Occupation:: Unit Representative

With the advent of advanced computer systems in a hospital setting, not enough departments within any given hospital have an easy way to SHARE health care information about a given patient, and even more hospitals cannot share such information with each OTHER.

One solution would be software that is universal to the system; both within departments, (i.e. Cardiology studies available to Respiratory, available to Nephrology etc.) Also the same within hospitals.

Also important would be the ease of composing information to *patients* with findings and further steps to be taken in far simpler language than is currently available.

I know a lot of the above is talked about, but even most hospitals too much is handwritten. There is no excuse for this. For example, one hospital has scans on patient X. Patient X is sent to another hospital for deeper scans for Y condition. Past records should be sent, before the patient is seen at the second hospital, from the first, but for some reason, there’s a lock on such sharing of information, even when the patient specifically requests it be sent to the 2nd hospital. Some patients are even told because the scans are now on ‘microfiche’ (who uses that in 2011?) they cannot send it to hospital 2. Or they have been digitalized but it would take 6 months to unearth them.

All this makes for bad medicine.

Occupation:: ER TECH

There are several issues with Healthcare, that need to be addressed. One being increased cost! Due to the Manufactures charging more for Medical supplies than several items which are used in other professions or recreation,for hundreds less. Why? Other issues abound people who drive 35k-60k vehicles wearing diamonds and I phones, on medicaid / medicare arrive in the ER for abscess’s, shots, meds (Narcotics)Saying they cannot afford their MD’s Co-pay nor can they pay co-pay for ER visits. Thousands $$ in test can be saved if this was stopped. Further more healthcare workers are required to to submit a drug test before hire. Why do those getting financial help from the government not do the same.

Occupation:: RN

Recently at my small community hospital which has recently filed bankruptcy due to lack of funds and patients, we received a diabetic patient on re-admission with the same problem she was admitted for 1.5 months prior. When asked why she did not follow up she said she could not afford the $90.00 office visit or the medications she needed. That she and her husband fell in between the parameters for qualifying for medical assistance. Both she and the husband work but can not afford to live let alone pay for supplies to help this diabetic patient. Yet, when I go to a grocery store or the local Walmart I see many people dressed well, carrying coach bags, nails manicured, getting into Cadillacs and Lexus’ after they just whipped out their medical assistance to cards to pay for their 3 carts of merchandised. Maybe the welfare system could use some revamping as well.

Occupation:: Physician

Devil is in the Details: Devious Practices by the Insurance Companies Regarding Coverage of Colonoscopies as Colon Cancer Screening.

Everyone agrees that a colonoscopy for colon cancer screening is an important potentially life saving procedure. It’s main role is to detect polyps and remove them before it can progress to cancer. Medicare pays for it and many states mandates insurance companies to cover 100% for it as “preventive” procedure and many companies sell policies on this feature. However,many patients and doctor’s offices are surprised when a claim is made for a colonoscopy and a polypectomy by their gastroenterologist is denied by the insurance company and falls to patient’s deductible.

According to the insurance companies, “preventive” exams are only “preventive” if the results are normal. If something is discovered, eg Polyp, then it is no longer preventive and patient has to pay the deductible first.

What a non sense! The whole rational for doing preventive colonoscopy is to find polyps and remove them. Giving false impression that a certain service covered and then denying it, is fraudulent. However insurance companies can get away everyday by stating that what they say on the phone is not a guarantee of coverage.

This is just a small example of needless complexities and fine prints used by insurance industry to generate profits.

There is just no accountability.

Occupation:: CNA/Student

Hello,One thinks that the Health Care System is truly broken. One has worked a many of night shifts in nursing homes as well as hospitals. In the nursing homes for the most part the numbers of beds where about 44 with two in each room and there were times one has worked in assisted living with as many as six beds in one room. The health care worker is really over stressed because of lack of help. There were times that one had to pull double shifts and various time one had to pull triple shift. The health care system is under staffed and under paid.

Occupation:: Home Health Aide

im very angry at the company i work for.we have two clients in one house.i work and take care of the clients. there for awhile the providers wouldnt stay. i would take care of both clients.you have one in hospice and the the other has a handicap.when both clients are there i go out of my way for both.when i make lunch for one i make for both..it seems the afternoon providers have a problem with helping. when you fix a plate for one. out of courtesy you can make the other. the provider acts like its a crime to help the other one.or maybe to put ice and water in a cup for the other one. now theyve taken from me 2 and half hours because they say the other provider cant do that unless they get paid. this is not fair and any way.i shouldnt have my hours taken from me. when the other providers quit im there i work hard from morning to nite. what gives this company the right to take my hours when ive been there for 5 moths. ive not seen in our policy where they have the right to do that. your taking away from my family.

Occupation:: Med Tech- CNA

My first job in healthcare was a huge blessing but soon turned into a huge nightmare due to the ineffective management of the “for profit” company that I was employed with. It is an “Assisted Living” complex in the state of Washington. I worked swing shift and enjoyed the actual work itself. However, since there are no concrete regulations on Assisted Living homes in Washington state in regards to the staff to patient ratio as well as the condition of the patient an assisted living home can take in, I was put in the position of caring for 43 individuals each night. There are currently two staff members for the 88 bed complex.

In addition to this ratio, the majority of the individuals that were living here should have been in a nursing home rather than an assisted living home due to the level of care they needed. The company that I worked for took these patients in because they needed to fill space, not recognizing that we could not adequately provide the level of care these individuals needed.

We had a few that used Hoyer Lifts, most were incontinent, and most had some form of dementia both severe and beginning stages.

There needs to be stricter regulations on the Assisted Living side of healthcare and this one incident is a direct reflection of the inadequacies that are prevalent throughout Washington state.

Occupation:: SHIP Counselor

In our county, we have one viable health insurance option for Medicare beneficiaries. While we have several PFFS plans, the network is limited and the co pays are extraordinary. We have a PPO but none of the hospitals in the county have signed an agreement with the insurance company. We have one HMO (the ‘viable’ option) which is so expensive, fixed income beneficiaries cannot afford the copays. We have no special needs plans except one for one nursing facility. As someone who helps to counsel Medicare beneficiaries, the year is an especially grim one. How can we help people who are not poor enough to qualify for Medical assistance but not rich enough to purchase a Medicare supplement plan.?????

Occupation:: HHA/CNA

Not enough work with some of Home Healthcare Agencies in this area. Trying to find out the leading Agencies in this area. Agencies that try to hide what is really going on with a patient such as pain that is being ignored. This is done by not putting things in writing so that the State cannot ask questions. In fact you will be called back in to correct paperwork if you mention a problem and who you talked to about the problem the client is having. Follow up is very slow if not at all with some of these agencies. Meanwhile the client is suffering.

Occupation:: Nurse – Oncology

Too many patients and families are led to believe they should prolong life. Sometimes this is unrealistic. Patients are rarely told how awful the end of their lives will be if they continue with useless treatments. My hospital is a teaching hospital. Our patients are rarely told to stop treatment. Even patients in their 90s! Ridiculous. An our taxes are paying for these patients. Let’s be realistic! Tell the truth.