|
VA Watchdog Stuff...
cups, hats, shirts...
click on item to order
and support the site.
Be sure to get all four
VA Watchdog dot Org
RSS feeds --
Daily VA
News Flashes
House CVA
Veterans' News
Senate CVA
Veterans' News
VA Press
Releases
Download your
free copy of the
2008 VA benefits
handbook here...
|
Printer-Friendly Version
TRANSFER OF PATIENT FROM TAMPA VA
HOSPITAL GOES
AWRY -- Breathing device from VA not at hospice
when
patient arrived. He died in less than 24 hours.
Otto Wigner, 85, died a day after
transfer to a hospice. (photo: Special to the Times) |
For more stories about veterans' issues in the
Tampa area, you may want to read a number of excellent articles by William
Levesque, the reporter who wrote the story below. Click here...
http://www.yourvabenefits.org/sessearch.
php?q=levesque&op=and
Story here...
http://www.tampabay.com/
news/military/veterans/article896241.ece
Story below:
-------------------------
VA patient transfer goes awry
By William R. Levesque
Times staff writer
TAMPA — His body racked by vascular disease, 85-year-old Varrian "Otto"
Wigner struggled with every breath.
Doctors at the James A. Haley VA Medical Center in Tampa could do little
for him. They suggested the World War II veteran be sent to a hospice.
Wigner's wife agreed but said she insisted on one condition:
The breathing device that eased her husband's suffering and helped keep
him alive must be waiting for him. Haley didn't object.
But the device wasn't waiting on Aug. 29. The hospice immediately tried to
get Haley to take Wigner back, his widow said.
Haley refused, his wife said, and Wigner died in less than 24 hours.
"They dumped him like garbage on the street," said Alina Wigner, 76, of
Weeki Wachee, Wigner's wife of 53 years. "I never thought the VA would let
him down like this."
The case is the third detailed by the St. Petersburg Times in recent
months about allegations of poor patient care or veterans who said Haley
was too busy to treat them.
Haley refused to discuss Wigner's case, citing patient privacy.
But a Haley spokeswoman denied that the hospital was so crowded in late
August that it wouldn't treat veterans and said Haley had no record anyone
asked that Wigner be taken back to the VA.
Haley director Stephen Lucas could not be reached to comment.
 Lucas
wrote an Oct. 15 letter to Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite, R-Brooksville, about
Wigner's case after the congresswoman had been contacted by Alina Wigner.
In that letter, Lucas confirmed Wigner asked about the availability of the
breathing device, called a variable/bi-level positive airway pressure
device, once her husband was taken to Melech Hospice House in Temple
Terrace.
With the device, a mask is placed over the patient's face, and the
apparatus ensures the delivery of oxygen to the lungs.
"Prior to his discharge," the letter said, "it was confirmed with the
hospice nurse representative that they did have a BIPAP available at their
facility."
In fact, under normal circumstances, the hospice would be responsible for
providing all supplies and equipment required to care for a patient in its
care.
But Wigner insisted that hospice employees were as surprised as she was
when her husband arrived at Melech and no machine was available.
Brown-Waite and representatives of Melech House declined to comment.
Wigner said she never imagined her husband's life would end like this.
Otto Wigner was a popular locksmith in Hernando County. He was proud of
his service in World War II, fought in the Battle of the Bulge and earned
a Purple Heart. He never completely retired.
Wigner had been in fairly good health before his right leg began causing
him pain. With a history of circulatory problems, he was taken to a non-VA
hospital in Hernando County in early June.
After 10 days, he was taken to Haley, where part of his leg was amputated.
Soon, his condition deteriorated, and he spent nearly two months in
intensive care.
Alina Wigner said Haley officials told her little more could be done for
her husband. But she said nobody said he was terminal and she still held
out hope her husband might recover.
Haley, she said, suggested he be taken to a hospice, and the family
agreed.
Once arriving at the hospice, Wigner quickly noted that no BIPAP was
available.
Her husband, who had been conscious, quickly became anxious and struggled
to breath. The hospice gave him a sedative to calm him and called Haley to
see if the VA would take him back, Wigner said.
"I couldn't think clearly," Wigner said. "I was in shock. I never imagined
they wouldn't have that there for him."
After Haley refused to take the veteran back, Wigner said, she considered
having her husband taken to another hospital and awaited the arrival of
her two sons to help make a decision.
She said the hospice staff was very upset and held out hope it could do
something to help Otto Wigner the next day, his wife said.
With the sedative, she said, her husband's breathing seemed better. Wigner
said she thought she had enough time. She slept the night in her husband's
room.
The next day, he died.
Wigner she wants other veterans to know her husband's story so they can
learn from it.
"I was too trusting," Wigner said. "I'm angry because you can't fight the
system. You're helpless against the VA."
-------------------------
posted by Larry Scott
Founder and Editor
VA Watchdog dot Org
-------------------------
-------------------------
NOTE FOR COMMENTING:
Comments are moderated. VA Watchdog dot Org
has no obligation to post any comment and will not post rude, profane,
libelous, or off-subject comments ... comments advertising products,
services or web sites ... or comments containing misinformation that might
pose a disservice to the veterans' community.
-------------------------
Don't forget to read all of today's VA
News Flashes (click here)
Click here to make VA Watchdog dot Org your homepage
email Larry
(go
back to VA Watchdog dot Org Home Page) |
Military
Medical Malpractice
Legal
Network
VA Watchdog Stuff...
cups, hats, shirts...
click on item to order
and support the site.
|
