Palmetto General Hospital

This "hospital" should not even be allowed to continue to be in business, let alone accredited and considered a stroke specialty hospitalThe administration is DESPICABLE, RUDE, MANIPULATIVE, and continues to enforce policies that are ILLEGALThe majority of physicians and nursing staff have no idea what they are doing, constantly neglect patients, provide [redacted] poor care, and the hospital administration has continued to employ physicians whom have been admitted for drug overdoses to this hospital, have lost the privilege to oversee any students and/or residents whose sole task is to do all the work for the physician and NEVER teaches anyone anything, has sold marijuana to a medical student just a few years ago multiple times, and who has dated a medical student as wellOther physicians that have been allowed to continue to work there have a known history of committing massive Medicare fraud, over-dispensing multiple benzodiazepines to addicts and Psychiatric patients, and have even dispensed Methadone along with the multiple benzodiazepines to a patient who then died within a day secondary to overdose on those medications Aside from the above mentioned horrendous acts, the ER is EXTREMELY POORLY RUN, as the current ER Medical Director is a supposed "physician" from Cuba with ZERO proper medical knowledge and no idea of how to practice medicineIn addition, the ER physicians have been forced to work multiple 24-hr shifts in a row, and continue to "medically clear" patients to be transferred home or to the Psychiatric ward, as described in the following examples: Most recently, an ER Director from another hospital arrived to the Palmetto ER with complaints of symptoms indicating a stroke; not only was there NO ER PHYSICIAN PRESENT IN THE ER, but the patient was seen by a PA ONLY, who not only neglected to perform a CT of the Brain (as is the protocol in these cases), but then immediately discharged the patient on Plavix and Aspirin; as suspected, that patient is dead An ER physician with many years of experience decided to clear a patient for transport to the Psychiatric Unit with a Potassium level of (the reference level being 3.6-5.0); the patient was immediately sent back to the ER, as Hypokalemia can cause respiratory failure, paralysis, as well as deadly arrhythmias of the heart, including Ventricular Tachycardia and Ventricular Fibrillation leading to cardiac arrestThe patient then remained in the ER WITHOUT any treatment to correct the Potassium level, resulting in the death of the patient The ER cleared a patient for transport to the Psychiatric unit with a Sodium level of (the reference range being XXX-XXX); low levels of Sodium are life-threatening, leading to cerebral edema, increased ICP, which then severely affects the CNS leading to seizures, respiratory arrest, brain damage, coma, and death One final example comes from an experience with the former ER DirectorAgain, the physician wanted to clear a patient to go to the Psychiatry unit, however, she noted that the patient currently had an OPEN KNEE FRACTURE (this is a surgical emergency due the severe risk of severe bacterial infection which [redacted] lead to sepsis or loss of the limb, and Orthopedic Surgery should be called IMMEDIATELY to take the patent directly to surgery); in the end, the Psychiatrist had to convince the ER Medical Director that this was an emergency and finally convinced her to call Ortho STAT I could go on with many more stories, but as a physician myself, time is limitedIn any case, this "hospital" is unsafe and improperly run, which should necessitate further investigation

I am writing this letter to complain about the poor and unsatisfactory medical services which my mother, [redacted], received at your hospital, Palmetto General Hospital in Hialeah, Fl. My mother was admitted at your hospital from 14th of December - 16th December, 2016 due to lack of oxygen. My mother has Pulmonary Fibrosis disease; she needs to be on oxygen at all times, no exceptions. My mother's illness is so chronic, where she cannot get out of bed without the oxygen tank constantly running.
On December 14, 2016 the ambulance took her to the emergency room (ER) due to lack of oxygen, because she could not breathe even with her oxygen tank. During her stay, I was shocked to see the behavior of the staff. When she was admitted from the ER to the 5th floor; room 502 (Window), the nurse asked her if she was able to walk to the elevator. How can a person who claims to have medical knowledge sincerely ask a patient with a chronic lung disease and repeated states they cannot breathe, if they can get up and walk to an elevator! When the nurse took my mother to the room, she took my mother's oxygen out and started to change her clothes and didn't realize that my mother was out of breath because she didn't put her oxygen back on. Because of such lack of common knowledge, my mother almost fainted and almost vomited. The nurse's actions could have led to a tremendous tragedy; the lack of oxygen and strain to my mother's heart could have led to a heart attack. Around 3:00 am another nurse came for her Aerosol treatment, where another huge error occurred. The male nurse forgot to put the Aerosol together with the oxygen while giving my mother the treatment and she began to lose her breath. When I realized it, I went running to look for him and told him that he forgot to put the oxygen that my mother was out of breath. He then proceeded to be extremely rude and he didn't want to help me, he said: "your mom needs to finish her treatment first," so I started to scream for help because I knew my mother was out of breath and this incompetent nurse did not want to do his job correctly. When he finally went to the room and my mother was completely out of breath and pale AGAIN where another tragedy could have occurred! Furthermore, around 8:00 am another nurse came to give her another aerosol treatment and I had to warn her that she couldn't be without oxygen and to please not to remove her oxygen while doing the treatment. This treatment from the staff is incredibly unbelievable because one would think these nurses know how to do their jobs and read a patient's chart. Not to mention all the other errors occurring.
It is expected that a person is given good care at the hospital where the staff is doing everything to save a person's life rather than to be negligent in the care they give and not try to kill the patient! As well as the nurses are supposed to visit each patient from time to time to check the medicines and other needs and they only came once I had to call repeatedly the nurses stations.
I am really disappointed with your hospital this is the most unprofessional and horrible hospital I have ever been to. Necessary action against the staff must be taken; this hospital is currently a malpractice suit waiting to happen if the necessary precautions are not taken seriously. My mother could have died under the watch of these incompetent people who pretend to be nurses. That is not taken lightly.
That being said, I was only greeted with kindness from Orlando [redacted] He ensured the protection of my mother and knew how to properly do his job. He gave excellent customer service and for that I thanked him. I hope that such customer service requirements are taught to the rest of the incompetent staff.

This "hospital" should not even be allowed to continue to be in business, let alone accredited and considered a stroke specialty hospital. The administration is DESPICABLE, RUDE, MANIPULATIVE, and continues to enforce policies that are ILLEGAL. The majority of physicians and nursing staff have no idea what they are doing, constantly neglect patients, provide [redacted] poor care, and the hospital administration has continued to employ physicians whom have been admitted for drug overdoses to this hospital, have lost the privilege to oversee any students and/or residents whose sole task is to do all the work for the physician and NEVER teaches anyone anything, has sold marijuana to a medical student just a few years ago multiple times, and who has dated a medical student as well. Other physicians that have been allowed to continue to work there have a known history of committing massive Medicare fraud, over-dispensing multiple benzodiazepines to addicts and Psychiatric patients, and have even dispensed Methadone along with the multiple benzodiazepines to a patient who then died within a day secondary to overdose on those medications.

Aside from the above mentioned horrendous acts, the ER is EXTREMELY POORLY RUN, as the current ER Medical Director is a supposed "physician" from Cuba with ZERO proper medical knowledge and no idea of how to practice medicine. In addition, the ER physicians have been forced to work multiple 24-hr shifts in a row, and continue to "medically clear" patients to be transferred home or to the Psychiatric ward, as described in the following examples:
1. Most recently, an ER Director from another hospital arrived to the Palmetto ER with complaints of symptoms indicating a stroke; not only was there NO ER PHYSICIAN PRESENT IN THE ER, but the patient was seen by a PA ONLY, who not only neglected to perform a CT of the Brain (as is the protocol in these cases), but then immediately discharged the patient on Plavix and Aspirin; as suspected, that patient is dead.
2. An ER physician with many years of experience decided to clear a patient for transport to the Psychiatric Unit with a Potassium level of 1.9 (the reference level being 3.6-5.0); the patient was immediately sent back to the ER, as Hypokalemia can cause respiratory failure, paralysis, as well as deadly arrhythmias of the heart, including Ventricular Tachycardia and Ventricular Fibrillation leading to cardiac arrest. The patient then remained in the ER WITHOUT any treatment to correct the Potassium level, resulting in the death of the patient.
3. The ER cleared a patient for transport to the Psychiatric unit with a Sodium level of 119 (the reference range being XXX-XXX); low levels of Sodium are life-threatening, leading to cerebral edema, increased ICP, which then severely affects the CNS leading to seizures, respiratory arrest, brain damage, coma, and death.
4. One final example comes from an experience with the former ER Director. Again, the physician wanted to clear a patient to go to the Psychiatry unit, however, she noted that the patient currently had an OPEN KNEE FRACTURE (this is a surgical emergency due the severe risk of severe bacterial infection which [redacted] lead to sepsis or loss of the limb, and Orthopedic Surgery should be called IMMEDIATELY to take the patent directly to surgery); in the end, the Psychiatrist had to convince the ER Medical Director that this was an emergency and finally convinced her to call Ortho STAT.

I could go on with many more stories, but as a physician myself, time is limited. In any case, this "hospital" is unsafe and improperly run, which should necessitate further investigation.