Hilo Hospital

[pslamont]

Is it just me?

I took one of my not so unusual falls yesterday and went to the ER.

After 4 hours (not really a bad wait as ER's go), three CT scans and a set of X-rays they determined that my neck was clear, my pelvis only bruised and my knee not broken. Good so far.

Knee was swollen up like a softball so they put me in an immobilizer... been there, done that.... not the best product but adequate.

They even listened to me regarding pain meds and steered away from the original plan for morphine and dropped it down to Fentanyl in small increments. Great~

Then they discharged me. Asked if I could walk on crutches with my severe back pain. I said "I will... this back won't last and I have to move". Great they say, we'll write you a prescription for them.

HUH? It's Saturday night, I can't walk, have been told to bare no weigh on my leg... a prescription? They don't have crutches at the hospital?

After a couple stops (all pharmacies in town are closed) we find Longs. Pharmacy is closed but store has some "on the shelf".

Now I am a trained nurse and know how to size adjust hem and use them but what about the average person? No instructions to go up and down stairs? No fitting to protect the underarm? Am I missing something? Is this not incomplete care?

Then there are the discharge instructions... all in writing.. no one talks to you. Standard stuff spit out by the computer without thought... so:

For back injury, very important to be up and walking within one day.
For knee, very important to maintain bed rest and put no weigh on it for three to five days.

So what is it? What do they want the patient to do? I know what to do to care for myself, but judging by the behaviors of most of the people I saw in the ER, one can not assume they will do anything but create more problems/injuries for themselves and be back in the ER...
Methinks here is a management issue here... I would be interested in your comments.

[MntnViewBlue]

Your experience was much better than my wifes. In January of this year she was hit head on by a drunk driver and went to the ER. Not going by ambulance was a mistake. After waiting for 4 hours a doctor talked to her for 5 minutes, said nothing appears broken, offered her drugs (which she didn't take), and sent her home. One week later she was back at the ER because she was no better, still having significant pain. Waited 6 hours, saw the same doctor, went through the same process, then was told "You were in an accident, of course you have pain, what else would you expect." Never had xrays or anything more than bloodpressure and temp taken. Long story short, after many weeks of pain and being unable to find a doctor who will take PIP auto insurance, we go to Waimea ER. Got great care, find out she has broken ribs, dislocated elbow, dislocated hip, and two injuries to her spine. After all she was in a car accident, what else would we expect. Fast forward eight months, she is still dealing with pain and other issues from this accident.

As a side note, the third offense drunk driver who hit her got the maximum sentence of 14 days in jail!

[pslamont]

Get An Attorney and SUE...

They need their eyes opened.

Okay, that is probably too harsh but you need to put in writing and ask them to respond at the least... no?

[missydog1]

Waimea has a wonderful hospital.

Hilo Medical Center can be competent or it can be kind of like being dropkicked into a scene from the Inferno.

In my small experience of it there has each time been a couple people who were tweaking and disrupting stuff, screaming at doctors, having to be restrained, patients from the jail escorted by police, patients being treated prior to going to jail ... arghh.

I went in once and the only seat was between an officer and his prisoner. Why they didn't move over and sit by each other, I was baffled ...

It's just lovely when you're hooked up to an IV, can't move, and someone goes berserk so that no one is left to answer a call button from any other patient. Saw that, it lasted 20 minutes or more.

The atmosphere in Waimea is civilized, organized, caring.
I talked to an admit person at Waimea who is a local girl born and raised Hilo and said she wouldn't go to that hospital. "They lack compassion" were her words. While I've no doubt there are compassionate people at Hilo, the whole system is overstrained, and I would say that as an overall institution, it does lack compassion, because there is no time or manpower to look at the big picture for the patient -- even a simple thing like proper discharge instructions.

The failure to diagnose after an auto accident, that shocks even me.
I am so sorry.

[StillHope]

quote:

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Originally posted by KathyH

.......

I went in once and the only seat was between an officer and his prisoner.
......

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Kathy,you should have had the picture taken[]

[hpp4me]

quote:

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Originally posted by KathyH

Waimea has a wonderful hospital.

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I have heard this, too. In fact, I have been told by two people in the medical profession that if you want to retire on the BI, do it in Waimea for this reason.

What set of events led to Waimea having better health care than much larger Hilo?

[Royall]

Very rich people........

Royall

What goes around comes around!

[pslamont]

a large population of people with insurance coverage.... unlike Puna

[Greg]

I've had to sit with an infant in respiratory distress a couple of times in the ER and the Malama unit of Hilo Hospital. I've been there myself for surfing stiches and kidney stones. They are crowded, over worked, understaffed, and during the last visit were undergoing renovations.

During all of these events, I found the staff caring and professional. They performed flawlessly in the midst of a hectic environment.

I'm sorry everyone's experience hasn't been as good (under the circumstances) as mine was.

Get better Pam!

BTW, My daughter has outgrown her congenital respiratory problem, and I try to stay off the reef.

[Guest]

quote:

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Originally posted by Greg
...
BTW, My daughter has outgrown her congenital respiratory problem, and I try to stay off the reef.

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So two less people using the hospital in how many years?

Then I ask... how many more people have moved here?

Then I ask about the Aging Population?

Then I ask about Malpractice Suits?

Then I ask about how many doctors leaving?

Then I ask about Kona Hospital Problems recently...

Then I see HMSA Banking in millions each year...

Then I see my Cousin Nohea on TV tonight Pleading for more doctors to come to the Big Island...

And the State is responding with this program:

http://www.khon2.com/home/ticker/28434204.html

However, these are just going to be some rotating med students.

We need some serious doctors to stick around and I'm glad my cousin decided to come back and practice on this island.

Now if only I could get an appointment with him... if I needed one.[]

[rant]end[/rant]
Glad Greg's Daughter is Healthy... and Glad Greg is Pau damaging the reef.[]


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Glob