July 26th, 2013
SF Emergency Department – Dr. Svetlana Cakavevic

Run down of my mom’s involvement at the hospital, not all details are listed, but the major issues are listed.

AVOID THIS HOSPITAL IF YOU VALUE YOUR LIFE

My mother was told to go to the SF hospital, as her potassium levels were too high (lethal levels)

She was not seen by triage, was made to wait in the waiting room from 2:25pm – 5:50pm (3.5 hours) before being taken to an exam room, was left to sit and wait in the exam from for another 45 mins, after which blood work was taken and it was another hour in the waiting room, before getting the results and being put on a heart monitor.

After being on the monitor for an hour (heart rate was 32-40 beats per minute – blood pressure was 87/30) – doctor comes in a joking says ‘I ask everyone this – what would you like us to do if your heart stops’ my mom says ‘bring me back’ doctor says ‘oh ok’ and laughing walks away.

At around 10:15 or so – I was asked to sign admission papers, as they were admitting my mom to the ICU as ‘the nurses had nothing to do as there was no one in the unit’

30 mins later I overheard the doctor telling the nurses that she was shipping ‘her’ to Kingston General Hospital – 5 mins later the doctor says to me that they were shipping her to Kingston. I said I would go with her, doctor said I wasn’t allowed to travel with her and that I should drive slowly to Kingston. I spoke to the doctor and asked how long before the ambulance arrived to transfer my mom I was told 10 mins – I asked the doctor to not let them leave until I returned as I need to make some arrangements. The doctor told me that she wouldn’t hold the ambulance and that I wasn’t travelling with my mom. I quickly left and returned to the hospital in 12 mins, to come back to find my mom ready for transport. My mom asked the attendant if I could travel with her – and I was allowed to travel to Kingston in the ambulance with her – the doctor gave me a dirty look on my way out the door.

We arrived at the Kingston General Hospital and the care difference was amazing. Nothing bad to say about the KGH and thanks to them my mother is on the mend.

My mother is on the mend, and doing well. Thank you KGH for caring and listening.