substandard(infuriating) reservation health care

[vetnrse]

Ok, so here it is. A prime example (that is infuriating) of substandard health care for Indians. I get a call yesterday. Grandma is in the small 12 bed bordertown reservation hospital (bandaide station) just outside of the reservation. Apparently she had fallen the other night and ended up with a possible pelvic fx, plus UTI and a bit obstructed. Mind you she is 90+ yrs., 90% deaf and blind.So initially they transported her the 30 miles to this place where they are 'watching' :chuckleher. Now this was Memorial Day, I call them to insist they get the MD to verbal order her for transport 90 miles away where there is a decent good size hospital and care. This hospital was not even able to get a decent xray.:confused:They said she was in too much pain. Well in a 'real' hospital , they can fix it so they can xray anything, the right way. Grandma is acting confused also. :bugeyes:The nurse tells me" the Dr will not be in until tommorow because its a holiday, so she won't be able to request a transfer until then and only with Grandmas (remember confused) request/consent or POAs(which is impossible to track down as the eldest grandaughter living 90 miles away with no phone, money or car .) So.. OK... how bout calling the Dr. and getting a 'verbal order' (what a concept) for transfer. Well , he's not available , is the answer.:uhoh3:Plus the nurse also proceeded to tell me all the detailed condition of Grandma over the phone, without even knowing who I am. I didnt even give her my name. HELLO! Major privacy act;PHI discloser is against the law. :nono:This small hospital provides basically general monitering and first aide care. They are not equipped to handle much anything more than that being so small. So my concern is for Grandma, if she develops a slew of complications, they wont pick up on it. Im not just assuming this. I worked in this facility years ago and had to fight with the MD to get physically in that hospital to check on a pt who was going down quick(CHF can do that you know) Well, he kept putting it off, changing his meds via verbal orders, would not listen to my insisting he get in there now. Well I guess I made a pest :yawn:of myself enough because he eventually came in. Too late though. The pt didnt make it. This is only one example, unfortunatly Ive seen many more. No one in any other part of the country would put up with this nonsense. The hospitals and MDs would be sued as soon as looked at. Indians dont do this though and their passive nature makes the health care system out here ripe for neglect and poor health care quality.They dont insist,and make a big fuss about their rights after being beaten down for so long, that can do that to a culture.:bowingpur

So with first hand experiences like that , this same hole in the wall they call a hospital, I want my:redpinkheGrandma out of there to a real hospital with all the best treatment she deserves.

[can.scl.ns]

Thank You for informing people about the health care on Indian Reservations. I am 100% Native Canadian from Canada, living in Canada we live and breathe similar stories that you wrote, even in this day and age. However, as gutwrenching and heartbreaking as it is to work amongst blatent racism against Natives, know that you are making a difference for the people you work for. You are their voice. Migwech. (Thank You in Algonquin)

[squeakykitty]

I truly hope your Grandma got the care that she needed, and she recovers without complications. That doctor is in the wrong profession if he can't care enough to come on a holiday, or even come in when a patients condition gets worse. The BON would probably have a field day with the nurses HIPAA violation.