Hospital Malpractice?

[longshot975]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? South Carolina

Just a hypothetical question for anyone that knows laws regarding hospitals, etc. I was treated back in May by a local ER when I had been sick for over a week and running a high fever. The doctor drew alot of blood and ask me what had I done to myself. Me being out of it because the fever did not know what he was referring to because he was acting like he found nothing in the test results. I again told him how it felt as though I was congested, etc and feeling more like a flu or virus and he checked my lymph nodes and saw where they were swollen. He prescribed me the 500 mg tablet antibiotic and pain pills and sent me on my way. Just this week I was seeing a psychologist and they were looking over the lab work from that day to see levels. etc from my blood work to see what medicine would be a better fit and they informed me then about my white blood cell count being low, low platlet levels and the issue with my liver output being low. And it just irritates me that I would have assumed that if those conditions were present in the ER that the doctor would have at least informed the patient of these issues, which they did not and if it was not for my psychologist looking over it I still would not know to this day. Would the hospital be in any legal trouble for not disclosing this to me at the time of the ER visit or at any time after that visit.

 

[ecmst12]

You could have requested a copy of your lab results at any time. You were sick at the time so it may or may not have meant anything. Have you been given a diagnosis relating to the lab results?

 

[longshot975]

Response 08/20/2011

I had no need to request them because I thought everything was fine because the doctor never brought it to my attention in the ER. As stated in the email it was not until my psychologist requested a copy and was looking at them and informed me of these issues. And yes right now I am awaiting a blood test for HIV because I was told that those three characteristics are identifiable with that and that every doctor I have spoken to since learning this says that the ER doctor was at fault for not mentioning this, which could have made whatever the condition causing this less severe by having that knowledge.

 

[ecmst12]

Have you had the same tests redone? Do you even know if the same condition still exists?

 

[longshot975]

Response 08/20/2011

As stated I am waiting on the test results now and honestly am scared to death of them but will not know anything until 7-14 days. Just with those conditions low white cell count, low platelet level, and liver function issues I would assume, which is as they say that makes a a-- out of me,that with those severe conditions it would be brought to the patients attention at least as a courtesy by any medical doctor.

 

[justalayman]

what was your psychologist doing with your tests at all? A psychologist is not physician and are not trained in the medical field in a manner they would be able to interpret tests such as you spoke of. A psychologist is not capable of prescribing medicine and as such, has no business determining what medicine would be a better fit for the symptoms.

In fact, it sounds like your psychologist may be attempting to practice medicine without a license.

 

[ecmst12]

Also, these test results may not have been available while you were still in the ER.

 

[longshot975]

Psychologist and MD these are the ones at Mental health who have the license, and training to write prescriptions. and he is through a state agency so I would assume he knows what he is doing when it comes to reading medical reports since he is a MD for the state.

what was your psychologist doing with your tests at all? A psychologist is not physician and are not trained in the medical field in a manner they would be able to interpret tests such as you spoke of. A psychologist is not capable of prescribing medicine and as such, has no business determining what medicine would be a better fit for the symptoms.

In fact, it sounds like your psychologist may be attempting to practice medicine without a license.

 

[ecmst12]

A psychologist is not a doctor. Were you seeing a psychiatrist?

 

[longshot975]

Doctor

Looking at the prescription he has written and it shows him as a M.D. so I assume that means doctor.

 

[ecmst12]

Then he was a psychiatrist. Big difference.

 

[justalayman]

Looking at the prescription he has written and it shows him as a M.D. so I assume that means doctor.

as ecmst12 state:

big difference


do you have the results of the tests? Unless you do, stating the test results are severe, you are assuming something you do not have evidence to support.

are you in a situation where HIV is a common problem? Did the ER doc ask you if you were in such a situation? Did you follow up the ER visit with your primary physician?

 

[lealea1005]

Your presented at an ER with a high fever x 1 week, flu-like symptoms, congestion, and swollen glands. Since abnormalities in white count, platelets, and liver functions occur with flu (as well as a plethora of other issues) and the secondary bacterial infections, prescribing a broad spectrum antibiotic was appropriate.

What did your discharge instruction state regarding follow up with your PCP if you weren't better in 7 days?

Why was your blood work sent to your Psychiatrist and not your PCP?

Do you have a history with this ER?

If you were "out of it" how could you tell, with any certainty, what the Physician was communicating to you?

 

[cbg]

And here's a question that no one else has answered, so I will:

What damages have you suffered by not knowing this? If the information HAD been available and you HAD been told (assuming that you can prove that you were not) what would have happened that didn't, or alternately what wouldn't have happened that did)?

Unless you can provide some form of REAL damages that not having that information has caused you, then the answer to this question

Would the hospital be in any legal trouble for not disclosing this to me at the time of the ER visit or at any time after that visit.

is not only No, but Hell, no.