Kaiser cancer patient horror and malpractice stories

IN LOVING MEMORY OF MELVA JEANNE BARKLEY,
Sept. 17, 1945 - June 24, 2006

Throughout her entire adult life Jeanne was plagued with peculiar physical symptoms which were eventually explained by a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis on June 4, 1998 by which time she was in a wheelchair.
MS took its toll on her health throughout her life but she never gave up,maintaining a fine sense of humor and perseverance even as MS rendered her bedridden. ..........

A stunning diagnosis of advanced ovarian cancer on May 3, 2006 was followed by successful surgery May 26, leaving her and family and friends filled with hope. Over the next 26 days a succession of hospital
errors took their toll and she died suddenly June 21 and was removed from life support June 24 after all hope was gone.

Kaiser killed her - AUTOPSY results added 10/27/06.

http://www.mjbarkl.com/jeanne.htm

Bob Johnson's Kaiser and the FOR PROFIT PERMANENTE Story
as told by his wife Debora
https://kaiserpapers.com/horror/can/bobjohnson.html
My husband, Bob Johnson died on May 29, 2005, and he was a victim of Kaiser. Two months
before his diagnosis of cancer he was rushed to another hospital complaining of shortness of breath
and chest pains.

cross referenced at:https://kaiserpapers.com/gone.html

From: http://cbs2.com/consumer/local_story_016195509.html
A cancer patient in the fight of his life suddenly has to fight his HMO at the same time. They cancelled
his membership just when he needed it most. So we got involved to help him and what happened next
could be a lesson for everyone.

Scott Bracy is the father of a three-month-old baby girl, and he’s fighting for his life.

In August Scott was diagnosed with malignant melanoma. Doctors at Kaiser Permanente medical
center in Riverside told him with aggressive chemotherapy treatment he would have a twelve percent
chance of survival.

Then, just a few days before his fourth scheduled treatment, Scott received this letter from Kaiser,
which says, “your membership in Kaiser foundation health plan has been revoked due to the intentional misrepresentation of your health history." An allegation that Scott vehemently denies.
Mirrored for historical purposes at: https://kaiserpapers.com/horror/can/bracy.html

Wed, Nov. 02, 2005
Christopher Robin Wibeto
Medical mistake may have killed man By Julie Sevrens Lyons Mercury News
A 21-year-old San Jose man underwent chemotherapy in August hoping it might cure his lymphoma.
Instead, it may have killed him -- as human error at Kaiser Permanente's Santa Teresa Medical Center
led to the man being injected with the wrong medication, state investigators have found.
Originally Posted at:
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/health/13058936.htm
and mirrored at:
https://kaiserpapers.com/horror/can/chemogoof.html

cross referenced at:https://kaiserpapers.com/gone.html

The Death of my Amazing Mother Tami
Young mother diagnosed and inappropriately treated for four years without a proper examination for back pain. Cursory diagnosis was arthritis of the spine. Death was from bone cancer which had spread and possible morphine over medication, 4 days after true diagnosis made in the ER. Written by her daughter.
https://kaiserpapers.com/horror/can/youngmother.html

Way to go Kaiser. Your pattern is consistent with all patient stories.

cross referenced at:https://kaiserpapers.com/gone.html

Once upon a time a beautiful young lady worked in the office of Mr. Zev Yaroslavsky who is a member of the County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors. The story of Robyn Libitsky https://kaiserpapers.com/robynlibitsky/
a well loved County of Los Angeles employee that had the misfortune of having an illness while under Kaiser Kare and how the system is still protecting Kaiser. Robyn won a sizable arbitration against Kaiser for it's deed. Today California's health related government agencies are having difficulty remembering that they are there for the protection of the patient and not for the service of Kaiser.

cross referenced at:https://kaiserpapers.com/gone.html

Just received - The California Medical Board fax - from David Thornton, Executive Director regarding Kaiser Permanente subverting law to avoid allowing the public to know how many of their doctors have harmed patients.
https://kaiserpapers.com/robynlibitsky/kaisersubvertsthelaw.html
Additional Kaiser Doctors to now be listed on Medical Board of California
web site regarding Robyn Libitsky's arbitration:
http://www.medbd.ca.gov/
Rabin Kheradpour - A63649 - posted but with disclaimer that the action involved a group of physicians. - 11/23/2005
Shailesh Bhat - License #A62082 - posted but with disclaimer that the action involved a group of physicians. - 11/23/2005
Wendy Lynn Cohen - License #A45721 - posted but with disclaimer not blaming her specifically with the group of doctors named in the arbitration. - 11/21/2005
Revati Atluri - license #A64873 - posted but with disclaimer not blaming her specifically with the group of doctors named in the arbitration. - 11/21/2005
Maryann Trephan - license #G85040 - posted but with disclaimer not blaming her specifically with the group of doctors named in the arbitration. - 11/23/2005

COMMENT: Judges don't generally list physcians as being responsible for harming a patient unless they actually were found to be responsible. Why these physicians appear to be given special treatment with reporting in this public database by the medical board is only a question that can be answered by the CA Med. Board and Kaiser.

See Los Angeles Times Story of Nov. 22, 2005 by Debora Vrona at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/valley/la-fi-kaiser22nov22,1,4539465.story?coll=la-editions-valley
and mirrored at: https://kaiserpapers.com/robynlibitsky/kaiserstillwontobeythelaw.html
see also:
Woman wins fight with medical board - Ventura County Star
http://www1.venturacountystar.com/vcs/county_news/article/0,1375,VCS_226_4265978,00.html

NEW- Three Kaiser Patient Victims Stories aired by station KEYT Santa Barbacross referenced at:https://kaiserpapers.com/gone.htmlra
https://kaiserpapers.com/video/Kaiser%20Permanente%20victims.wmv
If using Firefox please right click and "Open Link In New Window"
and at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWObFatNCK0&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fhorror%2Ekaiserpapers%2Einfo%2F

How Kaiser has mistreated Miss.Breanna Pflaumer - http://www.hembree.us/Breanna.html
Breanna Pflaumer is a young lady with parents that knew Kaiser wasn't telling all. For two years Kaiser had been pretending that she had little if anything wrong with her. For two years this young lady suffered and for two years Kaiser pretended that they did not know what was really wrong. This isn't malpractice, this is called committing fraud. Kaiser did it on purpose to avoid treating a patient.

Breanna was losing a lot of weight and had developed serious neurological problems. In characteristic Kaiser behavior several months went by before Kaiser could get around to allowing Breanna to be properly examined. Meanwhile Breanna's parents kept taking her back to Kaiser for medical care. This is called Kaiser medical billing fraud and is highly profitable to the company. Repeated co-pays being paid by patients that are being strung along make up a mighty tidy income for Kaiser. Kaiser staff played dumb and people do get the idea when this happens that the place is run by unprofessional, improperly trained phyciains. Nothing is further from the truth. They know exactly what they are doing with these matters and they are doing it on purpose.

When Kaiser was finally forced into examining this young lady they followed their classic pattern of delay of diagnosis by sending her to first an endocrinologist who misdiagnosed her, lied about what tests were run and sent her off to a dietician claiming that she had a eating disorder thus labeling her a mental patient.

Whenever any patient is labeled a mental patient in the Kaiser system that should be a big red flag to get a through physical examination somewhere else immediately.

To continue this standard treatment Kaiser tried to transfer the burden of actual cause of disease onto the patient. This is again a classic attempt to distract from what they are actually doing which is avoid providing medical care while collecting those co-pays. Finally, near the end of 2004 Kaiser diagnosed her with inoperable cancer. This is the time of year when Kaiser will intentionally misdiagnosis or underdiagnose or outright lie to the patient that there is no hope in order to have enough money left over in their budget to transfer to the Permanente for the physicians retirement fund.

Breanna's parents got her medical care outside the Kaiser system at their own expense. The fake Kaiser Review Board is refusing to reimburse the family for actual costs of "real" medical care. If it were a true Review Board the family would have already been reimbursed. Read the entire story and how it is progressing at:

Violetlee Runels - deceased 03/07/05
https://kaiserpapers.com/horror/can/violetlee.html - Beware Kaiser and Permanente staff. Yet another daughter has promised their parent which your staff abused that you will not get away with your premeditated criminal actions.

For two years Kaiser staff pretended they were dumb. Eight Kaiser Permanente physicians that were involved in this patients medical care refused to notify the patient, her husband, her children, anyone of the seriousness of this patients condition. This is a straightforward case of intentional denial of service to the detriment of the patient with the intent to commit medical and financial fraud. This is the purest example as to why all patients should have a complete copy of their own medical records at all times. If Mrs. Runels had obtained a copy of her medical records rather than trusting her physicians she would have known what was wrong with her and could have investigated other medical resources outside of the Kaiser system. This is also a very clear case of Permanente physicians trying to keep as much of the revenue in the Kaiser bank accounts as possible rather than being spent, as promised to patients for their medical care. Kaiser Senior Plans are nothing more than a sham both on the Medicare system and the trusting patient.

cross referenced at:https://kaiserpapers.com/gone.html

To: Rep. John Doolittle - March 24, 2005
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/bio/userletter/?id=403&letter_id=208738671
Jane Stevens writes of how little the Kaiser Senior Advantage Plan helped her mother Violette Runels and clearly and concisely explains how Kaiser is nothing more than a wellness program that the public could get free at any YMCA, information from a magazine at a supermarket checkout line or any public library. When the time comes that real medical care is needed Kaiser has already used up alloted patient money on the wellness program that is merely an illusion of medical services performed. They are the masters of deny, delay and do not treat. It does little good after a patient is dead for Kaiser to receive a small reprimand for their conduct. The public is being deceived by this sham organization that purports to provide medical care.

evelynmoreno.com She had the right to go home to die... And the right for pain control...
She trusted them.

Evelyn L. Moreno was diagnosed with abdominal cancer at Kaiser Permanente Sunnyside Hospital; the late part of November 2002.

This story is about Evelyn's fight to go home to die, and her abandonment. The term "full code" means that the patient wishes full resuscitation.

Her son Patrick, took issue with the Kaiser Doctors, about not granting his mothers wishes. He said, "She has a right to "full code" status, if that is what she wants. Do you want her to change her religion too; to be allowed to go home?"

This web site appears to no longer be online and has been preserved here:
https://kaiserpapers.com/horror/can/evelyn-moreno.html

cross referenced at:https://kaiserpapers.com/gone.html

The Matthew Salas Story
https://kaiserpapers.com/horror/can/matthewsalas.html
Denied medical treatment at Kaiser Baldwin Park - This story of a little boy that Kaiser had lied to the parents by telling him that he was cured was followed internationally.

cross referenced at:https://kaiserpapers.com/gone.html

cross referenced at:https://kaiserpapers.com/horror/children.html

A Son Crusades for Mom By Debora Vrana
Zevart Yedalian
https://kaiserpapers.com/horror/can/sonm.html
Yedalian, now 29, has been waging a legal battle against Kaiser Permanente ever since. He claims that California's largest health maintenance organization wrongly denied his mother a potentially life-saving bone marrow transplant. "They killed my mom," he says.
Also at:http://www.theconnection.org/shows/2004/02/20040224_b_main.asp

Listen to WBUR Boston - "The Connection"- Show Originally Aired: 2/24/2004

cross referenced at:https://kaiserpapers.com/gone.html

Kaiser Settles Suit Alleging Denial of Care - Debora Vrana
https://kaiserpapers.com/horror/can/vranasettle.html
Kaiser Permanente has settled for an undisclosed amount a lawsuit filed by Chant Yedalian, a La Crescenta man who became a lawyer to launch a legal crusade against the HMO to avenge what he alleged was the wrongful death of his mother.

Interesting Case: Do Not Discard by Natalie Smith Parra
https://kaiserpapers.com/horror/can/parra.html
In December of 1996 Kaiser diagnosed Natalie as having Cancer of the Lung. A callous Kaiser physician made the decision to not treat Natalie agressively for this disease. In early 1997 she did have chemotherapy at Kaiser. However, the Kaiser physician wanted to put her into hospice before doing any further testing. Six months after her diagnosis while "In The Hands of Kaiser" a UCLA physician began appropriate testing and treatment. This is the Kaiser experience that this brave woman and her family went through. It is also another example of the Kaiser delay and deny treatment scenario and when push comes to shove after getting a second opinion outside of Kaiser holding off payment for necessary medical treatment.
Natalie is a survior of not only cancer but of Kaiser Permanente.

Robban Savoria
https://kaiserpapers.com/horror/can/savoria.html
will be getting the specialized brain surgery he had been originally denied by his HMO, Kaiser Permanente, but the decision in his favor can only be considered a call too close for comfort. Antelope Valley, California.

In Memory of Ryan Arthur Huff
We are Don Huff & Veronica Solorzano, the parents of Ryan Arthur Huff from Baldwin Park, California. Our 14 month old baby past away in the hands of Kaiser Permanente, due to neglect. We have launched a public campaign and filed a law suit against Kaiser Permamente for the wrongful death of our son.
https://kaiserpapers.com/news/ca/ryanhuff.html
and
https://kaiserpapers.com/news/ca/ryanhuff.html

Lawsuit / Campaign against HMO Kaiser

cross referenced at:https://kaiserpapers.com/horror/children.html

cross referenced at:https://kaiserpapers.com/gone.html

Dr. Sunil J. Patel - California Medical License Number - A52005 He botched so many Kaiser Patient cases that the good people at Kaiser Fontana promoted the guy to the head of his department where he is merrily working away on patients today. Here is his report from the California Medical Board, including patient stories.
https://kaiserpapers.com/horror/pdfs/SunilJPatel.pdf
cross referenced with supporting materials at:
https://kaiserpapers.com/formoney/
and
https://kaiserpapers.com/selfincrimination/

July 27, 2004 http://fablog.ehrensteinland.com/archives/000128.shtml - web site has been removed.

Dear Michael Moore:
When I learned this morning that you were now beginning pre-production on Sicko, my sense of elation knew no bounds. And I felt the necessity of writing this letter of congratulations and encouragement. You couldn't have chosen a better topic. The horrifying and inhumane health care system---or lack thereof--- in the U.S. (especially as exemplified by HMOs) is hobbling unions, and causing millions of otherwise healthy people to shamble around half-mad simply because they are fearful of what might happen to them if they were to fall ill. And that's just for starters.
In the past few days I have been contemplating writing a missive of complaint to the HMO Kaiser Permanente. Either to a director or ombudsman at Kaiser, if indeed such individuals as the latter even exists there. But it will be a pointless act, I know. For if anything demonstrates my axiom "No Time Left to Do the Right Thing" (in this particular society), it is Kaiser.

BTW I don't know whether you will recall, but I interviewed you for "International Documentary" in 1989 when Roger & Me was released. I can still remember that you, my co-interviewer David Ehrenstein and I, spent nearly as much time talking about Bitburg as we did your film. Specifically about how much, as David had observed, the graveside tableau at Bitburg exactly resembled a scene in Triumph of the Will.

My complaints against Kaiser are not as dire as, for example, the woman in Putnam County, West Virginia who recently had both legs amputated by mistake. Wrong woman, you see. Not Kaiser, of course, still it makes my point. Nor even as grave as the woman across the street from me who recently had cancer surgery at Kaiser and was then tossed out on the street the same day (!), because there were "no more beds available."

Still. . .how would you like to be told, as was I not long ago by a doctor at Kaiser, that you had had a major heart attack and then ordered to endure a sedentary life for an entire month only to discover that the incorrect diagnosis was based upon a faulty EKG. They had me walking around with a vial of nitroglycerine, for crying out loud! Well, at least I had both my legs left.

Sure "mistakes occur." But a month prior to that, a faulty x-ray caused me to have to deal for several days with another incorrect diagnosis of. . . .LUNG CANCER. Both of these arising BTW from shoulder pain that I have endured for nearly two years without Kaiser doing much of anything to alleviate it. All for the low Low LOW cost of 389.00 per month. Q. How can they do it? The Answer: volume Volume VOLUME!

I have periodic nightmares of a Soylent Green nature about Kaiser: people going in but never coming out. . .if you catch my drift. All the better to make room for yet more "suckers," most of whom cannot afford anything more than the far less than acceptable and humane "care" they allegedly provide. (An exception: I did one time see L.A.'s RICH ex-Mayor Tom Bradley there. But then I always did find him somewhat dim.)

And I could go on and on. Things like a full set of x-rays taken by a technician, only for him to discover after he was finished that I had not taken a chain off from around my neck. Maybe that was HIS job to notice. Thus, I had to go through the whole process again. It's a wonder my arm didn't fall off from all the radiation. Then there was the time that. . . oh never mind.

Maybe I am just an extreme example of Kaiser's ineptitude. I truly feel if every one of their, uh, CLIENTS had experienced half of what I have with that HMO in the way of outright incompetence and inhumanity there would be rioting in the streets in front of their facilities round the clock. But I don't think this is the case; for I have heard more than my fair share of Kaiser horror stories from others, as well as similar tales about other HMOs. To whit: someone told me recently told me that PacifCare was even worse than Kaiser and I had to do a spit take.

I realize in the final analysis your film will not just be about HMOs, but the entire SICK medical situation in this country. In other words, HMOs finally are but a "neurotic system," if you will, of problems ultimately much more serious.

Goodluck and godspeed. I would love to help you with this project in any way that I possibly can.

Regards,
Bill Reed

PS: I just decided that instead of writing a letter to Kaiser, I'll simply cc a copy of this to their head honcho.

PPS: And what's the deal with not being able to sue HMO's? LOL

November 27, 2004 - California Medical Board faults doctor - Oceanside man died after appendectomy in 2003 - Denied diagnosis of leukemia by Kaiser
https://kaiserpapers.com/horror/can/leuapp.html
A 54-year-old Oceanside man bled to death after a routine appendectomy at Kaiser Permanente Hospital in San Diego because his doctor made a mistake, according to a Medical Board of California accusation filed against the doctor. --- Paopao wasn't told he had leukemia when he returned for the appendectomy Jan. 30, 2003, according to a San Diego County Medical Examiner's report.

br>

Coping with mother's death
by Sienna Dalton
Lowell High School, San Francisco
http://www.journalism.sfsu.edu/www/pubs/ggjr/ggjr96/DEATH.html
"On Dec. 16, 1992 my mother entered the hospital to have her gallbladder removed but little did I know that would be the healthiest I would ever see my mother. Kaiser Hospital, whom I will never trust again, did in fact remove my mother's gallbladder but ended up slicing her intestine as well. "Ooops" is what the doctors and nurses said. "

HMO greases a PC a Patient's "squeaky wheel"
The Don Pugh story
http://www.phoenix5.org/articles/UroTimesPughJan2001.html
California man's crusade to have non-HMO surgeon perform his RP raises eyebrows, questions
Pugh successfully argued that his HMO, Kaiser Permanente, should pay for a surgeon of his own choosing – not one of Kaiser's

A FAMILY BRAVES MEDICAL FRONTIERS TO SAVE A GIRL'S LIFE.
https://kaiserpapers.com/horror/can/slim.html

Vianna Trenchuk waits alone in a cavernous room. It is empty, except for the cold metal bed she lies on and the machine she hopes will save her life.

Four screws hold an awkward metal frame steady on her head: two in front above her eyes and two behind, where a scar curves like a question mark down the back of her head. Doctors hoped a surgery to remove Vianna's rare tumor three years ago would cure her, but in January, a walnut-sized growth glowed white against black on the 15-year-old's brain scans. The disease was back.

"She is out of options," said Dr. Michael Miller, radiation oncologist at Kaiser Permanente in Los Angeles. "That's a hard thing to accept."

When Kaiser doctors told the family this spring that there is no proven way to save or prolong Vianna's life, her parents, Dwayne and Sandra, launched an odyssey many with cancer brave: They decided to investigate the alternatives on their own.

cross referenced at: https://kaiserpapers.com/horror/children.html

Justices duck ruling for HMO
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/e/a/1995/05/17/NEWS6859.dtl

Dan Freedman, EXAMINER WASHINGTON BUREAU
Wednesday, May 17, 1995

Ryan Comer, a star high school baseball player with aspirations to play professionally, died of a rare form of pediatric cancer known as rhabdomyosarcoma in 1991 at age 17.
Kaiser attorneys argued the treatment was not covered by Comer's HMO plan (through her job at AT&T) because it was experimental. Comer eventually raised $100,000 to cover the cost of the treatment, but Ryan's cancer was too advanced, and he died soon after.

cross referenced at: https://kaiserpapers.com/horror/children.html

Arlo Smith sues to make Kaiser pay for surgery
Seth Rosenfeld, OF THE EXAMINER STAFF
Thursday, October 24, 1996
Former San Francisco District Attorney Arlo Smith has sued Kaiser Permanente Medical Group, claiming that doctors there failed to tell his wife of alternative treatments and prompted a severe seizure.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/e/a/1996/10/24/NEWS12784.dtl

On October 3, 1985, Corey Ramsdell was born. He was subsequently diagnosed with a medulloblastoma (brain tumor) which was removed on December 8, 1986. At that time Corey was placed on chemotherapy under the direction of Kaiser Hospital through Dr. Sam Lew. The chemotherapy involved the administration of Cytoxan and Cisplatin. The prescribed dosage was 700 mg of Cytoxan and 40-45 mg of Cisplatin. The chemotherapy was administered in three-month cycles. The Cytoxan was administered during the first two months of each cycle and the Cisplatin was administered during the third month.

On September 2, 1988, approximately one month before Corey completed his chemotherapy, he was admitted to Kaiser Hospital for Cytoxan treatment. Three hours after administration of the Cytoxan, the pharmacist noticed that an error had been made in its preparation. Insteading receiving 700 mg of Cytoxan, Corey received 70 mg of Cisplatin.
http://www.vaagelaw.com/cases/CH20.asp

cross referenced at: https://kaiserpapers.com/horror/children.html

cross referenced at:https://kaiserpapers.com/formoney/

cross referenced at:http://kaiserpapers.com/legalstuff/

That was not Dr. Lew's first malpractice case while with Kaiser.
As per the San Diego County Superior Court :

Case Title:	GALINDO vs KAISER FOUNDATIONHOSPITALS
Case Number:	565824	Case Location:	San Diego
Case Type:	Civil	Date Filed:	06/04/1986
Category:	A72120	Personal Injury (Other)

Plaintiff/Petitioner
Last Name or Business Name	First Name	Primary (P)
GALINDO	CARMEN	P
GALINDO	GUADALUPE
GALINDO	JULIE

Defendant/Respondent
Last Name or Business Name	First Name	Primary (P)
KAISER FOUNDATIONHOSPITALS		P
KAISER FOUND HEALTH PLAN INC
LASASSO	BARRY
LEW	SAM WEI
PERMANENTE MEDICAL GROUP INC
SOUTHERN CALIF PERMANENTE MED

California Medical Board Info -

Licensee Name:	SAM WEI LEW, MD
License Type:	PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON
License Number:	G36379
License Status:	LICENSE DELINQUENT
Public Record Actions:	NONE AVAILABLE ON WEB SITE (To find out what information is and is not available on the Web site, please click here.)
Original Issue Date:	MAY 01, 1978
Expiration Date:	MARCH 31, 2004
Address:	3144 CALLE DE CORTEZ
	NAVARRE, FL 32566

He then moved to Florida where he had to turn in his medical license:
Florida Medical Board
https://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP
SAMWEILEW LICENSE NUMBER: ME85483

Year Began Practicing:7/1/1976
		Expiration Date:1/31/2004

The practitioner is not obligated to update their profile data.

Status:

VOL-RELINQ/

	SAM WEI LEW	LICENSE NUMBER: ME85483

Profession:

Medical Doctor

	(more info, click here)	Year Began Practicing:7/1/1976
		Expiration Date:1/31/2004

The practitioner is not obligated to update their profile data.

Status:

VOL-RELINQ/

Primary Practice Address

SAM

WEI

LEW

NEMOURS CHILDREN'S CLINIC
5153 NORTH 9TH AVENUE
PENSACOLA,

32504

Secondary Address(es)

No secondary address available.

Medicaid

This practitioner does participate in the Medicaid program.

Staff Privileges

This practitioner currently holds staff privileges at the following hospital/medical/health institutions:

Institution Name		SACRED HEART HOSPITAL
City		PENSACOLA
State		FLORIDA

E-Mail Address

Please contact at: swlew@prodigy.net

Other State Licensure

This practitioner has indicated the following additional state licensure:

State		MAINE
Profession		MD

State		CALIFORNIA
Profession		MD

Sam Wei Lew MD(207) 255-3356
Rr 1 Box 11
Machias, ME 04654
as of September 28, 2007

The American Board of Pediatrics has this information about Dr. Lew:

Sam W Lew

Orono, Maine

United States of America

Area of Certification

Exam Type

Requirements Completed

Cert/Recert Begins

Cert Expires

General Pediatrics

Certifying Examination

1982

No Expiration

Pediatric Hematology-Oncology

Certifying Examination

1984

No Expiration

Additional Kaiser Permanente Children Medical Horror Stories at:
https://kaiserpapers.com/news/ca/kpchildrenstories.html

Estate of Gerri Fuentes v. Nancy Hundt, M.D., Kaiser Foundation Health Plan - Failure to Diagnosis Cancer
Verdict Information: On Feb 5, the jury ruled in favor of the defense. Post-verdict, the case was settled as to one of the defendants pursuant to a high/low agreement-the details of which were not disclosed. The plaintiff also requested a new trial regarding Mid Atlantic, based on an alleged erroneous jury instruction on proximate cause.

https://kaiserpapers.com/legalstuff/gerri.htm

Evanthia Pappas

Insurer said no, so cancer patient pays for experimental treatment

Victoria Colliver, Chronicle Staff Writer

Saturday, December 15, 2007
Pappas' personal nightmare started in November 2006 when she went in for her biannual ultrasound. She took that extra precaution because her mother had died of breast cancer less than three years earlier, placing her at high risk for the disease.

She became nervous when the ultrasound technician at Kaiser's San Francisco hospital took longer than expected and made a comment suggesting something had changed.

"I asked for a biopsy, and they didn't do it," Pappas said, adding she was never informed about inflammatory breast cancer and its symptoms. "Four and a half months later, I have stage 4 cancer."

Kaiser officials have defended the health maintenance organization's decisions, describing her care as "appropriate and consistent with standard practice given her family history."

............

Adding to the controversy, bone marrow transplantation for breast cancer patients fell out of favor in the late 1990s after studies showed it did not prove beneficial. Pappas' doctors, however, are testing their theory that the procedure might be successful among a select group of patients.

Barbara Brenner, executive director of Breast Cancer Action, said it's appalling that M.D. Anderson would require Pappas to pay for the privilege of becoming a human guinea pig.

Read more at: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article/article?f=/c/a/2007/12/15/MNQETTOVL.DTL
http://www.sfgate.com/c/a/2007/12/15/MNQETTOVL.DTL

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