It’s almost been long enough that I can talk about my husband’s death. He died as a result of the most extraordinary extrapyramidal syndrome that I’ve ever seen. I haven’t practiced general medicine for over 30 years, but as soon as I walked into his hospital room I knew what he had. The neurologist who saw him an hour before had missed it. It was a Saturday, and I couldn’t reach the neurologist or his attending.
I spent the weekend trying to get him the right medication at a hospital where I didn’t have privileges, and in which he’d ironically once been head of the Ob/Gyn department. The bottom line was that his team missed his diagnosis and then didn’t listen to me. Several months later I felt I was ready to meet with hospital administration – with the modest goal of ensuring that family members can reach an attending doctor over a weekend – and then COVID-19 shut down all outside visitors. I never had that conversation. I have heard similar stories from my patients whose hospital care (before and after COVID-19) is not what anyone expects in the first world.
In a chance conversation, Vickie Stern told me about her work on the Patient Family Advisory Council (PFAC) at Johns Hopkins. It seems to me that creating PFACs may be the way forward to correct systemic problems in the delivery of patient care. I am still contemplating what I need to do to ensure that no patient or family member has to go through what I went through, and I wonder if this is a way to approach it?
Here’s a link to Vickie’s article from Today’s Wound Clinic.
–Caroline
Dr. Fife is a world renowned wound care physician dedicated to improving patient outcomes through quality driven care. Please visit my blog at CarolineFifeMD.com and my Youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/carolinefifemd/videos
The opinions, comments, and content expressed or implied in my statements are solely my own and do not necessarily reflect the position or views of Intellicure or any of the boards on which I serve.
My condolences to your and your family. A friend of ours was one of the first to get and die from Covid in 2020. He was admitted the night before they closed the hospital down. His wife arrived the next day and was turned away. His wife and my friend was in turmoil, sent home without any idea what was happening to her husband. He had underlying heart condition and that is what they admitted him for. He was getting better, so they removed the intubation. The next morning she got a phone call telling her to get to the hospital as soon as she could. She didn’t make it, he was gone by the time she arrived. I can’t imagine her pain, knowing how close they were.
After everything that has happened, in the wake of the turmoil, we have to do better! For the patient’s and for their families.
In home health, I have had to call physicians after hours and on weekends. It is always so good to hear the surgeon or patients physician is actually the one on call.
I broke my ankle in 2020. I was asked at the ER clinic where I wanted to go. I picked the surgeon that I knew. They told me he was on vacation, but his a fellow orthopedic surgeon was available. I was admitted to the hospital and saw the fellow orthopedic surgeon that night. My surprise the next morning when my orthopedic walked in. “Aren’t you on vacation?” I said. “I took a couple days off, but, I got a call saying you needed me!”
This is the kind of doctors we need, and yes it was a Friday night, Saturday morning, the weekend.
We need people that show up, like yourself. A wonderful wound physician that answers emails even after your office is closed.
My people were so impressed with both of us, for the response. Thank you again. I will be in Houston the week of the 21st
If you would be willing to start up a PFAC here, I would definitely like to get involved and would be willing to help in capacity you could use me.
Emma, if you need advice, please feel free to contact me. Vicki
Condolences to you and yours Dr Fife! I totally agree. I have experienced this myself from the patient side and parent side. If you feel I could help I will be than happy to help.