General Discussion

Lurker Deluxe

(1,085 posts)

63. So ...

Mon Oct 6, 2014, 02:30 PM

Oct 2014

So, what happened?

Dialysis?

Did he need a kidney?

Did he die in the parking lot?

Why would a paramedic just getting off an ambulance have any idea what was going on? You did not get there by ambulance, you're saying they just recognized you from 7 hours beforehand just by noticing you in the lobby? Paramedics consulted with whom to determine his "Potassium was dangerously high and he needed to go to the Hospital located directly across the street". If it was that dangerous would they have not taken him themselves ... that is kind of what they do.

I'm not sure how you get "they did not want to treat him" you were in an ER with non life threatening symptoms, you are not the priority. Sounds to me like a typical visit to a hospital, just general cluster fuckness with a little I don't give a shit thrown in.

I hope your brother is well, but insurance or not he needs a good GP doctor that could have run all of those tests in an office setting without getting anywhere near a hospital.

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Highlight:

Was Thomas Duncan Initially Turned Away From The Hospital Because He's Black And Uninsured? [View all] Cali_Democrat Oct 2014 OP

Seems to be a reasonable question to ask. calimary Oct 2014 #1

No. Agschmid Oct 2014 #2

Why are you so definitive in your answer? Cali_Democrat Oct 2014 #3

In my opinion if the hospital was acting in a racist manor... Agschmid Oct 2014 #6

What about lack of insurance? Cali_Democrat Oct 2014 #7

Had the hospital been competent to know he had Ebola no one would care about his Agschmid Oct 2014 #9

It turns out the "communication failures" story Mariana Oct 2014 #93

It's my understanding that he told them he had been to Liberia... Agschmid Oct 2014 #94

+ 1000 !!! orpupilofnature57 Oct 2014 #104

Have you ever been in an ER? YarnAddict Oct 2014 #60

He wasn't turned away or denied service. A hospital can't do that. But LiberalArkie Oct 2014 #68

I've wondered about this too jrussell466 Oct 2014 #98

Wile they may not have turned him away ... IggleDoer Oct 2014 #69

They do not turn those without insurance away... etherealtruth Oct 2014 #72

True, but that's not the problem. procon Oct 2014 #86

They aren't turned away... awoke_in_2003 Oct 2014 #92

Right - and I have a bridge to sell you. PumpkinAle Oct 2014 #101

Texas is Rick Perry's fiefdom in the Koch Kingdom. That says it all. freshwest Oct 2014 #97

Maybe a mix of both: an automatic assumption about the man, made at an unconscious level, Voice for Peace Oct 2014 #15

Exactly my thought il_lilac Oct 2014 #89

"They would have quarantined him." greiner3 Oct 2014 #49

But if they'd known it was ebola, they'd have had no choice Orrex Oct 2014 #76

Yes quarantines cost money. Agschmid Oct 2014 #88

Being uninsured works like magic to keep you from being admitted Warpy Oct 2014 #20

I get it, it happens. Agschmid Oct 2014 #23

Damn ... Lurker Deluxe Oct 2014 #43

I took my brother into a mental health treatment facility last week upon the advice of his doctor Dustlawyer Oct 2014 #57

So ... Lurker Deluxe Oct 2014 #63

I guess I was not clear, he was told by his GP to check into a rehab/mental health hospital Dustlawyer Oct 2014 #80

Ben Taub is a public hospital momrois Oct 2014 #70

YES!! And they fucked up, too! Liberal_Stalwart71 Oct 2014 #54

And you're positive that race and insurance had nothing to do with that fuckup? RedCappedBandit Oct 2014 #58

I might be mistaken - didn't 840high Oct 2014 #102

K&R.... daleanime Oct 2014 #4

It was suggested last week and not many seemed to think so then. notadmblnd Oct 2014 #5

I went to the the Kaiser Permanente ER In Woodland Hills without insurance... DemocratSinceBirth Oct 2014 #8

First Visit negoldie Oct 2014 #10

Volunteer/unpaid student interviewing a patient? What is your evidence that is happening? JDPriestly Oct 2014 #19

Excuse me? Obviously you've never attended any sort of medical school Warpy Oct 2014 #28

If urban Texas ERs turned away people because they're black Dreamer Tatum Oct 2014 #11

Race, possibly, no insurance I would say for sure. logosoco Oct 2014 #12

I have a surefire way for Duncan to have gotten treated like a King Dreamer Tatum Oct 2014 #13

I wonder why he didn't do that, once he was here. I could maybe understand him not saying logosoco Oct 2014 #18

+1 eom LittleGirl Oct 2014 #48

TWICE jrussell466 Oct 2014 #100

White America will only care when a 19 year old blonde girl gets it. Spitfire of ATJ Oct 2014 #14

It's all over the news, all day. Dreamer Tatum Oct 2014 #16

Observation. Spitfire of ATJ Oct 2014 #22

Where is this White America you speak of, anyway? nt Dreamer Tatum Oct 2014 #24

Bachmann's district,...for one. Spitfire of ATJ Oct 2014 #87

The answer is "yes." In France, he would have been treated no matter where he came from, JDPriestly Oct 2014 #17

And in France they'd have known he had Ebola right away Dreamer Tatum Oct 2014 #21

You mean that he was from Liberia? Oh wait, he told them that. uppityperson Oct 2014 #29

"Doctor, I'm sick." Dreamer Tatum Oct 2014 #30

He told them he was from Liberia, not sure what you are going on about. uppityperson Oct 2014 #31

It has been established that the hospital blew it. Dreamer Tatum Oct 2014 #34

You mean something that is not a fact has not been established as a fact? Well, yes, that is true uppityperson Oct 2014 #37

"Gee, why do I feel so bad? All I did was expose myself to Ebola. THAT shouldn't matter." Dreamer Tatum Oct 2014 #41

The woman he helped, even her family, thought it was pregnancy related health problem uppityperson Oct 2014 #46

The job of the healthcare worker is to diagnose and treat disease. JDPriestly Oct 2014 #106

The same people who say he lied to get to the US and seek treatment also say he lied alcibiades_mystery Oct 2014 #36

Seriously. Why would anyone who thought they have ebola got to the ER then lie to not be uppityperson Oct 2014 #39

He did disclose to someone in the hospital. JDPriestly Oct 2014 #42

Agreed. And people who, you know, essentially HANDLED Ebola might offer that up Dreamer Tatum Oct 2014 #45

you act the hospital staff lives on Mars noiretextatique Oct 2014 #74

I've had that experience in France JustAnotherGen Oct 2014 #38

It used to be good, those days are long gone jrussell466 Oct 2014 #99

Same issue as sick days for food service workers. We either care about our collective health ... Scuba Oct 2014 #25

And we should also encourage patently sick people who know what they have Dreamer Tatum Oct 2014 #27

First of all, he wasn't turned away. SheilaT Oct 2014 #26

they release uninsured in California also MattP Oct 2014 #32

if he was "turned away" how did he get the useless antibiotics? snooper2 Oct 2014 #33

I had gall stones 2 years ago. christx30 Oct 2014 #84

No - not race JustAnotherGen Oct 2014 #35

Race and not having insurance are highly correlated. So, yes is my answer. Liberal_Stalwart71 Oct 2014 #55

Exactly how serious were his symptoms at the first examination? muriel_volestrangler Oct 2014 #40

From what I have read, his fever was not h igh enough to meet criteria. BUT I also uppityperson Oct 2014 #61

The hospital was incompetent, but it stretches reality to assume that they would knowingly totodeinhere Oct 2014 #44

"You have flu or respiratory infection symptoms? We better check you in for advanced treatment!" Dreamer Tatum Oct 2014 #47

Thank you. nt B2G Oct 2014 #67

88 people and 125 people die from gun violence and lack of health insurance everyday respectively Farmbrook Oct 2014 #50

Possible. Until Repubs stop blocking access to care, such questions will be valid. riqster Oct 2014 #51

yep! juxtaposed Oct 2014 #52

Is a clock right at least once a day? :( Liberal_Stalwart71 Oct 2014 #53

Are people on DU seriously arguing . . FairWinds Oct 2014 #56

No. But that's not what the OP is about. B2G Oct 2014 #66

Makes sense of the matter. Sienna86 Oct 2014 #59

He wasn't 'turned away' B2G Oct 2014 #62

I think many DUers have an overly cinematic way of looking at the world, alas. nt Dreamer Tatum Oct 2014 #73

Absolutely right Drayden Oct 2014 #91

One more question malaise Oct 2014 #64

That may have contributed...but I think it was a case of incompetence, and perhaps overwork. Avalux Oct 2014 #65

Wouldn't it suck if that were the case KamaAina Oct 2014 #71

Perry turns down obama care money what else can hospitals do to avoid bankruptcy jonjensen Oct 2014 #75

In the US? He's lucky he wasn't shot in the parking lot for "menacing" a cop, "He looked like high!" marble falls Oct 2014 #77

That's what I thought from the beginning... Sancho Oct 2014 #78

heard that in many areas ER staff see a lot of uninsured impoverished coming in for "everything" bettyellen Oct 2014 #79

Meanwhile, Rick Perry has his puss on the tube today pushing wonderful new public health plans. Vinca Oct 2014 #81

Would it have been different? ReRe Oct 2014 #82

I'll skip "Racism" and take "An uninsured non-citizen" for $200, Alex. WinkyDink Oct 2014 #83

That's what I said to hubby, they probably were not as thorough as they would have been woodsprite Oct 2014 #85

Duncan is a Liberian citizen Sopkoviak Oct 2014 #90

Chances are that he was sent home primarily because the ER doc wasn't looking for zebras. WillowTree Oct 2014 #95

He wasn't "turned away" because he was black. 7wo7rees Oct 2014 #96

Uninsured! Doesn't matter the race, uninsured gets you kicked out of the ER speedy. Dont call me Shirley Oct 2014 #103

I completely suspect that was the case. onecaliberal Oct 2014 #105