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Advice for Pacemaker Users - What they don't tell you about them by Susan Kasperski
Also warning about the need for all Emergency Rooms in California to have a trained physician on staff and available
at all times to handle Pacemaker Malfunctions.


NOTE:  Letter also sent to New Kaiser Permanente CEO Bernard Tyson
See:  

Note from Susan Kasperski - August 29, 2013:

I LEFT A MESSAGE TO MY RNP PACEMAKER NURSE IN CARDIOLOGY  told me when Cardiology dept. is open they will send someone if its life threatening.  But when they are closed and week ends no services at all in ER are provided, but that patient could die.  

SUSAN'S RESPONSE:   Oh well they just have to die, what a ?  I called around and found, ST BERNARDINE MEDICAL CENTER  AND LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY CENTER ARE THE ONLY 2 WITH PACEMAKERS DOCTORS IN ER AT ALL TIMES. so I will be going there - let them fit the bill.   Verberly they promised to take care of us if we got it. so far I wonder how many people died there at Fontana?   I wonder if there is a law suit?   They verbally said we take care of you with pacemaker but yet  they violated my right, they always tell A.M.R. oh we can take care of emergency on pacemakers, they lied they should refer  AMR to right place.  What they are doing is wrong.

           MY EXPERANCE IN NEW KAISER PERMANENTE FONTANA ER Saturday,
June 22, 2013

To Fontana Kaiser CEO!

What a nightmare it was in waiting room in ER from 1: 30 AM to 4:10 AM.

Well here it is Friday night going on Saturday morning and everyone knows Friday through Sunday will be extremely busy in ER.

I called St, Jude and Vice Nurse on call and ended up talking to both same time and was advice to go in because the peeping noise might be a warning my pacemaker might be running out of battery time and my heart is so depended on it.

Well on my arrival to ER! It was a full house.

I went to check in at desk and gave my information why I was there, (which took around 5 minutes and was asking to take a seat and lady would put a band on your wrist.

Well an hour went by and I was called into the room next to check in and vitals were given and questions to be ask and to take a seat outside.

Well later on a lady put a band on my wrist.  I explained again to two people it could be a life threatening situation.  

Sorry there isn't anything we can do and I explained that ER Fontana was waiting on my arrival to check me in and once again I was told to take a seat and wait.

I thought to myself is this how the ER works?   I could end up a CODE BLUE and no one gives a ???.

While waiting and seeing one real sick lady throwing up off and on and who stunk so bad that people were putting something over their mouths and noses; she was putting a foul sick odor off; she should have been quarantined away from everyone.

Well at 3:20 AM four people went in that didn't look very sick to me that came after I was there and then the lady that smelled foul went in.  She came after I was there, but I didn't care because she was infecting every one and was very sick.

Anyway people started coming in right and left sick throwing up, now ER smelled bad.

Well I went up to desk and said when are you going to take me in? The reply was "you just have to wait", well I said "I'll have to leave the ER waiting room or I will get sick exposed to all this sickness and I have been here for 2 and half hours and I have to wait especially when you took people in front of me first, that came after me. I am leaving to go to another hospital."  A lady behind the desk said if that is what you want to do go I don't care

{I WAS SHOCKED }

and started to say call my husband to pick me up when I looked down the hall and a lady was saying hey guy come here and repeated it several times.   Finely she approached me and said with an attitude, are you Ms. Kasperski! Yes, well come with me, didn't you hear me call you?  I heard you calling a guy and I am not a guy last time I looked, I said.

Well she took me to a room and told me what to do and so on with a cockey attitude.

Well once in the room I got an EKG and a doctor Visit and a nurse.   All were pleasant and helpful especial RN Bryan.

Well RN Bryan  took care of me with a bed side manner and got me a Tech to come out. The tech took a long time because  a traffic accident held him up, but once he arrived hours later he checked my Pacemaker and explained to me the problem and so on, pleasant person also. Now its shift change and the RN who dismissed me had some problems with the computer where she could release me, she tried her best to get me on my way.

Well I got to go home 6 and half hours later.

Things I found wrong,

1. Better sign telling you where to turn to ER instead at last minute and you end up going in Ambulance way.

2. One of young Security guards watches too much TV.

3. I found people waiting to be signed in, in people way coming and going.

4. There wasn't much supervision in ER waiting room.

5. I think you should  block people from leaving the waiting room to wander to other places.

6. You are way under staffed to handle patients on Friday and Saturday, cutting corners wrong place.

7. When being admitted at desk this person can put band on you there and Lima another person.

8. Hospital looks nice, but need changes.


6/23/2013 8:36:40 PM



FROM SUSAN KASPERSKI:

I SENT KAISER THE ABOVE LETTER THEY WROTE BACK (See Kaiser letter below) AND THIS WAS MY REPLY.

WHEN YOU GO TO THE ER AND HAVE MINUTES TO LIVE. LETS SAY THE PACEMAKER HAS 15 MIN LEFT ON BATTERIES, THEY HAVE TO WAKE UP THE CARDIOLOGIST THAT SPECIALIZES ONLY IN PACEMAKERS AND SO ON WHO CAN RUN 2 LEADS TO YOUR HEART AND PROGRAM THE PACEMAKER MACHINE TO TAKE OVER UNTIL THE PERSON CAN GET A NEW PACEMAKER INSERTED IN, THERE IS NO DOCTOR IN THE ER WHO HAS THE TRAINING IN THIS FIELD SO THEY EXPECT THE CARDIOLOGY MD ON CALL TO JUMP OUT OF BED RUSH TO GET DRESSED, GO TO BATHROOM, GET INTO CAR, AND FIGHT TRAFFIC TO BE THERE IN MINUTES.

PLEASE GIVE ME A BREAK KAISER. I CANT GET A DOCTOR TO SUBMIT THIS IS TRUE IN WRITING. MAYBE I SHOULD CALL THE COLLEGE WHERE THEY ARE TRAINED AND ASK THEIR TEACHERS TO STATE IN WRITING THIS IS TRUE. ALSO I NEVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT KAISER BEING DIRTY.

Letter from Mark Barnes, Kaiser Permanente Senior Case Manager, Member Services Department follows:

Letter from Mark Barnes Kaiser Fontana Member Services to Susan Kasperski
     Letter from Mark Barnes Kaiser Fontana Member Services to Susan Kasperski
Kaiser Permanente Fontana letter written to Susan Kasperski by Mark Barnes of Member Services
Letter written by Mark Barnes Kaiser Permanente Fontana Member Services

Mark Barnes Kaiser Permanente Member Services Letter to Susan Kasperski


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