A coat of paint may cover a multitude of sins!
If you're thinking about heading over to the "Emergency" Department at Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital at 1300 N. Vermont Street in Hollywood, you may want to reconsider the trek if you value your health and well-being.
Patients have complained about hazardous facilities, incompetent "quacks" such as Dr. Sassan Davoudi and Dr. Joseph M. Nussbaum, bumbling Nurses who bruise patients because of sloppy handi-work and a devil-may-care attitude, and dishonest misrepresentations about the Hospital's "mission" to provide quality care.
For instance, when one ailing individual limped into the lobby of emergency complaining of severe chest pains, they were forced to cool their heels for over two 1/2 hours before any hospital personnel made any professional effort to hustle them back to an examination "cubby-hole" for an EKG or timely X-ray to determine the severity of the problem.
In contrast - hospitals in the general vicinity in Los Angeles - usually give a green light and special priority to potential heart-attack victims (for obvious reasons).
When an individual is finally admitted after long delays at the run-down facility (and an excessive amount of paperwork has been shoved in their pain-ridden faces to fill out) they are subjected to a wild hair-raising ride in a wheelchair outside - sometimes on an icy cold eve at an ungodly hour - to a make-shift X-ray examination room which has been set up slap-dab in the parking lot behind a rusty chain-link fence in a cramped trailer.
Once on the threshold, the inexperienced Nurse proceeds to precariously hoist the patient up onto a crudely-crafted ramp at the door of the rickety shelter, where they are rolled inside for a chest and/or body scan.
Until Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital erects a structure (indoors) that meets the building codes required by California's State Medical Board (and City Officials) patients will continue to be vulnerable to the potentially dangerous hazards.
Talk about negligence and a wanton disregard for patient safety!
In fact, one nurse confessed that one bleak night, he broke a toe after tripping over debris scattered on the pathway to the poorly-constructed outdoors lab.
Elsewhere on the premises, after a few vials of blood were helter-skelter drawn from another patient (which resulted in unsightly bruises on their arms), they were solemnly informed that they were suffering from diabetes.
When the charge noted there had never been any history of the ailment in their family - or even a hint of symptoms either - the inexperienced hospital worker simply shrugged and uttered under their breath in a hushed tone:
"Maybe your blood sugar is just high tonight for some reason."
At this juncture, the diagnosis was deleted from the patent's medical record, with little ado.
Say what?
It was evident to the patient, at this point, that the technician was unqualified for their post!
But, the shoddy unprofessional conduct did not end there, not by a long shot!
One patient languished in "Emergency" for ten hours or so, before the Hospital staff finally wheeled him up to a room outfitted for two.
The sorry individual was suddenly aghast to find themselves dropped on a bed and left to reckon with an obviously mentally-deranged patient who screamed out incoherently at the top of his lungs every few minutes or so.
Then, the physician on duty - Dr. Sassan Davoudi (a bizarre-looking man with bushy eyebrows and eyes that blinked every second-or-two like a spooky old owl) - stumbled in looking for all-the-world like some dishevelled bum.
To make matters worse, the physician was unable to speak fluent English, or effectively communicate to the startled patient in a calm professional manner.
On one occasion, when Davoudi opened up his yap, he barked out orders to the patient in a disturbing demeaning fashion.
"Stand up," he demanded.
When the patient attempted to carry out the demand, he lost his balance, and fell plunk-down onto the bed unmade bed.
In spite of the obvious, the doctor bellowed out more orders, with little regard for the well-being of the patient grasping for oxygen on the bed.
In the midst of attempting to walk across the hospital room - as instructed - the Doctor suddenly waved the sick patient off.
"You're okay. Get dressed. Go home," he growled at the shocked patient, before he strolled out the door never to be seen again!
Then, the situation turned from bad to worse.
For example, when a male nurse briskly waltzed in with discharge papers (and a curt demand that he exit the hospital room immediately), the disoriented patient informed the employee that he was too weak to comply with the request.
At this point, on the heels of a call to Financial Services, a rude African American woman by the name of Gabriela Duran-Lopez (with no noticeable manners or sense of professionalism) strode into the room and warned the patient that if they did not get dressed - and exit - they'd be charged $2,500.00 for an overnight stay.
"Cash," she barked at the startled patient.
Shocking behaviour - especially when you consider the "Mission" statement the Hospital Director has set forth in the patient manual bedside - at Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital.
It reads as follows:
"For more than 80 years, Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center has been helping the Hollywood community and surrounding areas, serving your medical needs (!) and those of your loved ones.
Our medical center strives to distinguish itself as a leading health care provider, recognized for providing quality (!), innovative (you betcha!) care in a professional (!) and compassionate (!) manner.
What a load of bullsh**, eh?
But, the shocking conduct of staff at the Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital didn't end after the demand for cash was made.
Unable to comply with the request - the patient humbly asked that he be permitted to stay over - until friends (or family) could arrange to pick him up bright-and-early the next morning.
When Ms. Duran-Lopez noted that she would call Social Services for a quick resolution to the problem, the nastiness escalated, go figure!
Angered by what she perceived as a refusal to leave the premises willingly, a nasty butch-looking woman - by the name of Clarissa (from Social Services) - stormed into the room armed with threats.
"If you don't get dressed and leave immediately, security will escort you to the door," she growled angrily.
Calls to Supervisor - Linda Kaye - were left unreturned!
Outrageous unprofessional behaviour when you consider the Social Services blurb in the patient guide which stated as follows:
Social Services
The Social Services Department assists all patients with emotional, social, and economic problems related to their healthcare (!).
The Department's mission is to provide consultation to family members, caregivers, and significant others to ensure ongoing support vital to a patient's well being (!!!).
Special focus and attention are given to patient and families who are at high risk for problems of adjustments, safety, economic hardship, life-threatening illness, and other severe psychological stresses related to health condition.
Several reasons a patient may need Social Services include:
*Acute grieving, depression, and anxiety
*Suicidal/Homicidal ideation, gravely disabled
*No known family or support system
*Victims of abuse, physical/emotional/sexual neglect/violence by caretakers
*Family behaviour adversely affecting patient welfare and care (!!!)
*Older adults (70+) with multiple physical needs and psychological needs
*homelessness (!!!)
*Substance abuse
Bottom line?
Lies! Lies! Lies!
It's all a public relations ploy, dude.
Coincidentally, I just read a report in the San Francisco Chronicle this past week, that the early discharge of patients is becoming a major problem - enough so, in fact - that the State Medical Board may step in to rectify the growing problem.
For example, it was announced that any Hospital that releases a patient prematurely - who is later forced to return to emergency for additional care - would be levied a penalty.
I am in accord!
In fact, in view of the breaches of professional ethics at Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital (formerly known as the Queen of Angels), I expect their facility will be at the top of the list!
In the final analysis, it is also evident from the aforementioned facts, that the Nurses at the Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital are negligent, unprofessional, and derelict in their duty when it comes to fulfilling their "mission".
In fact, their staff are a menace to the community.
Avoid this medical facility like the plague!
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