I found this article from Dr. Kevin's list of reading material. It is germane for all of us, insured and uninsured... The challenge of pre-authorization for an elective procedure
I can't help but compare this Dr's attitude with my own surgeons attitude. MY surgeon didn't give a damn how much stuff cost! He did me the very great favor of "allowing" me to get away with not having an expensive MRI. (I think he is part owner of the machine) He conned me into a surgery that was a budget buster and refused to allow me to have the "no frills" surgery that I could actually afford. He forgot that my particular surgery has a huge fail rate, necessitating yet more bankruptcy making intervention! That is unless I was going to be HAPPY to be a cripple, in which case all was well. My surgeon said so.
Nobody at the hospital mentioned that there were all kinds of add-ons including the worthless but expensive anesthesia nurse. Of course their main purpose in life as far as I can tell is to soak the patient. So they do anything and everything to maximize their profit at the expense of the patient. Do NOT trust anybody in health care. Sorry to have to say that, but they WILL deliberately omit pertinant details about charges and reimbursement payments in order to get the money. You may end up with a very unpleasant surprise like the person mentioned in the article. Funny how it all comes back to anesthesia in the end.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
CRNA Behavior Yet AGAIN!
I found this post over on www.versedbusters.blogspot.com and liked it so well, I reproduced it here. This is post # 590! That's right, 590 posts, the majority of which have bad things to say about the drug Versed/Midazolam. Due to recent posts on WWW.ANESTHESIA-NURSE.ORG and in light of the fact that I am encouraging everybody who has had a bad experience with a CRNA who was rude, dismissive, arrogant and nasty and who shot them up with Versed in a furtive manner, without informed consent etc. to report them to info@aana.com and ask that remedial training and continuing training for their people be implimented, I figured I would put this post up. Yet AGAIN we see yet ANOTHER patient being ridden rough shod over by their CRNA. It's unbelievable that they can get away with this! There are LAWS!
Here's what "Karen" has to say.
----------------------------------------------------
Karen said...
Here's what "Karen" has to say.
----------------------------------------------------
Karen said..."I am so thankful to this site. (www.versedbusters.blogspot.com ) Your information was so helpful when I really was afraid I was losing my mind.
My experience with versed (midazolam)was also a nightmare. I had received general anesthesia a few months before without versed and experienced no problems with anxiety, nightmares, amnesia. Nothing unexpected happened, but then I had a SECOND encounter with general anesthesia and had a bad reaction with so many serious and lingering after effects. I could not understand what was wrong with me. I have never been prone to depression, and cried almost every day for weeks. I had nightmares, I was upset or angry almost every day for no apparent reason. My surgery was 100%successful, so my anxiety wasn't coming from that. And it kept bugging me that I couldn't remember what happened for several hours after surgery. Finally I filed a formal complaint with the hospital: and got profuse apologies and the truth about my amnesia and those hours of time. I was never told I was getting an amnesia drug. Just "something to relax" me injected into my hand via IV port. I had actuallly received a Press Ganey questionnaire asking me rate how my treatment in recovery was. I wrote that I couldn't remember the 2+ hours and didn't know why.
I should explain I work in health care as an administrator (not in a service unit that uses anesthesia!) I never told this to the rude crna "surgery nurse" that was barely spoke to me. There was no indication I was nervous (I really wasn't) and the anesthesia doc nor the crna didn't speak to me enough to assess my level of anything.
I am absolutely sickened by the way I was disrespected and purposely misled. When I found your blog, (www.versedbusters.blogspot.com) I felt such relief I can't begin to express my thanks.
There is more to my versed horror story, but you have all heard it from others. In closing, I will tell you I have been able to focus my fury in making the agency I work for the most patient friendly and respectful we can be. I have become relentless.
But I can't go near my old hospital or even think about any thing to do with iv ports without major anxiety problems. This is eight months later.
I don't care that some medical people accuse us of being nuts or liars, or worse. I know what happened to me, and am not interested in the defense of a drug given in deceit that was obviously not for my benefit. It harmed me as it has harmed so many."
-------------------------------------------------------------
There is no defense for this. O-B-V-I-O-U-S-L-Y these "rude,""deceitful," "disrespectful" CRNA's do NOT know what's best for us. Assaulting our brains with this drug is not only indefensible, it's inexcusable as well. Then to attack us afterward, and "...accuse us of being nuts or liars, or worse." is beyond the pale. They (CRNA's) can't seem to see the harm they are doing. That's what is so wierd! They call people without a conscience "sociopaths." this behavior from CRNA's is dangerously skirting this... That's my opinion folks. Way too many patients are reporting this behavior. If you want to change my mind, I invite you to e-mail me at nomidazolam@aol.com Try to be rational about it, is all I ask.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Letter Writing Campaign
I am asking my readers who have been harmed by the drug Versed and also by a CRNA who failed to identify themselves as nurse, or shot you up with Versed without informing you about amnesia, abject obedience etc. to write a letter to the AANA. (American Association of Nurse Anesthetists) The email is info@aana.com
I am requesting that they have some classes on patient rights laws. We have the absolute right to decline any and all portions of treatment AT ANY TIME! This needs to be stressed. I want CRNA's not to hide behind "mental capacity" any more. If the patient is screaming and begging for them to stop, stop they must. It's the law. Just because the patient has received Versed shouldn't mean that they waive the right to stop the procedure! What if they don't have amnesia, just like *I* didn't have amnesia? Torture is NEVER OK in civilized society, and has no place in our medical treatment centers. CRNA's need to know this. It should be part of their continuing education, in my opinion.
I am also asking for some continuing education on how to treat patients. (bedside manner) It's not enough to simply wake up from surgery although that should be the primary goal, we need to wake up with our mental processes and emotional health intact. That means getting CRNAs to let go of Versed. IF they are going to use this kind of drug there needs to be a request from the patient. There needs to be true "informed consent" about the amnesia and obedience issues with the drug. POCD and anxiety disorders should be mentioned as well. They mention things like this with g/a, why not with their chemical Alzheimer's drug Versed? I also want to stress that Versed amnesia is not always the case. Nobody should have to listen, helpless, to the conversation that I did. Never. This type of behavior is unprofessional and harmful to patients.
CRNA's need classes on how to deal with "difficult patients." I.E. those of us who have our own opinions about what is acceptable to us. We have a right to be treated with dignity and respect. Our wishes should not and cannot be secondary to the whims and desires of the CRNA. Somewhere along the line CRNAs have lost sight of just exactly who they work for. Versed has caused these people to see us as brainless living cadavers instead of real people. We pay their inflated salaries, and we are in charge. It's the law.
I am asking that the AANA, as the premier CRNA organization, pay attention to their stated goal which is "Advancing patient safety and excellence in anesthesia." That is a lofty mission and I approve of it. I am asking that they pursue this mission with a little more zeal. We are NOT safe right now, and our anesthetists are far from advancing excellence in anesthesia. If they were, they would not be degrading and besmirching those of us who have had severe and long lasting problems because of Versed. They would not be using this drug "millions" of times. They would be saving it for extreme patients who need this kind of intervention, not subjecting all of us to unecessary RISKS with this drug.
If Versed wasn't being given to nearly every single person who presents themselves for treatment, it would be different. But this widely used drug is causing emotional harm, POCD, PTSD and other anxiety disorders. Not exactly safe is it? (Don't tell me that it's only N=1! From my viewpoint Versed is a 100% bad drug, but I'm not claiming that am I? So spare me.) As an additional problem it seems to have interfered in patient rights law. By injecting Versed and gaining compliance these people can claim that you actually wanted this treatment. You went along with it didn't you? Can't remember giving permission? Oh well, you did. YOU COOPERATED! We can't help it that you had amnesia and were totally obedient because of Versed... It seems to have bred a singular lack of compassion in our anesthesia providers as well. This is NOT "excellence in anesthesia" by any stretch of the imagination.
As always this blog is for my opinions. You are welcome to disagree. I welcome opposing opinions and as you can see, I even post the very nastiest and most profane ones. I post the ones which threaten me with physical and financial harm. You may e-mail me at nomidazolam@aol.com if you don't want to register to post. I will keep your identity secret. I won't even post your response if you ask me not to.
I am requesting that they have some classes on patient rights laws. We have the absolute right to decline any and all portions of treatment AT ANY TIME! This needs to be stressed. I want CRNA's not to hide behind "mental capacity" any more. If the patient is screaming and begging for them to stop, stop they must. It's the law. Just because the patient has received Versed shouldn't mean that they waive the right to stop the procedure! What if they don't have amnesia, just like *I* didn't have amnesia? Torture is NEVER OK in civilized society, and has no place in our medical treatment centers. CRNA's need to know this. It should be part of their continuing education, in my opinion.
I am also asking for some continuing education on how to treat patients. (bedside manner) It's not enough to simply wake up from surgery although that should be the primary goal, we need to wake up with our mental processes and emotional health intact. That means getting CRNAs to let go of Versed. IF they are going to use this kind of drug there needs to be a request from the patient. There needs to be true "informed consent" about the amnesia and obedience issues with the drug. POCD and anxiety disorders should be mentioned as well. They mention things like this with g/a, why not with their chemical Alzheimer's drug Versed? I also want to stress that Versed amnesia is not always the case. Nobody should have to listen, helpless, to the conversation that I did. Never. This type of behavior is unprofessional and harmful to patients.
CRNA's need classes on how to deal with "difficult patients." I.E. those of us who have our own opinions about what is acceptable to us. We have a right to be treated with dignity and respect. Our wishes should not and cannot be secondary to the whims and desires of the CRNA. Somewhere along the line CRNAs have lost sight of just exactly who they work for. Versed has caused these people to see us as brainless living cadavers instead of real people. We pay their inflated salaries, and we are in charge. It's the law.
I am asking that the AANA, as the premier CRNA organization, pay attention to their stated goal which is "Advancing patient safety and excellence in anesthesia." That is a lofty mission and I approve of it. I am asking that they pursue this mission with a little more zeal. We are NOT safe right now, and our anesthetists are far from advancing excellence in anesthesia. If they were, they would not be degrading and besmirching those of us who have had severe and long lasting problems because of Versed. They would not be using this drug "millions" of times. They would be saving it for extreme patients who need this kind of intervention, not subjecting all of us to unecessary RISKS with this drug.
If Versed wasn't being given to nearly every single person who presents themselves for treatment, it would be different. But this widely used drug is causing emotional harm, POCD, PTSD and other anxiety disorders. Not exactly safe is it? (Don't tell me that it's only N=1! From my viewpoint Versed is a 100% bad drug, but I'm not claiming that am I? So spare me.) As an additional problem it seems to have interfered in patient rights law. By injecting Versed and gaining compliance these people can claim that you actually wanted this treatment. You went along with it didn't you? Can't remember giving permission? Oh well, you did. YOU COOPERATED! We can't help it that you had amnesia and were totally obedient because of Versed... It seems to have bred a singular lack of compassion in our anesthesia providers as well. This is NOT "excellence in anesthesia" by any stretch of the imagination.
As always this blog is for my opinions. You are welcome to disagree. I welcome opposing opinions and as you can see, I even post the very nastiest and most profane ones. I post the ones which threaten me with physical and financial harm. You may e-mail me at nomidazolam@aol.com if you don't want to register to post. I will keep your identity secret. I won't even post your response if you ask me not to.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Hope and Change? Maybe not!
Just after I posted the "Hope and Change" article, I went back and sure enough, the anesthesia providers are in attack mode. They are trying to ridicule me for agreeing with the thread. I say something nice and I get verbally assaulted by them. So anyway, please disregard my post on "Hope and Change" We have a very looooong way to go.
Here's one of the posts, isn't it nasty? Don't you want somebody like this doing your anesthesia? (the things in parenthesis are mine)
Quote from JWK; "Anecdotal evidence just won't get you very far - you say anecdotal evidence is still evidence. My translation of that is "I don't have anything else I can blame my problems on so I'll blame Versed". ( Yeah right! You a board certified shrink too? IT-WAS-THE-VERSED)
A few people get together on Facebook (nasty, nasty) or something similar and discover that they all got Versed somewhere in their lives and EUREKA - that's the source of ALL their problems. How many have had real issues with Versed? A few dozen? A hundred? Any idea? (do YOU have any idea? How many does it have to be before you ADMIT that the Versed caused it?) Compared to the many millions of patients (overuse and misuse of Versed) that have received Versed over the years, it's just not much to hang your hat on. (10% is the number I hear bandied about. I think that's low as we have people like JWK here denying that there are any problems) As noted - the animal studies are INCONCLUSIVE. You want to blow off the animal studies and say they're unnecessary from your N=1. ( Do you really think I am stupid enough to allow Versed again to see if that's what caused the problem? The problem is Versed) That just doesn't cut it. (How do you measure POCD in a rat? Are their brains just as good and as delicate as the human brain? How could animal studies be anything BUT inconclusive?)
BTW - what is "copious Versed administration" ? (7 mils inside 70 minutes, where 1 was too much) And how do you know Versed was the cause? (Because *I* was there. You weren't) What other drugs were given? (not one before they slammed me with this poison and caused PTSD PRIOR to surgery) Versed is usually not the sole drug given for colonoscopy sedation. (Here's where JWK goes completely off the rails. I did NOT have a colonoscopy. I clearly stated that I had minor surgery...) What other drugs do you take? (NONE) Did you have any of these anxiety disorders prior to getting Versed? (NO)
I can at least get my hands around the concept of POCD, although most of the recent studies I've seen are involving inhalation agents. But Versed-induced PTSD? Seriously? "Other anxiety disorders" Really? All from a single dose of Versed? (YES, if the experience was as bad as mine was, ABSOLUTELY! All it takes is a ONE TIME event to cause PTSD)
This is similar to the Carol Wiehrer-induced anesthesia awareness stuff from several years back. The difference is she actually had a problem, although the anesthesia awareness hysteria she has tried to generate is so over-the-top it's absurd. (WHATEVER) From her N=1, she thinks all patients receiving a general anesthetic MUST have and demand that a BIS monitor be used. (AGAIN, WHATEVER)
Fortunately you have an easy solution. Nobody has to have Versed. (this is NOT true) You can simply let your caregivers know not to give you the drug. (I don't think so...) Problem solved. (DON'T I WISH!) You can even have your next colonoscopy with no sedation at all. (I didn't have the first one, so what the Hell is JWK talking about?) Enjoy." (snide comment intended to be facitious I'm sure, aren't they sweet! Our choice is agree to Versed or get Versed anyway. No pain meds, get Versed and deal with your POCD and your PTSD, because we don't believe you.)
Here's one of the posts, isn't it nasty? Don't you want somebody like this doing your anesthesia? (the things in parenthesis are mine)
Quote from JWK; "Anecdotal evidence just won't get you very far - you say anecdotal evidence is still evidence. My translation of that is "I don't have anything else I can blame my problems on so I'll blame Versed". ( Yeah right! You a board certified shrink too? IT-WAS-THE-VERSED)
A few people get together on Facebook (nasty, nasty) or something similar and discover that they all got Versed somewhere in their lives and EUREKA - that's the source of ALL their problems. How many have had real issues with Versed? A few dozen? A hundred? Any idea? (do YOU have any idea? How many does it have to be before you ADMIT that the Versed caused it?) Compared to the many millions of patients (overuse and misuse of Versed) that have received Versed over the years, it's just not much to hang your hat on. (10% is the number I hear bandied about. I think that's low as we have people like JWK here denying that there are any problems) As noted - the animal studies are INCONCLUSIVE. You want to blow off the animal studies and say they're unnecessary from your N=1. ( Do you really think I am stupid enough to allow Versed again to see if that's what caused the problem? The problem is Versed) That just doesn't cut it. (How do you measure POCD in a rat? Are their brains just as good and as delicate as the human brain? How could animal studies be anything BUT inconclusive?)
BTW - what is "copious Versed administration" ? (7 mils inside 70 minutes, where 1 was too much) And how do you know Versed was the cause? (Because *I* was there. You weren't) What other drugs were given? (not one before they slammed me with this poison and caused PTSD PRIOR to surgery) Versed is usually not the sole drug given for colonoscopy sedation. (Here's where JWK goes completely off the rails. I did NOT have a colonoscopy. I clearly stated that I had minor surgery...) What other drugs do you take? (NONE) Did you have any of these anxiety disorders prior to getting Versed? (NO)
I can at least get my hands around the concept of POCD, although most of the recent studies I've seen are involving inhalation agents. But Versed-induced PTSD? Seriously? "Other anxiety disorders" Really? All from a single dose of Versed? (YES, if the experience was as bad as mine was, ABSOLUTELY! All it takes is a ONE TIME event to cause PTSD)
This is similar to the Carol Wiehrer-induced anesthesia awareness stuff from several years back. The difference is she actually had a problem, although the anesthesia awareness hysteria she has tried to generate is so over-the-top it's absurd. (WHATEVER) From her N=1, she thinks all patients receiving a general anesthetic MUST have and demand that a BIS monitor be used. (AGAIN, WHATEVER)
Fortunately you have an easy solution. Nobody has to have Versed. (this is NOT true) You can simply let your caregivers know not to give you the drug. (I don't think so...) Problem solved. (DON'T I WISH!) You can even have your next colonoscopy with no sedation at all. (I didn't have the first one, so what the Hell is JWK talking about?) Enjoy." (snide comment intended to be facitious I'm sure, aren't they sweet! Our choice is agree to Versed or get Versed anyway. No pain meds, get Versed and deal with your POCD and your PTSD, because we don't believe you.)
HOPE AND CHANGE! The Real Kind!
A fellow Versed sufferer found this article for me. Anesthesia Could Accelerate Alzheimer's, Expert Suggests [Archive] - WWW.NURSE-ANESTHESIA.ORG I haven't gone to this site for a while because Tim and I were verbally attacked, rat packed by a bunch of CRNA's who felt that Versed is a wonder drug with zero side effects and that if we took exception to Versed and the sneaky way it was administered, that WE were at fault, not the drug. I'm pretty sure I put that thread up on my blog somewhere way back there. It was illustrative of the thinking at that time.
I am absolutely thrilled to announce the recent thread on http://www.nurse-anesthesia.org/ is talking about Versed in a negative way. Several anesthetists have indicated that they don't use Versed much any more. They have noticed that their patients exibit POCD (post operative cognative disfunction) after Versed! I'm not even going to verbally batter them about this being "anecdotal evidence," the way some CRNA's attacked me! Anecdotal evidence is useful and good, especially if it causes anesthesia providers to omit Versed in their arsenal.
Special thanks go out to AnesRes2014, Dr. Echenhoff, Forane, iceemike1, and the administration at www. NURSE-ANESTHESIA.ORG for this thread.
I am absolutely thrilled to announce the recent thread on http://www.nurse-anesthesia.org/ is talking about Versed in a negative way. Several anesthetists have indicated that they don't use Versed much any more. They have noticed that their patients exibit POCD (post operative cognative disfunction) after Versed! I'm not even going to verbally batter them about this being "anecdotal evidence," the way some CRNA's attacked me! Anecdotal evidence is useful and good, especially if it causes anesthesia providers to omit Versed in their arsenal.
Special thanks go out to AnesRes2014, Dr. Echenhoff, Forane, iceemike1, and the administration at www. NURSE-ANESTHESIA.ORG for this thread.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Duran Duran and Medazzaland
Allegedly one of the group Duran Duran had a very bad experience with Versed which inspired him to write this song! What? Somebody had a bad experience with Versed? The Hell you say! (sarcasm) Here are the lyrics to the song:
_________________________________________
Duran Duran Meddazzaland: Lyrics
Oh Medazzaland
Medazzaland
I had a problem
They say they can solve
Soon I won't speak
I have no words left in me...
I dream in pictures
But the sound is muted
I have no way to understand
What they say
Into Medazzaland
People are starting to talk
But I don't hear them anymore
Now I can't see
But I am still able to think
Do I have any feeling left?
What are they saying about me?
Do they really understand what's wrong?
I feel their hands on my skin
The time has come for them to begin
I'm sinking deeper and deeper
I can feel the scalpel on my skin
It's cutting deeper and deeper
I'm in Medazzaland
Oh, Meddazaland
Into Medazzaland
Into Medazzaland
______________________________
Doesn't this sound like fun? Wanna go there? Here's a link to a http://www.youtube.com/ video of this song.
YouTube - Duran Duran - Medazzaland
_________________________________________
Duran Duran Meddazzaland: Lyrics
Oh Medazzaland
Medazzaland
I had a problem
They say they can solve
Soon I won't speak
I have no words left in me...
I dream in pictures
But the sound is muted
I have no way to understand
What they say
Into Medazzaland
People are starting to talk
But I don't hear them anymore
Now I can't see
But I am still able to think
Do I have any feeling left?
What are they saying about me?
Do they really understand what's wrong?
I feel their hands on my skin
The time has come for them to begin
I'm sinking deeper and deeper
I can feel the scalpel on my skin
It's cutting deeper and deeper
I'm in Medazzaland
Oh, Meddazaland
Into Medazzaland
Into Medazzaland
______________________________
Doesn't this sound like fun? Wanna go there? Here's a link to a http://www.youtube.com/ video of this song.
YouTube - Duran Duran - Medazzaland
Health Care Worker On-Line Reviews
Most people who read this blog are unhappy with their medical providers. Or they are medical providers themselves who are unhappy with patients like me. So, statistically most people who read this blog are unhappy! BUT, since medical providers have the money, time and the belief in themselves as supreme beings, they are the ones most unhappy with any kind of medical revelation. They wish to work in absolute secrecy, hence drugs like Versed which act to conceal every single thing that happens in a medical setting from the patients.
Now medical people are going one step further and agitating for a "non disclosure" form that patients must sign in order to obtain medical treatment. Let's see, no "informed consent," no transparency in cost analysis, no way of suing for malpractice unless you are rich, the use of BAD drugs such as Ketamine and Versed for patient control and amnesia, the list goes on of the things we patients are subjected to on the whims of medical workers and treatment centers. Top it off with sloppily performed surgeries and all the rest, simply because patients have no recourse at all. We are helpless pawns in the machinery of health care. We are cash cows to have every last penny wrung out of us. That's how I see it! (called an opinion) What makes it really BAD is that we all need to see a doctor on occasion! It's not like we can just buy a Chilton's manual (obscure reference to popular books about the mechanical workings of personal conveyances) and do it ourselves. We are at the mercy of our own health care!
What is the only thing left to us patients who have been deliberately harmed by all of the above? Writing an on-line review or starting a blog! (Medical workers, you CHOSE not to follow the law as it pertains to "informed consent." Starting right out with your amnesia and patient control drug Versed which harms us!) If that is followed by shoddy workmanship, whether its an ORIF like mine, or a colonoscopy which perforates or causes infection, then it makes us even madder! Just because (occasionally) there is a hold harmless agreement which reveals SOME of the risks of a certain procedure, does that make it OK to go ahead and CAUSE those risks to be realized?
Just because my Dr. mentioned in passing that there MIGHT be nerve damage, is it OK to go ahead and cause nerve damage? In my case, I have had to do extensive research AND reevaluate what my surgeon was saying when he mentioned the "no big deal" stuff. "Possible nerve damage" is actually "I am going to tug on your nerves and cause nerve damage. Your hand will be completely numb as a result. This is very common in my patients. I HOPE that it will resolve." Is this OK? Compare the true statement to the innocuous "possible nerve damage" given prior to treatment. Can I sue? NO! So what can I do?
Enter the on-line rating services. I post on one. Somebody else posts, apparently using mine as a template, and says the exact opposite. The service swears that they know who posts and that it isn't the Dr. himself posting glowing reviews, precisely rebutting what *I* say. I have found this one to use as an example. This is not my post, nor is it my doctor. This is just illustrating my point...
The rating for this post are 3 stars out of 5 for the office staff and ones for the rest. Not sure how this works as who ever sees or interacts with the office staff of an anesthesiologist? (Subject of this review.) I am going to assume that this disgruntled patient contacted the office staff and outlined his displeasure with this particular anesthesiologist. Here's the body of one of the scathing reviews.
"First of all the entire sugical team showed up an hour late. I was supposed to have MAC instead of general anesthesia. I was given Versed (Midazolam) before being taken to the OR with no description or explanation of the drug whatsoever. I asked her what it was she was putting in my IV and she responded with "benzodiazepines". My spouse was with me and agrees that this person was very vague and misleading about what was going to happen. Versed causes amnesia and takes effect in 2-3 minutes. I woke up in recovery very surprised and disturbed that I could recall nothing after the first few minutes after the Versed was put in my IV. If she had been forthcoming I would have refused this drug under any circumstances. I am convinced she was determined to use Versed and was going to BS me any way she had to in order to get this drug past me. I found out after surgery that I had a bad reaction to the Versed and was put under after all. Read the negative reviews of Versed on askapatient.com Insurance: Anthem"
The next post, which obviously was only to refute the previous post above, reads as follows;
"Dr. ________ is a wonderful caring and knowledgable anesthesiologist. She explained everything she was going to give me before she gave me medications. It was a perfect anesthetic. Insurance: Blue Cross/Blue Shield"
Note the "explained everything" as opposed to being "vague and misleading!" "IT" was a perfect anesthetic? What is "it?" I figure that "it" is Versed. So this last post also states that "it" the Versed is a perfect anesthetic, in direct opposition of the previous post. The glowing review also has 5 stars across the board including the anesthesiologists staff!!!???
Anyway, I am finding this time and time again in the Dr. reviews. Who is writing these rebuttals? My hope is that the doctors, upon reading the on-line reviews, are altering their treatment of patients in a good way. Learning from their mistakes is a good thing. As poor as my perception of medical workers is right now, I suspect that these same workers who are so upset about us talking about our miserable treatment and want a gag order placed on patients, are the same people who are posting the good reviews. Wouldn't surprise me a bit.
Here's a link on how to protect yourself when writing on-line reviews.
Protect Yourself When Posting Online Reviews! Top 100 Writers
Now medical people are going one step further and agitating for a "non disclosure" form that patients must sign in order to obtain medical treatment. Let's see, no "informed consent," no transparency in cost analysis, no way of suing for malpractice unless you are rich, the use of BAD drugs such as Ketamine and Versed for patient control and amnesia, the list goes on of the things we patients are subjected to on the whims of medical workers and treatment centers. Top it off with sloppily performed surgeries and all the rest, simply because patients have no recourse at all. We are helpless pawns in the machinery of health care. We are cash cows to have every last penny wrung out of us. That's how I see it! (called an opinion) What makes it really BAD is that we all need to see a doctor on occasion! It's not like we can just buy a Chilton's manual (obscure reference to popular books about the mechanical workings of personal conveyances) and do it ourselves. We are at the mercy of our own health care!
What is the only thing left to us patients who have been deliberately harmed by all of the above? Writing an on-line review or starting a blog! (Medical workers, you CHOSE not to follow the law as it pertains to "informed consent." Starting right out with your amnesia and patient control drug Versed which harms us!) If that is followed by shoddy workmanship, whether its an ORIF like mine, or a colonoscopy which perforates or causes infection, then it makes us even madder! Just because (occasionally) there is a hold harmless agreement which reveals SOME of the risks of a certain procedure, does that make it OK to go ahead and CAUSE those risks to be realized?
Just because my Dr. mentioned in passing that there MIGHT be nerve damage, is it OK to go ahead and cause nerve damage? In my case, I have had to do extensive research AND reevaluate what my surgeon was saying when he mentioned the "no big deal" stuff. "Possible nerve damage" is actually "I am going to tug on your nerves and cause nerve damage. Your hand will be completely numb as a result. This is very common in my patients. I HOPE that it will resolve." Is this OK? Compare the true statement to the innocuous "possible nerve damage" given prior to treatment. Can I sue? NO! So what can I do?
Enter the on-line rating services. I post on one. Somebody else posts, apparently using mine as a template, and says the exact opposite. The service swears that they know who posts and that it isn't the Dr. himself posting glowing reviews, precisely rebutting what *I* say. I have found this one to use as an example. This is not my post, nor is it my doctor. This is just illustrating my point...
The rating for this post are 3 stars out of 5 for the office staff and ones for the rest. Not sure how this works as who ever sees or interacts with the office staff of an anesthesiologist? (Subject of this review.) I am going to assume that this disgruntled patient contacted the office staff and outlined his displeasure with this particular anesthesiologist. Here's the body of one of the scathing reviews.
"First of all the entire sugical team showed up an hour late. I was supposed to have MAC instead of general anesthesia. I was given Versed (Midazolam) before being taken to the OR with no description or explanation of the drug whatsoever. I asked her what it was she was putting in my IV and she responded with "benzodiazepines". My spouse was with me and agrees that this person was very vague and misleading about what was going to happen. Versed causes amnesia and takes effect in 2-3 minutes. I woke up in recovery very surprised and disturbed that I could recall nothing after the first few minutes after the Versed was put in my IV. If she had been forthcoming I would have refused this drug under any circumstances. I am convinced she was determined to use Versed and was going to BS me any way she had to in order to get this drug past me. I found out after surgery that I had a bad reaction to the Versed and was put under after all. Read the negative reviews of Versed on askapatient.com Insurance: Anthem"
The next post, which obviously was only to refute the previous post above, reads as follows;
"Dr. ________ is a wonderful caring and knowledgable anesthesiologist. She explained everything she was going to give me before she gave me medications. It was a perfect anesthetic. Insurance: Blue Cross/Blue Shield"
Note the "explained everything" as opposed to being "vague and misleading!" "IT" was a perfect anesthetic? What is "it?" I figure that "it" is Versed. So this last post also states that "it" the Versed is a perfect anesthetic, in direct opposition of the previous post. The glowing review also has 5 stars across the board including the anesthesiologists staff!!!???
Anyway, I am finding this time and time again in the Dr. reviews. Who is writing these rebuttals? My hope is that the doctors, upon reading the on-line reviews, are altering their treatment of patients in a good way. Learning from their mistakes is a good thing. As poor as my perception of medical workers is right now, I suspect that these same workers who are so upset about us talking about our miserable treatment and want a gag order placed on patients, are the same people who are posting the good reviews. Wouldn't surprise me a bit.
Here's a link on how to protect yourself when writing on-line reviews.
Protect Yourself When Posting Online Reviews! Top 100 Writers
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