I have formed a new group on Facebook in order to brainstorm about how to get the medical system turned around by sharing medical tragedy stories involving malpractice of course and finding out the best ways to act and help form a way to move toward changing the system successfully. First I would like to tell the goal of the group and then I share a few stories I have recently heard of.
My goals to achieve and pass as law are as follows:
1) In November this year, those of us in California are to vote on a new ballot that raises the malpractice cap from $250k to over $1 million–this increase just simply adjusts for inflation. We need to vote on that to pass so malpractice can become a legal practice in California again.
2) Did you know that all real estate agents, all engineers, all insurance agents, all hair dressers, etc., have to go back every year for certain number of classes or they lose their licenses? Some of them actually have to pass a new test. Don’t you agree that doctors should have such a requirements? I am after enforcing a mandatory annual 40-hour further education with all new treatments and drugs to doctors with a test requirement and if not passed the test, the loss of license follows.
3) Medications that contain anti psychotic drugs that come in hundreds of names must all be labeled with capital letters stating clearly what they are. For example, medications that in any way add, enhance, increase absorption, modify receptors, etc., for serotonin must be labeled SEROTONIN in addition to whatever brand name it carries. If the drug is a Benzodiazepines group drug, they must all be labeled BENZODIAZEPINE so doctors know. I cannot tell you how many doctors told me that Ambient or Lunesta were not benzos but they are… they are what is called Atypical Benzodiazepine Receptor Legands. That is they impersonate benzos and act as though they were–like artificial sweeteners… they call on insulin as if we ate real sugar. In fact Ambient and Lunesta both are hypnotic benzos. You can find the chart with all details summarized in a super good chart on Wikipedia.
Some medical nightmare stories:
A mother had her son with some illness checked in to some hospital where they overdosed him with anti psychotic medications and he promptly died. No lawyer would take on the malpractice–this happened in California–so the mom hired an attorney team, filed a lawsuit and LOST! Now even the insurance companies are after her to pay for their legal expenses.
The second story I heard from my husband who heard it on the radio on his way home. This happened in Boston. A family with a very sick daughter outside of Boston were sent to a specialist who was the only one understanding what to do. They packed their daughter up to an ambulance that was supposed to take the daughter to this location but for some reason–we don’t know why–it stopped at a different location. The doctor there had no clue. He called in the resident psychologist, who is a woman famous for writing a book about how over 50% of kids today are psychos. She said this girl was a psycho and not only that, she now has put a hold on the family for abuse. The daughter is not getting treatment and also the parents are now considered to be suspect of child abuse I believe.
A third story to tell you from a friend who I just befriended and joined forces with. Her daughter, as a small child 10 years ago, hurt her knee in a fall. She took her to the doctor and they sent her home as “nothing.” Her daughter died in sepsis in 2.5 days after that. This was 10 years ago. She has been fighting the crusade alone since then. Now I am joining her.
I am also joining the efforts of the non-profit organization called 4Fate.org who took on the safety of the elderly as their main cause and have helped me by taking my case and filing for me at all the agencies that license hospitals and nursing homes. Slowly my case is moving forward–I am sure it will get stuck since no attorney today will take on a case that has malpractice in it with a child or with an elderly.
Please let us put out heads together and storm out possibilities on how to approach the system. How do I go about fighting for you all? Where do you suggest I start? I had some great ideas about the New York Times–I will be contacting them. I already contacted the OC Register and NBC4 news local investigating teams–these are all on my mother’s case but slowly I will turn this into a state case and/or a national case.
I need your help with more stories and suggestions if you have.
Thank you all!
Clueless Doctors & Scientists 