Hollywood's threat to healthcare

[dstout-rn]

Has anyone seen the preview to "John Q" ? This is a new movie that per http://www.Hollywood.com Synopsis:

After collapsing on the baseball field, a young boy is rushed to the hospital only to discover he needs a heart transplant. When the hospital learns that his father's health insurance won't cover the operation, the boy is promptly taken off the donor list. Outraged, the boy's father then holds the emergency room hostage until the doctors agree to operate.

I saw the preview to this movie tonight and was absolutely terrified and astonished. In an already tense environment of healthcare today AND the world in general since Sept 11. this is the last thing i ever thought we would see in a movie.

As a RN myself I know that there are stressful times in any of the care units in the hospitals nowdays, and I Know that any healthcare worker will agree that this is not something we want displayed to patients' family and friends.

Nurses we are at risk if we let this go as acceptable. Many movies have taken the blame for many school shootings will we only wait until it happens on our own unit. BAN THIS MOVIE

[oramar]

That sounds like crap to me. I admit it has been 20 years since I worked on a transplant unit but no one was ever taken off the list because of financial reasons. Matter of fact the surgeons did many hardship cases for free and the hospital just ate the bill in many instances. What I did see was some affluent persons who bragged about hiding their assest as to con the state into paying the bill. In one case a patient who was waiting for a heart actually bragged to me about how he transfered his $100,000 home, RV and luxury auto to his children. In addition there were several divorces that were gotten just to qualify for state aid.