911 Dispatchers Denied Dying Woman Help

Freebeemom · 06-13-2007, 03:24 PM

And we allow foreigners w/out insurance perfect care!??

911 Dispatchers Denied Dying Woman Help
By Associated Press
3 hours ago

LOS ANGELES - A woman who lay bleeding on the emergency room floor of a troubled inner-city hospital died after 911 dispatchers refused to contact paramedics or an ambulance to take her to another facility, newly released tapes of the emergency calls reveal.

Edith Isabel Rodriguez, 43, died of a perforated bowel on May 9 at Martin Luther King Jr.-Harbor Hospital. Her death was ruled accidental by the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

Relatives said Rodriguez was bleeding from the mouth and writhing in pain for 45 minutes while she was at a hospital waiting area. Experts have said she could have survived had she been treated early enough.

County and state authorities are now investigating Rodriguez's death. Relatives reported she died as police were wheeling her out of the hospital after the officers they had asked to help Rodriguez arrested her instead on a parole violation. Sheriff's Department spokesman Duane Allen said Wednesday that the investigation is ongoing.

In the recordings of two 911 calls that day, first obtained by the Los Angeles Times under a California Public Records Act request, callers pleaded for help for Rodriguez but were referred to hospital staff instead.

"I'm in the emergency room. My wife is dying and the nurses don't want to help her out," Rodriguez's boyfriend, Jose Prado, is heard saying in Spanish through an interpreter on the tapes.

"What's wrong with her?" a female dispatcher asked.

"She's vomiting blood," Prado said.

"OK, and why aren't they helping her?" the dispatcher asked.

"They're watching her there and they're not doing anything. They're just watching her," Prado said.

The dispatcher told Prado to contact a doctor and then said paramedics wouldn't pick her up because she was already in a hospital. She later told him to contact county police officers at a security desk.

A second 911 call was placed eight minutes later by a bystander who requested that an ambulance be sent to take Rodriguez to another hospital for care.

"She's definitely sick and there's a guy that's ignoring her," the woman told a male dispatcher.

During the call, the dispatcher argued with the woman over whether there really was an emergency.

"I cannot do anything for you for the quality of the hospital. ... It is not an emergency. It is not an emergency ma'am," he said.

"You're not here to see how they're treating her," the woman replied.

The dispatcher refused to call paramedics and told the woman that she should contact hospital supervisors "and let them know" if she is unhappy.

"May God strike you too for acting the way you just acted," the woman said finally.

"No, negative ma'am, you're the one," he said.

The incident was the latest high-profile lapse at King-Harbor, formerly known as King/Drew. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is investigating claims of recent patient care breakdowns, including Rodriguez's case.

Federal inspectors last week said emergency room patients were in "immediate jeopardy" of harm or death, and King-Harbor was given 23 days to shape up or risk losing federal funding.

Dr. Bruce Chernof, director of the county Department of Health Services, which oversees the facility, has called Rodriguez's death "inexcusable" and said it was "important to understand that this was fundamentally a failure of caring." He has said conditions are improving, though.

A call Wednesday seeking comment about the 911 tapes from the department's communications office, which handles information about the hospital, was not immediately returned.

Dr. Roger Peeks, the chief medical officer at the hospital, was placed on "ordered absence" Monday, the Times reported. Health officials declined to elaborate, saying it was a personnel matter. Dr. Robert Splawn, chief medical officer for the health department, was named interim chief medical officer, the newspaper said.

freeby4me · 06-13-2007, 03:45 PM

Federal inspectors last week said emergency room patients were in "immediate jeopardy" of harm or death, and King-Harbor was given 23 days to shape up or risk losing federal funding.

Are you freaking kidding me?? Yea thats real smart. The hospitals are under-staffed and under-funded so lets take away more money?? How does that make any sense?? Yes I can see why 911 would refuse to WASTE money on an ambulance taking her to another hospital. Its very sad but im quite sure the hospital staff saw someone incapable of paying the bill so why should they hurry?? and besides, (that I didnt see written) the woman wasnt brought in by ambulance so there is a waiting time. Who knows, maybe the back was already over-filled. We cant afford to start shipping people from hospital to hospital.

TexasGal · 06-13-2007, 05:31 PM

The major problem with our health care system is that most hospitals and clinics are now managed by large corporations whose top priority is making money, not helping people. People with good insurance receive treatments they really don't need and those with little or no insurance often do not receive the minimum of care they need.

SLance68 · 06-13-2007, 07:39 PM

The biggest problem with our hospitals is that the emergency rooms are filled with people that don't have insurance so they go to the hospital for primary care. If the government would invest in free/low cost clinics that are open 24/7 then they could relieve the over crowded hospitals.

I do understand the dispatcher not sending a EMT to take someone to another hospital - they are required to take someone to the nearest facility so they would basically pull out of the driveway and make a U-Turn and take her back to the bad hospital.

JKATHERINE · 06-13-2007, 07:50 PM

I must be the only one who sees something wrong with this situation....both the care providers at the hospital and the dispatchers at 911 denied this woman care that would save her life. Instead they just let her die. If a hospital is too crowded or busy to take care of someone in critical need, then they need to be transported to somewhere that they can and will be cared for. I think it's an absolute travesty that this woman (insured or not, parolee or not) lay on the floor, bleeding, and no one who was supposed to help her did or would.

Tasha405 · 06-13-2007, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JKATHERINE

I must be the only one who sees something wrong with this situation....both the care providers at the hospital and the dispatchers at 911 denied this woman care that would save her life. Instead they just let her die. If a hospital is too crowded or busy to take care of someone in critical need, then they need to be transported to somewhere that they can and will be cared for. I think it's an absolute travesty that this woman (insured or not, parolee or not) lay on the floor, bleeding, and no one who was supposed to help her did or would.

ITA!! I see it the same way.

queenangie · 06-13-2007, 11:15 PM

Believe there will be a huge lawsuit soon in this case.

Agree - both the hospital and 911 failed this lady.

hotwheelstx · 06-13-2007, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tasha405

ITA!! I see it the same way.

I agree.

***buttrfli*** · 06-13-2007, 11:46 PM

Ok... Don't flame me, because I am NOT blaming the family...

but why didn't they call a cab or take her to another hospital in a private car?

I know that by the time they realized something was wrong, it was prolly too late, but I am curious if they tried.

(again, I am NOT blaming them)

Tasha405 · 06-13-2007, 11:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buttrfli

Ok... Don't flame me, because I am NOT blaming the family...

but why didn't they call a cab or take her to another hospital in a private car?

I know that by the time they realized something was wrong, it was prolly too late, but I am curious if they tried.

(again, I am NOT blaming them)

Hmm... good question!

Maybe they had someone drop them off there? Like a neighbor or something. Maybe they didn't have a car of their own, or the money for a cab? I have no idea really, just throwing some ideas out there since you made me think.

***buttrfli*** · 06-13-2007, 11:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tasha405

Hmm... good question!

Maybe they had someone drop them off there? Like a neighbor or something. Maybe they didn't have a car of their own, or the money for a cab? I have no idea really, just throwing some ideas out there since you made me think.

I was just curious. I think that what happened was horrible, but when I was watching nancy grace tonight, I was thinking about how come someone didn't take her to another hospital. I am sure there are a million reasons why...

06-13-2007, 03:24 PM	#1 (permalink)
Freebeemom Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: in the midwest Posts: 3,343 iTrader: (10) Thanks: 21 Thanked 72 Times in 55 Posts	911 Dispatchers Denied Dying Woman Help And we allow foreigners w/out insurance perfect care!?? 911 Dispatchers Denied Dying Woman Help By Associated Press 3 hours ago LOS ANGELES - A woman who lay bleeding on the emergency room floor of a troubled inner-city hospital died after 911 dispatchers refused to contact paramedics or an ambulance to take her to another facility, newly released tapes of the emergency calls reveal. Edith Isabel Rodriguez, 43, died of a perforated bowel on May 9 at Martin Luther King Jr.-Harbor Hospital. Her death was ruled accidental by the Los Angeles County coroner's office. Relatives said Rodriguez was bleeding from the mouth and writhing in pain for 45 minutes while she was at a hospital waiting area. Experts have said she could have survived had she been treated early enough. County and state authorities are now investigating Rodriguez's death. Relatives reported she died as police were wheeling her out of the hospital after the officers they had asked to help Rodriguez arrested her instead on a parole violation. Sheriff's Department spokesman Duane Allen said Wednesday that the investigation is ongoing. In the recordings of two 911 calls that day, first obtained by the Los Angeles Times under a California Public Records Act request, callers pleaded for help for Rodriguez but were referred to hospital staff instead. "I'm in the emergency room. My wife is dying and the nurses don't want to help her out," Rodriguez's boyfriend, Jose Prado, is heard saying in Spanish through an interpreter on the tapes. "What's wrong with her?" a female dispatcher asked. "She's vomiting blood," Prado said. "OK, and why aren't they helping her?" the dispatcher asked. "They're watching her there and they're not doing anything. They're just watching her," Prado said. The dispatcher told Prado to contact a doctor and then said paramedics wouldn't pick her up because she was already in a hospital. She later told him to contact county police officers at a security desk. A second 911 call was placed eight minutes later by a bystander who requested that an ambulance be sent to take Rodriguez to another hospital for care. "She's definitely sick and there's a guy that's ignoring her," the woman told a male dispatcher. During the call, the dispatcher argued with the woman over whether there really was an emergency. "I cannot do anything for you for the quality of the hospital. ... It is not an emergency. It is not an emergency ma'am," he said. "You're not here to see how they're treating her," the woman replied. The dispatcher refused to call paramedics and told the woman that she should contact hospital supervisors "and let them know" if she is unhappy. "May God strike you too for acting the way you just acted," the woman said finally. "No, negative ma'am, you're the one," he said. The incident was the latest high-profile lapse at King-Harbor, formerly known as King/Drew. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is investigating claims of recent patient care breakdowns, including Rodriguez's case. Federal inspectors last week said emergency room patients were in "immediate jeopardy" of harm or death, and King-Harbor was given 23 days to shape up or risk losing federal funding. Dr. Bruce Chernof, director of the county Department of Health Services, which oversees the facility, has called Rodriguez's death "inexcusable" and said it was "important to understand that this was fundamentally a failure of caring." He has said conditions are improving, though. A call Wednesday seeking comment about the 911 tapes from the department's communications office, which handles information about the hospital, was not immediately returned. Dr. Roger Peeks, the chief medical officer at the hospital, was placed on "ordered absence" Monday, the Times reported. Health officials declined to elaborate, saying it was a personnel matter. Dr. Robert Splawn, chief medical officer for the health department, was named interim chief medical officer, the newspaper said. __________________ FEEDBACK THREAD!

06-13-2007, 03:45 PM	#2 (permalink)
freeby4me No, I just dont like you Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 10,039 iTrader: (23) Thanks: 515 Thanked 765 Times in 387 Posts	Federal inspectors last week said emergency room patients were in "immediate jeopardy" of harm or death, and King-Harbor was given 23 days to shape up or risk losing federal funding. Are you freaking kidding me?? Yea thats real smart. The hospitals are under-staffed and under-funded so lets take away more money?? How does that make any sense?? Yes I can see why 911 would refuse to WASTE money on an ambulance taking her to another hospital. Its very sad but im quite sure the hospital staff saw someone incapable of paying the bill so why should they hurry?? and besides, (that I didnt see written) the woman wasnt brought in by ambulance so there is a waiting time. Who knows, maybe the back was already over-filled. We cant afford to start shipping people from hospital to hospital. __________________ Dont cry because its over. Smile because it happened.

06-13-2007, 05:31 PM	#3 (permalink)
TexasGal Casual Bystander Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Empty Nestville Posts: 1,184 iTrader: (2) Thanks: 2 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	The major problem with our health care system is that most hospitals and clinics are now managed by large corporations whose top priority is making money, not helping people. People with good insurance receive treatments they really don't need and those with little or no insurance often do not receive the minimum of care they need. __________________ GEAUX TIGERS! My Feedback Link

06-13-2007, 07:50 PM	#5 (permalink)
JKATHERINE Maine-iac Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: ALWAYS check the BTL before trading! ALWAYS! Posts: 6,277 iTrader: (8) Thanks: 241 Thanked 407 Times in 158 Posts	I must be the only one who sees something wrong with this situation....both the care providers at the hospital and the dispatchers at 911 denied this woman care that would save her life. Instead they just let her die. If a hospital is too crowded or busy to take care of someone in critical need, then they need to be transported to somewhere that they can and will be cared for. I think it's an absolute travesty that this woman (insured or not, parolee or not) lay on the floor, bleeding, and no one who was supposed to help her did or would. __________________ Proud BFBI Member

06-13-2007, 11:15 PM	#7 (permalink)
queenangie Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Central IL Posts: 4,327 iTrader: (0) Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Believe there will be a huge lawsuit soon in this case. Agree - both the hospital and 911 failed this lady. __________________ My Feedback http://75.126.75.75/showthread.php?t...gie+feedb ack

06-13-2007, 07:39 PM	#4 (permalink)
SLance68 Rather be Boating Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Orlando, Florida Posts: 1,793 iTrader: (0) Thanks: 594 Thanked 283 Times in 206 Posts	The biggest problem with our hospitals is that the emergency rooms are filled with people that don't have insurance so they go to the hospital for primary care. If the government would invest in free/low cost clinics that are open 24/7 then they could relieve the over crowded hospitals. I do understand the dispatcher not sending a EMT to take someone to another hospital - they are required to take someone to the nearest facility so they would basically pull out of the driveway and make a U-Turn and take her back to the bad hospital.

06-13-2007, 11:46 PM	#9 (permalink)
*buttrfli* Carrot Vegetable Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Friendship isn't a big thing - it's a million little things. Posts: 10,406 iTrader: (5) Thanks: 24 Thanked 155 Times in 111 Posts	Ok... Don't flame me, because I am NOT blaming the family... but why didn't they call a cab or take her to another hospital in a private car? I know that by the time they realized something was wrong, it was prolly too late, but I am curious if they tried. (again, I am NOT blaming them) __________________ Don't make me get out my flying monkeys. My Feedback

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