Negligence

[Familia4]

Jurisdiction

Pennsylvania

My daughter was seen in the ER in Bloomsburg where she attended school and tested for STDs as she was having bleeding & pain on urination. She was released & advised they'd call if any problems. After several day She continued to get worse. I brought her home, took her to our regular doctor where she was tested for a UTI & STDs, sadly it came back positive for chlamydia. After a few weeks, we received the medical records we had requested from the ER visit & it was positive in the ER too & no one notified her.
What is their obligation? We spoke to a patient advocate after calling the hospital to ask for their explanation & "The head nurse" stated the doctor would call and we never heard from the doctor.

 

[army judge]

My daughter was seen in the ER in Bloomsburg where she attended school and tested for STDs as she was having bleeding & pain on urination. She was released & advised they'd call if any problems. After several day She continued to get worse. I brought her home, took her to our regular doctor where she was tested for a UTI & STDs, sadly it came back positive for chlamydia. After a few weeks, we received the medical records we had requested from the ER visit & it was positive in the ER too & no one notified her.
What is their obligation? We spoke to a patient advocate after calling the hospital to ask for their explanation & "The head nurse" stated the doctor would call and we never heard from the doctor.

Your daughter has received treatment and is on her way to recovery.

You can't prove no one called, if that is what concerns you.

 

[mightymoose]

I agree with the above.
You are told someone would contact you, but did you ever try and contact them? Have you since? Did they attempt to contact but maybe had a wrong number or no answer?

Even if they failed to contact you as promised I'm not sure what damages you might claim.

 

[zddoodah]

I'm not really sure I understand the point of your post. Obviously, someone should have called her. That hardly seems like something you needed anonymous strangers on the internet to confirm. Is "What is their obligation?" really the only question you intended to ask?

 

[Familia4]

Thank you! I did not elaborate all details. Yes my daughter called 2 days after her ER visit and they assured her "we will call you if we have positive results". When I picked her up after 3 days from ER visit I personally went to the hospital to request the ER records, called a week later for a follow up & wasn't until after 3 wks that we received the records clearly showing the results were positive & received 2 days after her visit! I have a $13,000. Deductible and have 2 bills from the ER that I don't think I'm responsible for. I spoke to a patient advocate today who stated they will be emailing the ER Dr to find out where the communication was lost & discuss the bill.
I'm extremely aggravated that a 18yr old walked around with dysuria& hematuria for 10 days after a ER visit with a diagnosis that was known and not communicated.

Thanks for weighing in, however I was under the impression this was a free professional attorney that I was consulting. Shame on me

 

[Familia4]

Thank you! I did not elaborate all details. Yes my daughter called 2 days after her ER visit and they assured her "we will call you if we have positive results". When I picked her up after 3 days from ER visit I personally went to the hospital to request the ER records, called a week later for a follow up & wasn't until after 3 wks that we received the records clearly showing the results were positive & received 2 days after her visit! I have a $13,000. Deductible and have 2 bills from the ER that I don't think I'm responsible for. I spoke to a patient advocate today who stated they will be emailing the ER Dr to find out where the communication was lost & discuss the bill.
I'm extremely aggravated that a 18yr old walked around with dysuria& hematuria for 10 days after a ER visit with a diagnosis that was known and not communicated.

Thanks for weighing in, however I was under the impression this was a free professional attorney that I was consulting. Shame on me

We also confirmed my daughter's #, that yes they have along with our mailing address!

 

[mightymoose]

It seems your best resolution is to work this out with the hospital. They did provide you a service, but by not following up with results that service is pretty worthless. You might get them to adjust the bill if they recognize they dropped the ball.

Why do you have two ER bills? Or did you mean to say one ER bill and one for the primary physician?

 

[mightymoose]

Thanks for weighing in, however I was under the impression this was a free professional attorney that I was consulting. Shame on me

See the disclaimer at the bottom of every page. You get what you pay for.
Most of the time things are pretty civil and helpful but once in awhile it gets off track a bit. Don't let strangers get you riled up

 

[Familia4]

It seems your best resolution is to work this out with the hospital. They did provide you a service, but by not following up with results that service is pretty worthless. You might get them to adjust the bill if they recognize they dropped the ball.

Why do you have two ER bills? Or did you mean to say one ER bill and one for the primary physician?

Yes, 2 ER bills. I have to look, but usually they bill things separately. Like the ER charge, lab, & even the DR who sees you can charge you.

 

[ElleMD]

If she is 18 they aren't going to tell you a thing. ESPECIALLY related to a STD. When did your daughter call and speak with the doctor or nurse who treated her? When did your daughter ask for the results of the test? The lab having the results and the doctor having those results back from the lab are two different things.

In any event, aside from your daughter complaining to the hospital about the lack of notification, there really isn't anything you or rather she, can do. She did get treated elsewhere and just days later, so there aren't any damages. That there "could have been" does not create a legal remedy. It also doesn't negate the bill for services rendered, though the hospital might agree to reduce the bill as a goodwill gesture.