiser plus allow me to go to a different doctor if I am not getting help. Her 10 prescriptions with 500 syringes and 500 blood glucose strips per month would cost us $700/mo. in drug costs and that is what makes the Providence plan not viable.
Dear Vicki,
I want to thank you for all your help. You moved me to request a Medigap policy quote from online. But I have to be careful that I don't throw the baby out with the wash water since it is not just the pre-existing conditions that I have to worry about but closeness to physicians (we have a Kaiser facility just two miles from our home and Kaiser hospital is seven miles) but also Marie takes about eight prescriptions per month and we have prescription coverage now. Since she is tested up to eight times per day for diabetes the strips alone would cost us about $250/mo. With copays we now pay about $80 per month. When you are on Social Security (retired) you have to watch all the costs.
In Marie's present condition we can only be gone about one and one half hours from home or we need a unisex bathroom where I can take her wheelchair and change her. Just like I cannot leave her without a caregiver due to her diabetes and mental state. This limits the distance that I can go to even see a lawyer. We are in Beaverton (about 15 miles west of Portland) and Gresham is about 10 miles further east but with traffic it could be over an hour drive. But I also intend to call that Gresham lawyer and at least get his opinion. Maybe something can be done over the phone, via fax, my scanner/copier/fax, or the internet.
The last time I checked with an insurance broker in Portland the prescription coverage was why we decided to stay with Kaiser. However Kaiser is raising there rates, copayments and even charging $200 if admitted to a hospital next year so their huge increases may make it possible for us to change. I am hoping this internet provider policy might be somewhat close. If I could get even close to the benefits I will change just due to the way Kaiser has treated us in the past year and one half. I am attaching a couple of faxes that I sent to OMPRO (Oregon Medical Peer Review Organization) and to Medicare about what a lousy job of medical review that they did and that Medicare should find a different organization for Medical Peer review since twice after OMPRO agreed with Kaiser CHDR (Center for Health Dispute Resolution) agreed with us plus they missed numerous (over 97 errors in just the medical record at the Administrative Law Judge office) and refused to investigate when I filed a complaint that Kaiser took two days and six phone calls to return my Advice Nurse call when Marie's blood pressure dropped from 190/100 to 87/54. Some review, huh???? US Senator Gordon Smith\R Oregon sent me a letter Saturday that he still has not heard back from CMS.
Again thanks for your help and have a happy holiday.
Bill O'Dell Managed Care Division CMS 2001 6th Avenue, 9th Floor, RX40 Seattle, WA 98121 fax: 206-615-2093; phone 206-615-2711
November 4, 2002
Subject: Poor Quality of Medical Care through Kaiser Permanente that OMPRO refuses to investigate, poor quality of medical review on case that they did review and exorbitant increases in Kaiser’s Senior Advantage II charges in 2003.
Good Morning:
As medical representative, husband and Power of Attorney for Grace Marie O’Dell, HICN #removed for privacy and removed for privacyB, Kaiser #removed for privacy, I would like file the following three complaints against Kaiser Permanente and the Medicare Quality of Care investigative resource for Oregon namely: OMPRO (Oregon Medical Peer Review Organization).
I faxed OMPRO the attached fax requesting them to investigate Kaiser’s Poor Quality of Medical Care and they refused to investigate on behalf of Medicare, instead telling me to contact my US Senators.
Further concerning the two medical reviews that they did conduct in the past they themselves have a very poor Quality of Medical review missing 97 errors in just about fifty pages of medical records that I found recently in the Social Security Administrative Law Judge records that they sent him. Also, I attach three pages of errors that I sent to OMPRO regarding poor reviews that they have done. Therefore, I respectfully request that you appoint a different organization to conduct medical reviews on behalf of Medicare.
Kaiser has refused to obey two CHDR decisions requiring my wife’s medical care since her hospitalization for extremely low sodium 11/12/01. To this date her blood pressure is elevated (despite taking two drugs) and her sodium and chloride levels are therapeutically low with the 11/1/02 blood test showing Na 132 vs. 136 and Cl as 92 vs. 97. These two can cause dementia-like symptoms which is why for the past year Kaiser has refused to give my wife the needed medical care that CHDR has ruled that they must provide her.
I would also like to protest and appeal the exorbitant rate increases that Kaiser Permanente is imposing on Senior Advantage II patients in 2003. While Social Security increases are slightly over 1% Kaiser’s basic rates are increasing 8.9% plus office visits are increasing by 50% (from $10 to $15), Hospitalizations are going from $0 to $200 per hospitalization, brand named drugs (and Kaiser considers insulin syringes, insulin and most drugs as “brand name”) are increasing by 25% from $40 to $50 for a three-month supply, Medicare-covered medications and Durable medical equipment are increasing by 20% (such as diabetic supplies), urgent care is increasing by 50% from $10 to $15, ambulance services are increasing by 50% from $25 to $50, outpatient surgery is increasing by 400% from $10 to $50, vision allowance is reduced by 19.4% (from $186 to $150), hearing aids have a decreased benefit and yearly limits on Co-pays are increasing by 66.7%. In other words the very crucial medical care that a person needs at the end of life they are increasing the most. Also the total cost increases are way beyond what can be reasonably justified based on raising costs. Therefore, I respectfully ask that you review and reduce the cost increases that Kaiser Permanente are asking for in the year 2003.
Sincerely,
Bill O’Dell, husband, Medical Representative and POA for Grace Marie O’Dell bodell22@netzero.net
CMS fax 11/4/02.doc Request for PRO process review of Poor Quality of Medical Care received from Kaiser Permanente
September 17, 2002
OMPRO Oregon Medical Peer Review Organization 2020 SW 4th Avenue, Ste.: 520 Portland, OR 97201 1-800-344-4354 Fax: 503-279-0190
Subject: Request for immediate Medical Peer (PRO) Review of Poor Quality of Medical Care received from Kaiser Permanente.
Dear Ms. Greta Nightingale,
I, as legal health caregiver and appointed medical representative per signed declaration of Grace Marie O’Dell, do hereby appeal and request immediate medical peer review of the Poor Quality of Medical Care received from Kaiser Permanente.
The Kaiser decisions concerning Grace Marie O’Dell, (Medicare #removed for privacyB, started with her admission into Kaiser St. Vincent Hospital on 11/12/01. She was admitted with extremely low sodium (108mg.). Ever since that date, she has had extreme loss of mental functions, not being able to comprehend, sign her name and sometimes even recognize her husband of 39 years.
1 Two CAT scans one at St. Vincent Hospital in November 2001 and one at Kaiser Sunnyside Hospital done in December 2001 both said that the patient moved and the images were blurry. Yet Kaiser was using these blurry images to diagnose her condition as dementia or dementia/Alzheimer’s. After checking with several medical professionals, outside of the Kaiser organization, and discovering that a proper advanced MRI with sedation and with dye for contrast might provide more definitive results I requested on July 25, 2002 this diagnostic testing from the Kaiser Westside Regional Medical Director, Dr. Manny Karlin. After getting turned down I appealed the issue of advanced MRI with dye and sedation, even stating the specific Medicare coding for this test is: #70552 MRI brain w/dye. After receiving two letters from Kaiser denying the testing I received a call from her Primary Care physician saying they were not denying only discussing and he promised to do the testing at Kaiser Sunnyside Hospital. This took from July 25th until August 19th to arrange. After waiting for over three weeks for the testing I discovered when I got the test report gross medical inaccuracies (such as saying that she had marked decline in mental ability starting in October 1991, instead of saying since November 12, 2001 (ten years later). It stated patient movement in all sequences. In other words, either they gave her the wrong sedation or did not tape her head securely. Finally, they did it without the dye that I had appealed and later withdrawn my appeal based on getting the MRI testing with the contrast media as recommended by numerous medical professionals outside of Kaiser.
When I appealed this testing, on September 9, 2002, requesting a 72 hour expedited appeal Kaiser denied my request for a 72 hour appeal saying that their Primary Care Director did not consider this a medical emergency. I disagree with this denial and with other aspects of Kaiser care that I consider grossly Poor Quality of Medical Care. We have been waiting for the correct MRI with dye and sedation since July 25, 2002, and for proper and correct medical diagnosis of my wife’s medical condition since November 12, 2001. Dementia and Alzheimer’s did not come on the 12th of November 2001, but comes on over several months and years. This may be why Kaiser was reporting the mental decline ten years before it actually happened. The major complaint of Poor Quality of Medical Care concerns waiting from July 25, 2002 until October 10, 2002, to get the advanced MRI with dye and sedation.
Another example of Poor Quality of Medical Care is that I spent over two hours on phone hold trying to reach a Kaiser Advice Nurse on Monday, September 16, 2002, and it took over 24 hours before an Advice Nurse returned my numerous phone calls. This concerned my wife’s blood pressure that had been running 190/92 with a pulse of 68 that had fallen to 87/54 with a pulse of 58. I consider such neglect to be extremely Poor Quality of Medical Care and not at all in following proper medical protocol.
Another major complaint of Poor Quality of Medical Care concerns the August 19, 2002, MRI. Although it reported patient motion in all sequences it did report a mastoid inflection in both ears. Despite my attempts to get her into the doctor almost a month has gone by and she still has not been observed by any ENT or Primary Care doctor. This is an example of Poor Quality of Medical Care of an elderly patient.
Another complaint is that Kaiser billed us a copay charge for a diagnostic test and according to their Evidence of Coverage for Senior Advantage II (Medicare plus II) there is no copayment for diagnostic testing or x-rays. I complained and appealed the charge but am told to wait until thirty days for an answer and that is past the payment due date. This is also evidence of Poor Quality of Medical Care.
I have been arguing with Kaiser since the November 2001 hospitalization about:
On November 22, 2001, I sent an email to Dr. Karlin\Kaiser Westside Regional Medical Director, asking him to review records if not a metabolic imbalance or the hard to diagnosis NPH (Normal Pressure hydrocephalus) due to CSF (cerebrospinal fluid). Since Marie had been walking with the walker three weeks ago before her October 29, 2001 fall but had been having unsteady gait, mental confusion and urinary incontinence (every 2 hrs) since her original January surgery. Kaiser keeps saying dementia or Alzheimer’s but that does not come on suddenly like this medical problem has on the 12th of November 2001.Specific timeline concerning the 24-hour wait for medical advice concerning blood pressure dropping in half: 1. September 16, 2002, started at 9:15AM to call the Sunset Advice Nurse. Took sixteen minutes to get a receptionist who then place on Advice Hold until I gave up after 50 minutes. Called Membership Services and after a seven minute wait was told by Kathy that she would have someone call me. After an hour I called the Membership Services Advice number and was connected to the Sunset Receptionist again who put me on hold for another thirteen minutes saying only one person was ahead of me. Filed grievance with Membership Services over two-hour wait for Advice Nurse. At 5:16PM Pam\Kaiser Advice Nurse left message on answering machine saying to call her tomorrow. 2. September 17, 2002, Pam\Kaiser Advice Nurse returned my 10 AM call to return her yesterday 5:16PM call at 1:30PM and said the doctor said to divide the Atenolol giving half AM and half PM, plus give the Nifedipine (other BP) medicine at around 8:30 PM. At 1:56PM, she called back and said Dr. Gordon is checking with ENT (Eyes, Nose Throat) people but they want to see the MRI about the Mastoid inflection but he will let me know within the week.
Sincerely,
Bill O’Dell Bill O’Dell, husband and appointed medical representative for Grace Marie O’Dell
January 25, 2002
Ann Anderson, RN Oregon Medical Peer Review Organization 2020 SW 4th Avenue, Ste.: 520 Portland, OR 97201 1-800-344-4354 Fax: 503-279-0190
Subject: Premature and early discharge of Kaiser patient, Grace Marie O’Dell, Kaiser personal identifiers removed.
I, as legal health caregiver per signed declaration of Grace Marie O’Dell, clarify the errors in OMPRO’s letter of 1/19/02.
1. The first major error was that the January 10, 2001 and the March 2, 2001 discharges to two different Skilled Nursing Facilities were mixed-up. The no food for six hours and no blood sugar monitoring for four hours occurred during the March 2, 2001 discharge from St. Vincent Hospital to Friendship Care Facility. I went with her and she was discharged at 4 PM, arrived at Friendship at 5:30 PM and received dinner after 6 PM. 2. The major major error was in stating that I believed she had been in “diabetic unconsciousness for 4 days.” My exact quote pasted from my appeal was” After finding my wife in diabetic unconsciousness four days in a row at the King City Rehabilitation and Care Facility” This means that on four consecutive and adjacent days I found her with blood glucose readings less than 40 mg/dL. This is certainly a poor Quality of Medical Care issue, and according to two neurologists could have been the cause of atrophy of the brain that caused her subsequent seizure episodes. Although not consecutive days and although my wife spent six weeks at Friendship Skilled Nursing Facility she also had at least four episodes of low glucose readings at that facility, some even after I personally discussed with the Director of Nursing the issue. 3. Extremely poor quality of medical care issues at King City SNF were that they left standing water all day under the entire bed of a leg fracture patient. They left diabetic supplies (including insulin and syringes) lying on the patient’s bed for hours. And every night for two weeks when I would leave the facility I counted over a dozen call lights on indicating that they were not servicing their patients. For contrast the most I ever found during over six weeks of leaving at approximately the same time from Friendship were two or three call lights lit. Having a patient sit in urine for over thirty minutes after she rings for help is not giving Quality of Medical Care. 4. The error of saying that her low blood sugar episodes have been essentially asymptomatic, except for sweating is and was incorrect. Two neurologists have stated that each low glucose reading causes more brain nerve endings to die off, especially when they get down to 27 and 37 mg/dL. 5. The error of inappropriate cookies or candy was in error and inappropriate as the candy and cookies that my wife ate were sugar free and approved by the American Diabetic Association. They were used to help stabilize her diabetes as I have been monitoring and regulating her for over ten years now. 6. Medical records did not show that I found my wife in diabetic unconsciousness four days in a row but that is what I found her. During these visits when the day before she recognized me but when I came in and she did not I went and got the nurse and had her take a reading and then to get OJ to bring her out of unconsciousness. This may not have been medically documented but then this is also an extremely poor Quality of Medical Care issue. If the medical community is afraid to document their mistakes. 7. The error of saying that I was mainly concerned that I was not given the Notice of Discharge until late afternoon during her discharge is a gross understatement. The fact is I was given the notice of discharge as they were placing my wife on the paramedic bed for transfer even though I was in the hospital room for over four hours. Also the nurse falsely (lied) saying that signing the discharge did not mean that I agreed but that I had to sign it. 8. The major error is that if the OMPRO physician did not identify any Quality of Medical Care issues then he/she did an inadequate review of the records.
Sincerely,
Bill O’Dell
clarifications to OMPRO letter of 1 19 02\weo
attachment of letter of complaint sent to Kaiser member relations concerning the King City Rehab Facility Kaiser Member Relations Fax: (503) 813-4636
Date: February 24, 2001
Subject: Complaint and statement of deficiencies with the King City Rehabilitation & Living Center 16485 SW Pacific Hwy Tigard, OR 97224 HCFA #38D0678947 license
During the two weeks (January 10 to January 24, 2001) that Kaiser patient: Grace Marie O’Dell, #removed, was a patient.
Specific Issues: 1. On January 11, 2001, it took me four tries and over eleven minutes to reach my wife by telephone on an urgent matter. When I complained to the Admissions Coordinator she replied that I warned you that we only have one portable phone for 130 patients and my staff spends all there time on Quality Nursing services. 2. To which I immediately wrote back that leaving standing water under a patient’s bed all day was not giving Quality Nursing services (water under bed of hip fracture patient all day = potential for more damage). Leaving diabetic supplies on a patient’s bed and going away as observed on one occasion is not giving Quality Nursing services. And having a patient sit in urine for over thirty minutes after she rings for help is not giving Quality Nursing services. 3. But my major concern is that during Marie’s last four days at King City Rehabilitation Center I, and other friends found my wife in diabetic unconsciousness due to extremely low blood glucose readings and this is certainly not Quality Nursing services. On Sunday, January 21, 2001, I found Marie in low blood glucose conditions and when I mentioned it the patient in the next bed said that the nurse said isn’t that nice Marie is sleeping. I said she isn’t sleeping she is in diabetic unconsciousness and I went for the nurse. The nurse came and measured her blood glucose and it was 44. The only time in eight or so years of her diabetic condition that we had a reading that low we had to call an ambulance and rush her to the hospital. The nurse did quickly give her some juice and sugar water and after one hour Marie’s blood glucose was again 79 mg/dL. My wife has been experiencing extreme memory loss after her January 6, 2001 femur repair and I don’t know if it was due to the medication given or due to the four days of low blood glucose that Marie experienced at King City Rehabilitation Center. 4. During the two weeks that I visited my wife I observed upon leaving that at least a dozen call lights were lit at the main control console even though I observed workers talking on the telephone with their feet up on the desk or reading a newspaper. In other words they were not attending to the patients but to their own personal business. 5. The nursing staff had no regard for a patient’s clothing and many times I found my wife’s belongings in other people’s closets and we did lose some of my wife’s belongings.
Please do not use this facility for any future convalescent needs of Kaiser patients and please locate another such facility in the Beaverton area so that your member’s family do not have to drive clear over to Mt. Tabor, or Vancouver, Washington to your other approved locations.
Sincerely,
Bill O’Dell Husband of Grace Marie O’Dell
Today is May 12, 2003
I received word from Mr O'Dell that Marie, his wife has been placed in the Kaiser Hospice Program for "Failure to Thrive" which is a very vague diagnosis. He has been advised to give her morphine, if needed, 0.25 to 1ml under the tongue, for pain and/or trouble breathing.. .