Hospital Policies

[opus1]

Bit of a rant and also some research here.

The back story, several years ago I had to have an endoscopy done and the GI doc made it clear that I was not able to drive the rest of the day due to the "twilighting" that would be done so I could handle them jamming a camera down my throat. I understood that, made it clear that I understood that, and because I had no family or available friends in the area I was going to make arrangements for a cab to take me home. The hospital freaked out about that and refused to schedule me unless I was going to have a ride with me so since my sister was coming to visit in a relatively short time and the procedure wasn't considered urgent by the doctor, I wound up putting it off for about 6 weeks until I had her available.

I'm looking at 50 this year and that means a camera up the other end so I'm trying to figure out what to do. The only neighbor I know well enough to ask works sales and is on the road Monday-Friday so right now it looks like the easiest option will be to find a doctor closer to my Mom so she can drive me but I find it really hard to believe that I'm the only person that doesn't have someone readily available to act as chauffer for something like this. Are there any other options? What have other people done in this sort of situation?

 

[CivicFan]

What was the explanation given for the requirement of having a driver with you at the beginning of the procedure?

(I know their motive, I want to know how they justified it).

 

[cdeason]

Dude, welcome to the USA. I sell equipment to hospitals and it is all about risk management. The issue is liability and lawyers, you have a GI procedure and leave on your own, the effects of anesthesia lingering and you crash and kill somebody, major lawsuit. In Europe, they have tort limits so stuff like this is not an issue. No way around this, before discharging you the hospital will want to see someone with you.

 

[javacontour]

What about "medical transport?"

I see vans all over that offer medical transport. Is that an option?

Probably less than an ambulance ride, but probably more than a cab. But it saves the hassle of coordinating with a friend or family.

 

[JHZR2]

I really hate this stuff. What a hassle.

OT: I think when I have a kid, Im going to have a child seat sitting upside down in the back of my car as proof that I have one, and then demand that they release the baby. It really is ridiculous that they will not release infants, etc. without seeing the equipment, yet because of liability will not advise that it is installed correct.

(of course Id triple verify that it was correct before I drove my kid home in it, the point here was to emphasize the stupidity of their "liability-free verification" which enables them to not release something that is yours).

In your case, do they really check that your ride is there? I mean, why not say yes, the car is outside, but the driver cant come in, and leave it at that? Or do a chauffer instead of a taxi (like the ones that take you to the airport for cheap), and then have them show up?

There has to be a workaround. What if you are elderly and dont drive? What if you live close and dont own a car? It makes absolute sense that you need transport because of the effects. No argument there. But those arrangements and what they are is your business, not theirs, unless they are providing them.

Seems like more costly nannyism from the medical industry that we all pay and suffer for, with no benefit besides their profits.

 

[azjake]

Yea, it's all about the liability. They want someone to be with you the entire time until you're safely back in your house. Here's another suggestion. Our neighbor works as a home health aide going out to people's homes and occasionally even driving them to appointments. Try contacting one of the agencies and see what it would cost for an aide to meet you at the hospital and drive you home.
I would think it would be no more than 2 hours of their time.

 

[Mr Nice]

Why can't your wife drive you home ?

 

[CivicFan]

Originally Posted By: cdeason
Dude, welcome to the USA. I sell equipment to hospitals and it is all about risk management. The issue is liability and lawyers, you have a GI procedure and leave on your own, the effects of anesthesia lingering and you crash and kill somebody, major lawsuit. In Europe, they have tort limits so stuff like this is not an issue. No way around this, before discharging you the hospital will want to see someone with you.


In Europe the hospital would provide medical transport, or pay for a cab.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: javacontour
What about "medical transport?"

I see vans all over that offer medical transport. Is that an option?


In Ohio at least they call this an "Ambulette".

My wife CNA'd in college and she wasn't allowed to drive clients around because of (drumroll) liability.

Larry David used prostitutes to get into the carpool lane on the freeway.

 

[HerrStig]

"In Europe the hospital would provide"??? Things like that are NEVER free. I had a heart catherization done recently. They said no driving for three days after. I drove there. Despite the fact that what they gave me (diazipam) wore off quickly, an intern had to wheel me out to the front in a wheelchair "za rules are the rules" (boy was THAT demeaning). I told her my ride would appear "in a moment" and when she and the chair went back inside I walked to the car, and drove away. I don't think I would have picked a 60's muscle car with a "heavy duty" clutch for the purpose but my auto Asian luxo cruiser was easy to drive home. For what it's worth, they found nothing to worry about. Hint, if you need a cath for diagnostic purposes, get it done at a place which can also do stents, otherwise you may have to go through the "procedure" twice. Any place which does stents has to have an open heart team on call when they do them.

 

[Cutehumor]

the cab driver would push you down on the sidewalk and drive away. as you lay on the ground in agony. the hospital would look like scum. so they want family to pick you up for safety and legal reasons. sounds like common sense to me. It's a shame this country is like this. People just don't care about people anymore as you can tell.

My wife's stepgrandpa has alzheimers. his son lives 2 hrs away. he said he will come back when he passes away. otherwise, he never comes to visit his dad in the nursing home. sad really..

 

[Jarlaxle]

Id promise the cabby $20 to be your "cousin" that day!

 

[TooManyWheels]

Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Id promise the cabby $20 to be your "cousin" that day!


The technical name for what he needs is an escort. Don't they have those in the phone book?

 

[opus1]

Thanks for the input. What really irked me the first time, and which I kind of purposely left out because I didn't want to turn the thread political is that had I been on Medicaid, there actually *was* some sort of ride-service available, at least to get to the doctor for office visits, but I was told that since I wasn't on Medicaid, I couldn't use them even if I paid out of pocket. And that's all I'm going to say about that....

Answers, in no particular order:
No wife, so that's not an option.

Reason given: a generic, "our legal department won't allow that" I even offered to provide a cab receipt for when I got there to prove I took a cab, no dice. My sister had a good comeback that I wish I thought of when they said the legal department wouldn't allow it -- "how does the legal department feel about negative publicity the hospital would get from denying services to a patient with the ability to pay for them?"

For now I do have the option to go out-of-state for family to be with me, but that's not going to exist forever. I'll have to see about the medical services mentioned, or I guess I need to find me a wife, although from what I hear the escort option may be cheaper......

 

[Pop_Rivit]

I can't speak for your area, however around here there are a number of services, both county funded and private, that will provide transportation. They're great for the elderly and people with no friends who need the assistance with transportation.

At 68 I've been through a few of those procedures, and, quite frankly, as a fellow motorist I applaud the hospital for making certain that you have transportation. I don't particularly care about your safety, however I do care about mine and my families safety. And if you were to leave and decide to crawl into your car and try to drive, you'd risk all of us.

 

[Al]

You will just need to get a home health nurse if you can find no other option.

 

[PZR2874]

I have an idea OP.

Find another hospital IF your Dr can practice at multiple ones. Or get this stuff done at an ASC Facility.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
I can't speak for your area, however around here there are a number of services, both county funded and private, that will provide transportation. They're great for the elderly and people with no friends who need the assistance with transportation.

At 68 I've been through a few of those procedures, and, quite frankly, as a fellow motorist I applaud the hospital for making certain that you have transportation. I don't particularly care about your safety, however I do care about mine and my families safety. And if you were to leave and decide to crawl into your car and try to drive, you'd risk all of us.


Did you actually read what he posted? He is NOT going to drive...he was going to call a taxicab!

 

[The_Eric]

Originally Posted By: cdeason
The issue is liability and lawyers, you have a GI procedure and leave on your own, the effects of anesthesia lingering and you crash and kill somebody, major lawsuit. In Europe, they have tort limits so stuff like this is not an issue. No way around this, before discharging you the hospital will want to see someone with you.



Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
I can't speak for your area, however around here there are a number of services, both county funded and private, that will provide transportation. They're great for the elderly and people with no friends who need the assistance with transportation.

At 68 I've been through a few of those procedures, and, quite frankly, as a fellow motorist I applaud the hospital for making certain that you have transportation. I don't particularly care about your safety, however I do care about mine and my families safety. And if you were to leave and decide to crawl into your car and try to drive, you'd risk all of us.


Did you actually read what he posted? He is NOT going to drive...he was going to call a taxicab!



Yes, I don't know what is so difficult about this? Two people haven't figured out that the o/p has no desire to drive home even though it was being clearly stated.