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Kaiser Heart Patient Horror Stories (12) - Twelve (Problems with Cardiology & ER) Kaiser Permanente will be the death of me yet Up Dated from August 01 2010 to April 04 201Video Recorded August 07,2011
Woe is me. What next?
I am trying to get 3 Cardiology departments to answer my letters, Fontana, Riverside, and Anaheim Cardiology Department. I certified all of the letters to them . I also sent Express mail extra to Kaiser Permanente Anaheim Cardiology Department because Anaheim Post office lost my certified mail.
You are right! No response from, Fontana, Riverside, ore Anaheim Cardiology Departments.
My three letters I sent asking them how they run their Cardiology Department? I explained in letter how Fontana Cardiology Departments operates concerning care of Pacemaker and patient.
I am only allowed 2 checkups on my Pacemaker to see if adjustments are needed in one year, and if there are any problems with pacemaker needs to be reprogrammed to save my life and need a same day appointment or next day in Cardiology, I get referred to ER now in Fontana, because that service is gone now since Jan Harvey R.N.P. Retired last year 2010.
[Oh by the way I got an answer from Anaheim Cardiology Dept April 04 2011, saying we operate as Fontana Clinic does]. That was the only response. Oh and a letter from Member Services Department stating Fontana ER did care for me and didn’t see a problem. They took my complaint and for some reason couldn’t understand what I was complaining about because ER took care of my health problems. Thinking I would get frustrated and stop complaining.
I had an {frightening} experiences in ER several times in one month and no one knew what was wrong with me and kept sending me home because my vitals look good except for a hard time breathing which they treated me for the problem but no change in breathing really. They sent me home where I would pass out from lack of oxygen like I have been doing and hoping I haven't hit my head and done damage.
Out of all the times in ER in one month! May 29 2010, May 30, 2010 and June 02 2010. Last visit in ER, was June 27 2010.
I met a doctor there that knew about Pacemakers. He told me "Oh I know what your problem is, why you are passing out, your Pacemaker needs to be reprogrammed its set at 50 and it needs to be set to 70"; {you aren't getting enough Oxygen and Blood to your Brain, so he sent for a tech from St. Jude to come down and reprogram my Pacemaker to his orders. You see in ER they didn't have a machine or someone to operate it or know how to. So once again I waited many hours for the tech. Well the Tech came and the doctor told him how he wanted it programmed, and he did, and I was released to go home. Well being home that night from ER I was tired and drained. The following morning I went grocery shopping and felt good once again.
The Cardiology Dept Had Jan Harvey R.N.P. that always took care of my pacemaker if it needed reprogrammed for me to stay alive, or if I was in the ER or Hospital she was right there to check Pacemaker out. Well after she retired the middle of last year that service was canceled. I was told that it was a freebee over the years - no charge to patients. Sure it was! I did pay for some of those freebees.
I called Member Services several times complaining about Cardiology and ER and all I get is "We can't help you its not part of their services", so they informed me several times I have to call these Departments and ask them do they have services like Fontana used to be, because the old service is gone now.
So I called these departments and was told Leave Fontana Cardiology and join ours and then we can answer your questions we don't answer unless you come to are Cardiology as a patient. I replied that is stupid so to find out how you operate like Fontana Cardiology, I have to leave my Cardiology Dept and sign on as a patient at Kaiser Anaheim Cardiology and transfer my files there and make an appointment and if they say we operate like Fontana Cardiology does now I have to transfer Riverside Cardiology and do the same thing, and if they say we operate like Fontana Cardiology. I called Member Services and told them what 2 Cardiology Departments said. She replied sorry can't help you out. So I called the State and asked "what should I do"? Well the State said Kaiser has to give you 3 cardiology departments that can help you and if not then I can go elsewhere and they have to pay the bill.
Well I am 67 years old and have a hard time getting around because of my weight and breathing problems and I can't be jumping like a 20 year old doing all this, so I decided to write letters since they won't talk to me on the phone or in person. I am hoping these letters they will answer my questions .I am a member of Kaiser and these departments should answer my questions on the phone or in a letter and if no respond to my letters! There is something very wrong in these departments that should be addressed to the Medical Board. What are they hiding? Makes you wonder.
So far I think Kaiser is giving me the run around or they lost their commonsense.
I wonder how many baby's or children or adults or elderly people like me are having the same problem or weren't as lucky and died lack of care. That is a shame I have to write a letters like this.
January I called Department of Public Health and put a complaint in on Fontana Kaiser Cardiology and ER.
Dates: January 26 2011 Letter from Dept, of Public Health messes up on my complaint, so I called to complain about person, findings was nothing what I said on the phone, so I called and requested another person take the case over the end of January 2011 and told my story and same day I talk to that person who was taking the case, let's call that person { X}. {X}said I will go out to Kaiser to check on the complaint that I made on the ER and Cardiology after we hung up the phone.
Well time was passing by! I called the Dept several times wondering if the person taking the case has any news for me and the response was as always "The person is still working on it." Well finally I faxed that person on April 11, 1011 and asked for him to please let me know what is going on with case?
Well {X} responded by a call telling me he is still working on it and it takes time as he has other cases also. He also made a comment to me "Well there was a Doctor that found your problem and took care of it and now you are fine." So do you want to close the case since you are ok and I said NO the problem isn't taken care of yet? "But look, the ER doctor did save your life." I replied how about next time, I wouldn't be that lucky. I suffered a month because the ER Doctors treated me for breathing problems and sent me home three times. Having same problems! Sitting still I was ok but walking or moving around stresses me out and I fought for air, not knowing my pacemaker needed to be reprogrammed to make my heart beat faster 50 beats to 70 to give more oxygen and blood to my brain and body The last visit I had a different doctor in the ER that knew my problem.
On May 21 2011 - I sent him a fax letter telling him that what he said to me! bothered me. I am lucky he said but no I wasn't lucky. I suffered greatly and probably have more damage to my heart, well it sure didn't help it, by passing out due to lack oxygen and blood.
Well here it is Wednesday, June 01, 2011 a new month in 2011. Yes I did get a response from one Cardiology Dept stating they operate as Fontana Clinic does now.
Also here it is Wednesday, June 01, 2011 and still waiting on Dept Health of Public Health to finish up. So far it's been over 4 months now with no answer.
Oh I did get a letter from Kaiser Permanente stating; [This information has been disclosed to you from records whose confidentiality is protected by Federal law. Federal regulations prohibits you from making any further disclosure without the specific written consent of the person to whom it pertains, or is otherwise permitted by such regulations.
Well here it is July 21 2011 and I sent a letter and fax asking how my case coming along, and telephone calls also leaving messages. You are right - no response at all.
Now I am upset now. First with Kaiser Permanente, now with the Department of Health.
Now I have Faxed around 30 pages, to Governor Jerry Brown office att., To: HHS ,I was told by his staff this Department is over Department of Health.
I can't believe this is happening to me in America, my last step will be ACLU if I can't get something done. I am not giving up. I am a fighter and glad I am an American where I have rights, and I will fight for my life. When I got my Pacemaker, which I found out last year I never needed it. Fontana Kaiser Permanente convinced me I needed one to stay alive and if I got one they would take care of me if I got one verbally, well they broke their promise several times now. Just think there is only I pacemaker doctor seeing patients in Fontana Cardiology Dept and Riverside and Anaheim are same as Fontana .That means there are 3 Pacemaker MD's, only for all of Kaiser Permanente patient in California. I was told there are hundreds and hundreds of Patients just with pacemakers in Kaiser Permanente. That is why you get referred to ER. If you used up 2 visits to Cardiology and hope you run into a doctor that knows all about pacemaker and knows how to work machine to save your life.
I expect these Government Offices to help us and not pass the buck, we pay for these services out of our taxes and I demand my rights as American born person. I played into the system and should be treated fairly. No one who is poor can fight these big Companies so I rely on them to help.