Something has to change in the hospitals in this country.

[Mass]

I do not like to drop my problems here, but I am absolutely flabbergasted.

My father-in-law, who is 93, was sent to the ER this afternoon around 2p.m. , because he had trouble breathing. My mother-in-law has 86 and is walking with a walker. They leave in Western Mass (about 90mn drive from Belmont). We all expected that he would be admitted for the night, given his age, his difficulties, and my mother-in-law's condition.

He was given oxygen and rehydratation, and, tonight, at around 6:30 pm, they announced they would release him at around 9:00 pm, that they have to call a neighbor and manage by themselves. Luckily, we found that out now and my husband is driving there (we have been asking since 3pm whether they would keep him for the night!!!) to help them, but I just wonder what would have happened if we had lived further than that.

Am I irrealistic with this or could we hope that the hospitals give more help to elder people in difficulty?

[rox63]

1. That's outrageous!

Thoughts and prayers for his recovery heading your way. :hug:

Yes, there definitely is something wrong. Medicine should be about people, but unfortunately it usually comes down to how much money it makes for the hospitals. :banghead:

[beachmom]

2. America is a lot different from Europe.

Even things like when you have a baby, it's a much longer stay in the hospital in Germany than America. I don't think that will change, even if we managed to get universal health coverage. It's a cost cutting measure, but I think it has to do with things like the fact that I got a single room when I had my babies, and it more likely in Germany, that you'd share a room. Right there my room is more expensive so they want me out quicker.

Everything comes down to cost, and how they don't want you in the hospital. It's terrible, I know, but it's just how it is. And there's no movement to even stop this. Only to get more people with health coverage.

The only thing you could do is really, really complain and make a stink. I hope your father in law is better soon.

[cadmium]

3. This sounds ridiculous to me

unless both 1.he really wanted to come home and 2. he was fully recovered. If he really wanted to come home asap it makes sense.

I'm guessing, from the tone of your note, that this isn't the case. If they were just rushing to get him out -- it sounds like sloppy care. They probably were rushing because they were trying to avoid the prolonged hospitalization that might result while they try to come up with a reasonable discharge plan.

Do they get visiting nurse services? They should--you have to come up with some kind of Medicare-approved rationale to get the first visit, but it is worth doing so that they are known to the VNA should they need them in the future.

No I do not think you are being unrealistic at all. The facts speak for themselves. A 93 yr person that is short of breath, living with only another frail elder as support, should not be sent home at night unless they insist. Even then, a reasonable ER staff would have tried to convince him to stay overnight. Yes, this situation you describe occurs frequently.

[sandnsea]

4. That sounds terrible

I wonder if they're limited by Medicare reimbursement. I don't know. It would seem to me a person of that age would be kept overnight. We had an 80 yo woman fall flat on her face at our hospital, her foot got stuck to some gummy stuff on the floor. They didn't keep her for observation or even do an x-ray. We have a lot of old people here and I raise my eyebrows quite a bit on the health care decisions made. OTOH, I also know very old people who have gotten better care than my mother did, so I don't know. I don't think either of my parents got the quality of health care they should have. Their doctors just didn't seem to give that much of a crap about their survival.

Anyway, I hope your fil is okay. My son-in-law's grandmother went in the hospital yesterday with pneumonia. And my step-son's baby is in the hospital with bronchitis. Lots of lung problems this year, seems to me.

:hug:

[wisteria]

5. How uncaring and inconsiderate. He should have been admitted for the night for observation.

You are right, something is wrong with our hospital system- money. Money determines everything. 93 and they sent him home. How awful.