Complaint Review: UPMC EAST MONROEVILLE

On 11/25/2013 I went to UPMC east for the first time. 

I had gone to the dentist earlier that day and they had told me that I had an infection and would need some additional treatment but to take the prescribed antibiotic and pain medicine until I could see a specialist. But by 5pm I was out of my mind in pain, pounding on hard surfaces at home and screaming.  It was a horrifying and scary thing for my family to see.  My girlfriend took me to the emergency room at 7pm and the doctor Percy Chu and physician extender Richard Carson attended to me and gave me a prescription for Ultram and a shot in my behind of a medication that was not listed on my discharge report (which is attached), but I think I heard him say to the physician extender that it was toradol. From the time I got there to the time I left was 45 mins. (as indicated on the discharge papers attached) I was concerned they let me leave so quickly after giving me the shot. But the immediate relief I felt was enough for me to want to go home and not question the timing. I paid the $125 bill and left.

 Within 2 hours I was again in uncontrollable pain, I had taken all the medication prescribed by the dentist and at the emergency department as directed by Dr Percy and nothing was touching the pain. I began to panic and felt like I was losing control of myself because of the severe pain. I really wanted to give the medication the appropriate time to work but by 5 am I could not handle it anymore and was taken again to the emergency department by my mother.  Although in excruciating pain I could see the look of disgust on the staff’s face that I was there again.  An apathetic Dr Percy again came in quickly examined me (the whole visit was 45 mins long) and explained there was nothing more to do for me..he couldn’t give me another pain shot because I had a flesh wound??? I wasn’t able to understand everything because the pain was keeping me from concentrating; he gave me another shot he said was a nerve block? I was very stressed and my mother observing this odd behavior asked if I could be admitted and have some further tests since the pain seemed so severe and very unlike me.

Dr Percy said he would not admit me and could do no more for me and that was it.  I got no explanation of what I received or its affects. My mother was upset that I had not been treated well since I was there a 2^nd time in one night so she asked if she could file a complaint.  Mr. Albert Dawson took her to a room and on a scrape piece of paper he took her complaint and then we left.  On the way home the pain was starting up again.  Again I tried to wait for the shot to work fully..but to no avail.

Again with no other option since it was 6am and no dentist was available, my mother returned me to the emergency department. At this point we were unwelcome. Barely signed in and put in a room. The most unprofessionalism I have ever witnessed but my pain was so severe they were all I had at the moment. Dr Chettur obviously annoyed, came in quickly went over with gloved hands and looked in my mouth and said I can’t do anything more for you then give you some Percocet.  If he had asked I would have told him what I had taken and might have been able to make a better decision, but because he was tired of us being there so many times he decided not to do his job.  A nurse (Holly) walked in with 2 percocet in an amber unlabled bottle with 2 unit dose Percocet in it. She stated that the doctor had discharged me and I could leave.  My mother asked for a mental health consultation because she saw that this non attention to the problem and the severe pain was making me very unstable.  The nurse left and came back with a security guard blocking the door and said ‘the doctor said he is not hurting himself he is discharged and must leave now” and the security guard was there to escort us out.  My mother said she would like to stay for 30 mins to see if the Percocet would take any effect since we had been there so many times due to probably that we were kicked out so quickly until the doctor could evaluate the situation.  The nurse said no you must leave.  My mother asked if the doctor could at least take a minute and speak to me about the medication.  He took me briefly aside and explained it to me and we were again asked to leave.

The next day at 8am I was able to go to the dentist and have the very infected tooth removed an old root canal had broken and the infection had traveled into the bone.  The dentist had very little idea of what injections I had been given since the discharge papers were not complete. My mother asked for the medical director’s number and Mr. Dawson could not locate Dr Van Fleets number for 20 mins and finally gave us the operaters number instead on another scrape paper and guest relations number.

What kind of medicine is practiced here? What is going on? I had a true emergency, I was having a mental breakdown from the pain and I was kicked out and escorted out of my local Emergency department by Doctors and nurses 3 times!! Where was I to go? Is this what UPMC is offering Monroeville or Pittsburgh for that matter?

I have used the emergency department 3 times in my life and this was only this instance. I wasn’t looking for a place to hang out for the night I needed medical help, I reached out and I was kicked out. I have insurance I paid my co-pay..and I still got this kind of service.  Was it that I had Highmark insurance?

 God help those less fortunate and less able to speak out against this unacceptable care.

I have attached all the paperwork. I am so disappointed and I would like an apology from the staff individually and personally for the disrespect and poor medical treatment I received, I would like the physicians reprimanded for their unprofessional behavior..I want accountability and I don’t want another patient to not be fully evaluated and treated. I want someone to care. Really care.  I saw none of that, how sad for Pittsburgh.

 I will now and the future travel to Allegheny General for any medical care I need and I will recommend to all those that ask the same.