Health care for seniors has surely changed drastically! I had not needed a hospital since 1985 when I had a Hysterectomy and have been in good health ever since. Recently, I did something extremely foolish and landed in a hospital. I had given in to the glorious cravings of my favorite childhood cookies, when I found them at Sam's club, packaged in a very large quantity of one hundred cookies. This is the foolish part. I sat down and ate over half that box of cookies. Yes, I did! Then washed it down with a thirty-two ounce green slush! Yep, You guessed it! I got very sick and very dizzy, which lasted from late evening on into late afternoon the next day.
I went by ambulance to the hospital and I honestly thought I had a stomach flu or a virus and was pretty dehydrated as well.
I felt secure going to a Catholic hospital and I surely felt safe with the ambulance. Let me just stop here and say this. I have worked in medical all my life and the Ambulance Has always been such an integral part of saving lives. But, now, they are literally a hospital on wheels! Those guys are the best of the very best and I personally think they are even better than many, many doctors. Besides that, they have excellent bedside manner. There would be a lot of DOA's if not for their terrific skills. Let's not forget they are also adept at fighting fires! Can we possibly be more fortunate?
When I was in the emergency department (it is no longer called the emergency room, it is actually a whole department now.) What I learned while there was, that everyone over sixty- five years of age needs to be admitted for at least a two day stay. Why? Because Medicare pays well for this, no questions asked.
Another thing I learned is that any type of dizziness , whether from infection, dehydration, glucose overload or whatever can be admitted as a stroke. Additionally, if they admit a possible stroke patient, they can keep them and do multiple cat scans, MRI's, clot scans, stroke scans etc. The more scan the better. They can falsify your records and say you are a former alcoholic, drug abuser, or both and use that as a reason for treatments not working, what is more they can assimilate A fib by giving full doses of Benadryl and Valium at the same time as this combination will often cause tachycardia in most patients. Plus, This results of Tachycardia also assimilates A-fib as well, in many cases. How about that, another diagnosis! Now if they lie on the intake and say you are a drug addict or alcoholic or both, the possibilities are endless. Woo- Hoo! You can be a real money maker. See Medicare does not know these things. Thus, you become a cash cow from the moment you come through those doors of the emergency department.
The Elderly are perfect victims for these hospitals to milk the Medicare system. Especially in hospitals owned by private equity firms. Many of these private equity firms are owned by Foreign Doctors or groups. Many from India.
These firms try to remove themselves from all liability by contracting with management companies to hire doctors, nurses and staff. They attempt to remove themselves from the hospital practices, At least they think they do.
Once admitted and a patient on a med floor, they do not help you to a shower because they can have someone from Rehabilitation come and watch you take a "French Bath" and that is considered therapeutic. They actually bill for that as Rehabilitation. The patient is more than willing because they want and need a bath so badly. The management company thinks of every way to monetize anything staff might do or see. Yes, I said management company, These companies do all the hiring, firing and make up all the rules that earn them money. They care about you alright, only as unlimited possibilities to line their pockets!
Have you started to see the big picture? These firms are " fleecing" Medicare and using the Elderly as sacrificial lambs to do so. At the same time they are pumping elderly patients full of drugs so they cannot figure out what is really going on. After all, we are so dispensable. While they are also helping to thin the herd.
The days of suing for malpractice against doctors and hospital facilities are over unless the Elder has actually died. Yes, but we can still sue for neglect, wrongful diagnoses and sue the Health insurance for Elder Abuse when they deny physical therapy, diabetic supplies, counseling and other services then call and want to know if they can help any further. You will need to file complaints file, turn them in to Medicare for fraud when they charge for what never happens. and just turn their world upside down, then take their money in a lawsuit. We don't have to let them get away with it. Follow our site and learn what you can do, how, to do it, and become your own advocate. That is the key! Becoming your own advocate.
In addition, lawyers need to know what is going on. They have tied your hands, well here is a way to cut the binds that tie you up. Investigators learn how to get what you need for the litigator, you will learn how you need to prepare him beyond a reasonable doubt
Knowledge is absolutely worthless unless it is shared. Then it becomes invaluable. I have a reputation for NOT playing nice with bad guys, and I never sugar coat anything. I am not a bakery.
Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Beverly Vierra and I am a retired Elder abuse/ wrongful death investigator. Before becoming an investigator, I was a surveyor and a QMRP for MRDD. Preceding that I was a Nurse and went back to school to earn my Masters degree in health care administration. I had a total of forty five years in my career from start to retirement.
This is all completely my knowledge, my experiences and my own techniques and opinions. These things have worked for me in my career and still do. I want to share some pointers with Elders.
When it comes to health care always ask the Doctor these questions.
1. What is my diagnosis?
2. Why are we doing this ,test, procedure. x-ray, etc.?
3. How many of these tests or Procedures have I had?
4. Who benefits? who benefits monetarily?
5. What are my surroundings?
It is like having a sonogram to see if you have cancer. It tells something is unusual but, it does not tell if is cancer. There had to be something unusual in the exam in the first place. to request a sonogram. It is one of those tests that sort of sneak past insurance companies. That particular test is probably not necessary but it can also cover for a practitioner who is not sure of themselves. You know, better safe than sorry approach.
6. Always, always and always ask questions and write down the answers if you have to.
When asked why you are writing everything down just answer " I want to be sure I do what I am suppose to." This may make some providers edgy. If it does you may be seeing the wrong provider.
7. Always bring someone with you to your medical appointment even in the exam room. Your spouse, your daughter, grandchild, best friend, cousin, whatever. Just don't go alone. You may need a witness later. Plus, providers tend to be on much better behavior. Providers, even Doctors tend to back down when there is someone in the room who is a visitor and coherent.
8. Never, ever, ever and never be alone in the hospital. I don't care if you have to beg cousin Myrtle, hire the lady down the street, threaten to divorce your spouse or cut your kids out of your will. Never be alone in the hospital. You will get much better care and you will not get run over by hospitalists and/or Doctors who want to give you harmful medicine , send you to a nursing facility or any other questionable practice.
I am not trying to make hospitals and Doctors out to be all shady and harmful. I really am not. However, there are just too many hospitals being sold to Private equity groups who really do NOT have your medical interests at heart. Believe me when I tell you those people who were so trusting many times end up in the morgue and they cannot tell their story. Times have changed!
9. If once discharged, you have a bad feeling about the hospital , you know, just too many red flags. Go to your computer . Find out who owns that hospital. Check and see how many times they have been sued. That will give you answers. Do a background check on the Hospitalist Doctor. Your findings may be cause for concern and you may want a second opinion. Lastly be sure to ALWAYS get your hospital record! We hope you won't need it but it is better to be prepared, just in case.