Friday, February 24, 2006

Instructor story

a middle-aged, well-to-do female patient comes in for a simple out-patient treatment involving the injection of contrast between two of her upper cervical vertebrae. to help create a sterile field at the site of injection, my instructor shaved several small hairs from the back of the patient's neck. the patient was made aware of this in the waiting room well before the procedure was begun. the injection was quickly finished and the procedure continued normally.

weeks later my instructor learned that the patient had made clear her intent to sue the hospital on the grounds that her image had been damaged as a result of the hairs on the back of her neck being removed. her lawyers met with the hospital's lawyers and a settlement was agreed upon.

outcome: the patient received a settlement from the hospital in the form of a months worth of free beauty treatments at a local hair salon including perms, colorings and stylings, and the hospital requested that the radiology department change its policy so that only physicians could perform shaving/hair removal for any given procedure performed in the department.

CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT!!!??? there is no limit to how low some people will stoop to get a free ride. it sickens me! for all those in healthcare out there, CYA!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

It sickens me too, but in this day and age it really doesn't surprise me.

SVN, prn said...

Sad, so sad. Now for years to come that hospital must pay for Doc's to do a task that Radiology is totally qualified to do.