Cetral Florida Hospital - Sanford, Florida Emergency Rooms Rip Off The Un-Insured Sanford Florida

01-05-2007

Central Florida Regional Hospital
P.O. Box 538620
Atlanta, GA 30353-8620

This letter is in regards to the unauthorized and misinterpreted medical treatment for our daughter, Jacqueline Paige XXXXXXX age 3, received at Central Florida Hospital in Sanford, Florida on November 29, 2006.

On November 29, 2006 at approximately 2:00 p.m., Jacqueline was taken to the Emergency Room at the Central Florida Hospital in Sanford, Florida for a suspected New Onset Seizure at the Legacy Academy Day Care Facility in Heathrow, Florida. According to Jacqueline's teacher, she was awakened at approximately1:00 p.m. while napping by hitting the wall. When the teacher walked over to check on Jacqueline, she said she was shaking and then wet herself. The teacher informed the front desk at Legacy Academy, who in turn called Michele XXXXXXX (the mother of Jacqueline) describing the incident then Legacy Academy called 911 to have the Paramedics come to check out Jacqueline. We (Michele and Scott) arrived at Legacy Academy approximately 10 minutes later. Upon our arrival, the Paramedics were there checking Jacqueline's vital stats and informed Scott XXXXXXX (the father of Jacqueline) that all her vitals (breathing, blood pressure, heart rate, etc.) were normal. However, the Paramedics did say that Jacqueline appeared very scared with all the Firemen and Paramedics hovering over her and asked if we or they should take her to the hospital. Michele decided to have Jacqueline transported via ambulance to Central Florida Hospital. Obviously, this wasn't a life or death situation.

Upon our arrival at the Central Florida Hospital Emergency Room on November 29th at approximately 2:00 p.m., we stated to all the Doctors, Nurses and Staff that we did not have any health insurance (due to Scott being laid off recently); and that Jacqueline was a perfectly healthy 3-year old with no previous health issues or family history of seizures. This is when Central Florida Hospital began their over excessive treatment of tests/procedures, as well as administering the medications Phenytoin and Lorazepam, on Jacqueline that traumatized this 3-year old. The Emergency Room doctor, Maria Bristol, knew that this was not a life or death situation; that they did not have a Pediatrics Unit at this hospital; and she did not discuss any of the testing/procedures or medications administered as being critical or really necessary to either one of us until after all the testing/procedures were completed. At this time, Dr. Bristol, as well as Nurse Maggie (who is an ICU Nurse filling in since the E.R. was short staffed due to influenza), informed both of us that all the tests came back normal (or negative) and Jacqueline's vital stats were perfectly normal the entire 8 hours she was detained. With that said, we then asked if we could take our child home now (8 hours later), and Dr. Bristol then informed us that the CT Scan of the brain was normal with the exception of fluid in the left ear and possibly the mastoid area so she would need to be transported to a Children's Hospital for observation, MRI, and a spinal tap/lumbar puncture. The other nurse assisting heard this and mentioned to us (after Dr. Bristol left) that Dr. Bristol is over excessive we definitely felt the same way and still do. In addition, this same nurse was surprised that Jacqueline was being administered the medication Phenytoin (and so were we since no one was sure if she had a seizure or not). We then informed Dr. Bristol since Jacqueline is stable and has been stable the entire 8 hours at the hospital - that we would take Jacqueline to see her regular Pediatrician in the morning for a check-up and to prescribe oral antibiotics for her ear infection that was diagnosed by the CT scan.

This is when Dr. Bristol threatened to call HRS if we took our daughter home because she said that Jacqueline could not walk on her own without assistance and this is a danger to her OF COURSE SHE COULD NOT WALK, SHE WAS DRUGGED UP from the medications administered! We indicated that we would have her transported, but could not understand how she could legally keep us from taking our daughter. Dr. Bristol then called Dr. Larry Alexander (E.R. Director) to come to the hospital to speak with us at approximately 9:00 p.m. or 9:30 p.m. Dr. Alexander basically informed us that Jacqueline needed to be transported to a Children's Hospital to continue treatment of the antibiotic for her ear infection and observation. So without further disagreement, we said we would immediately take Jacqueline to the Children's Hospital. Again, we were threatened (this time by Dr. Alexander) that HRS would be called if we left with our daughter, and that she needed to be transported to a Children's Hospital via ambulance for the safety of her health. We were very appalled by both Dr. Bristol and Dr. Alexander's threat to call HRS; however, to avoid further delay (approximately 10:00 p.m. at this time) we agreed (by coercion and inappropriate threats) to have Jacqueline transported to Florida Children's Hospital in Orlando, Florida incurring another ambulance expense unnecessarily.

Upon arrival at the Florida Children's Hospital in Orlando via ambulance at approximately 10:30 p.m., the Ambulance driver informed us that the Pediatrics Unit told them they did not have a room available for Jacqueline as Central Florida Hospital told Florida Children's Hospital that the transfer had been CANCELLED another mistake by Central Florida Hospital and undue burden to us. After standing in the hallway with the Ambulance drivers and our other daughter (6-years old), the two hospitals argued on the phone trying to figure out what to do with us. Approximately one and one-half hours later (12:00 midnight), Jacqueline was finally moved into a room with a very sick infant and his mother since the single room (original room for Jacqueline that was CANCELLED) was now taken by someone else. Florida Children's Hospital was not going to administer the antibiotics (intravenously) to Jacqueline at this time again because of the lack of communication by Central Florida Hospital in the transfer process even though this was the main reason both Dr. Bristol and Dr. Alexander mandated Jacqueline to be transported. However, once we explained the reason for the transfer, the antibiotic was administered and she was monitored throughout the night. The next morning, Nov. 30th, Jacqueline underwent an EEG which suggested a partial onset seizure. The cause of this seizure is idiopathic could have been from the ear infection or recent head injury. However, no further testing was required especially not a spinal tap/lumbar puncture that Dr. Bristol wanted to do (which reflects Dr. Bristol's over excessive testing/procedures to be performed on Jacqueline). Jacqueline was released that early afternoon, seizure medication was not mandated, and she has not had another seizure to date and according to the neurologist may never have another one. The only prescription that Jacqueline was required to take was Amoxicillin for 9 days thereafter.
To conclude we now have a $4,368.00 bill (after a 35% uninsured discount) with Central Florida Hospital, a $1,819.00 E.R. Doctor bill plus separate charges for lab work for chemistry, hematology, urology, and bacterial-micro (which appear to be duplicative charges on the Central Florida Hospital bill at a higher price). In addition, we have a separate bill from Central Florida Radiology for 2 different doctors who apparently reviewed the CT scan and Chest X-Rays; another $1,000 (approx.) for the two ambulance rides; and a bill from Florida Children's Hospital.

We are disputing Central Florida Hospital's charges as being over excessive because (1) Jacqueline arrived at the E.R. with good vital stats and conscious, so to classify her as a Class 4 was unnecessary; (2) over exaggerating all the testing/procedures performed, including chest x-rays; and (3) Dr. Bristol knew in her mind (without sharing with us until we thought we could leave with our child since all tests came back negative) from the moment we arrived that she was going to have Jacqueline transported to a Children's Hospital because Central Florida Hospital does not have a Pediatrics Unit. Since Jacqueline's vital stats were normal, Central Florida Hospital should have done minimal testing, then immediately had Jacqueline transported to a Children's Hospital. Instead, Central Florida Hospital ran up an unnecessary medical bill for us to pay against our will while having Michele sign papers without explanation all of which is unacceptable. In addition, the same antibiotic (Ceftiaxone) that Central Florida Hospital charged is triple from what Florida Children's Hospital charged us if this isn't gouging, I don't know what is. This is most likely a common occurrence in all Emergency Rooms and now we have fallen victim to the corruption and fraud of the medical industry.

On 12/21/06, a complaint was filed with Renee Marshall at the Central Florida Hospital, Administration, who explained that they are already looking into the bill and that she would have Patti Wise-Youngren in Risk Management call me back we are still waiting for a return call from Ms. Wise-Youngren. In addition, Michele spoke with Kathleen Kearns with the Schumacher Group on 12/13/06 and 12/19/06 explaining the excessive treatment, who indicated that the bill will be placed on HOLD until Dr. Martinez (Director of E.R. Physicians Group) reviews the records and she will call me back - we are still waiting for a return call from Ms. Kearns or Dr. Martinez. Then on 12/27/06, we received a call from Shannon C. at HCA in Texas wanting to know how we wanted to pay the outstanding bill. Michele explained to Shannon that the bill is under dispute and informed her who has spoken with to date. Shannon said she will send me an audit form to complete and return, and once they receive it they will forward to Central Florida Hospital for a review/audit of the file. Shannon informed me that the account will be placed on HOLD until a decision is made. Again, there is obviously a lack of communication on the part of Central Florida Hospital as I am back to square one without an answer, and the bill still remains unresolved.

Particular items of dispute are as follows:

- Phenytoin (total $82.50)
- Chest X-Rays ($687.25) (including reading of the same by Alex Favelukes, M.D. - $25.00)
- EKG ($339.25) (including reading of the same by Jorge Garcia - $25.00))
- Lab/Chemistry (total $106.00)
- Lab/Bact-Micro, excluding blood culture (total $175.00)
- Lab/Urology (total $46.00)
- Emergency Room Level 4, including 3 injections (what is this for?) ($1,678.25 - unnecessary classification this was not a life or death situation. Stats were normal before we arrived and the entire time in the E.R.)
- Maria S Bristol MD Bill for $1,819.00

TOTAL $4,958.25

Your prompt attention to this matter is greatly appreciated.

Scott XXXXXXX
Michele XXXXXXX

Cc: Kathleen Kearns (via electronic mail)

Central Florida Regional Hospital, P.O. Box 1828
Sanford, FL 32772-1828, ATTN: Patient Accounts/Renee Marshall

Central Florida Regional Hospital, P.O. Box 99008, Bedford, TX 76095
ATTN: National Patient Account Services

((( ROR REDACTED LAST NAMES )))

R
Sanford, Florida
U.S.A.