- Report: #1377983
Complaint Review: Center For Cardiovascular Health - Brattleboro Vermont
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Center For Cardiovascular Health
17 Belmont Avenue Brattleboro, 05301 Vermont, USA
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802-275-3699
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Center For Cardiovascular Health Mark Burke, MDStephen Fleet, MD Unjust Termination of a Disabled Patient Brattleboro Vermont
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Nine years ago, I almost drowned inside. I was given a heavy dose of Lasix IV, and my life was saved.
Since then I have moved, become disabled with Multiple Sclerosis, and no longer have a car. I saw a heart doctor here in Brattleboro a couple of times, but after that my heart felt fine and I became pre-occupied with the problems of M.S.
After some time, my heart started to have troublesome symptons again. When I called the Cardiovascular Center, the receptionist said that I had waited too long to be considered a patient anymore, but if I got a referral from my primary doctor, they would see me again. This I gladly did.
Because I was not well, I asked my husband to make my appointment. But my M.S. symptons flared up, so I asked my husband to reschedule the appointment. He gave them 48 hours notice, and they gave me a new appointment. Alas, my flare-up got worse, and I asked my husband to reschedule again, because I knew that my body would not cooperate with me. This time he gave them at least 72 hours notice, and I was given a new appointment.
A couple of hours later, the office manager called. She said that my appointment was cancelled, and that I was being terminated from the whole cardiovascular practice. She claimed that I had missed three appointments without giving 24 hours notice.
My husband tried to reason with her. He reminded her that he had given much more than 24 hours notice. She denied it. He explained my problems with Multiple Sclerosis. She didn't care. He pointed out that we had no transportation to see another cardiac doctor (we live in a rural area, and there are no other heart doctors here). Nothing mattered; I was permanently cast away, with my name thrown on the Center's blacklist.
Their letter said that they would see me in an emergency for 30 days only. What am I supposed to do for emergencies afterward? With untreated Heart Failure, an emergency could happen at any time. Multiple Sclerosis can cause serious pain and mobility issues, and I believe it is my right to be reasonably accomodated with scheduling. But what can I do when nobody will listen?
4 Updates & Rebuttals
Problem Appears Resolved
#2Author of original report
Sat, July 01, 2017
Brattleboro Memorial Hospital called and said that they would make things right with the Cardiovascular Center. Today someone called and set me up with an appointment to see a Cardiologist. Looks good! I'll write later to ensure that this is permanent.
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Part of Brattleboro Memorial Hospital
#3Author of original report
Tue, June 27, 2017
I forgot to mention in my original report that this Center For Cardiovascular Health is a department of Brattleboro Memorial Hospital in Brattleboro, VT.
Who Will Listen?
#4Author of original report
Sat, June 24, 2017
I wrote about my plight to my local paper, but apparently they have chosen not to publish my letter. Today I wrote back to them, asking them to reconsider publishing that note. We will see what happens, but I can't help shaking the feeling that nobody cares if another old bag like me dies off and relieves the word of an inconvenience. In today's world, the doctors have the "right" to deny care (even with insurance) to anybody they want to, even though a patient has not broken their rules and was polite. I can always go to the emergency room when something actually happens, and somebody can try to save my life then. That's not deprivation of health care, is it?
The hospital that they are attached to, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, has ignored my e-mail for help. Now I have an application to complain to the state government, but I was hoping not to have to go this far. I don't know if the government will help me or not, since they tend to be backlogged. I am looking into other media sources, but I'm not sure if anyone is going to care about my h*o-hum story. Older people like me who are not rich probably die all the time, because of doctors pushing them out of the way.
If it were not for the heart medications coming from my family doctor, I would probably be dead right now. But I can do nothing about the symptons telling me to get checked out. If I need more or different medication, I have no way of knowing.
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Cardiac Problems--How Much Longer Can This Go On?
#5Author of original report
Fri, June 23, 2017
I have swellings in my body again. I still have my old prescriptions through my family doctor, but the dosages are probaby outdated. My doctor wants me to have them adjusted by a cardiac doctor. Alas, I am permanently banished from cardiac care in my area. For the swellings, I can take Lasix--but how much? There is no one to guide me.
I am almost 60, and I have never, ever been "fired" or shut off from a doctor or health care clinic before. This is a terrible feeling, to be heading into my senior years with a serious heart condition yet rejected from care as an undesirable. I did cancel two appointments, but with way more than 24 hours each. And that was because of Multiple Sclerosis problems, not because I wanted to party. They did this to me knowing that I have no car, no transportation out of town. And they well know that there are no other heart doctors in town. I can't even see the Cardiac Nurse Practitioner (who takes her own patients) because she is tied in with the same Cardiac Center that has denied me access! This is the 21st century, not the Dark Ages. I am still stunned at what happened to me.
Yes, I was polite with them and had good manners. I was not one of those "problem" patients that pounds their fists around and threatens to sue. I have never even come close to such behavior. So why did they terminate me? I don't owe them any money. Did they not like my insurance? Did they simply want to lighten their patient load? Why not be honest with me, have a talk with me about conditions? What has happened to our Health Care system, anyway? Did they throw out the Hippocratic Oath?
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