HAVE YOU EVER EXPERIENCED MISTREATMENT AT GEISINGER MEDICAL CENTER?  

 

• Stigma from Mental Health is my issue currently , so very interested to hear from this group 
• Substance Abuse and Chronic Illness closely related
• Sign if you are close to someone who has experienced abuse
• Sign if you witnessed mistreatment of a patient 
• Lastly, sign if you simply want to support the cause

In any case, adding some comments will help a lot. You can choose not to have your name displayed or use a pseudonym. Zipcodes preferred.

 

I have mental health issues from long ago, and just this year I was diagnosed with PTSD. In the past 6 months, multiple heinous  incidences , across different departments at GMC (Danville), have occurred -back to back. This tells me it is not just an isolated incident, but a PATTERN, and a SYSTEMIC problem at Geisinger. It also may point to collusion among doctors , who are labeling a patient as difficult etc, and that label is being passed from Dr to Dr, blocking the ability to receive quality care .

 

But that's just my PTSD talking, right? Wrong .  Like my other conditions, I worked hard to understand them.  Paranoia comes with PTSD, but I can distinguish between fact and fiction by relying on hard evidence.  Apparently, some doctors can't. Their behavior is not only unscientific, but immoral and in many cases , illegal. When you only see a patient by the label of a condition that you don't understand, you forget that that person is not their diagnosis , and you deny them access to health care. As members of vulnerable population , we are more at risk for homelessness, suicide and more,  and this is how it happens. 

 

 PERSONAL EXPERIENCES

 

I finally went to the ER after goin to Urgent Care 3 or 4 times for a strange, severe illness.  I finally figured out it was due to environmental toxins. I took the results of samples,  photos of the damaged areas of the place I was staying, and supporting research articles to the ER.  I had no pcp at the time (due to another contentious issue...)  At the ER, I was brought to a weird, alternate location. I felt I could not get my mom to come in to help me and was very nervous.  I was met by two nurses who greeted me with shame, condescension, and coldness. They were trying to not admit me. When I asked if there weren't any tests they could run, they said "the only test we can give you is a drug test".  I refused.  They did one anyway.  I could not believe what was happening. I was humiliated with personal attacks and mockery.  Some other patienyd did come in to this room to get treated, and I know they overheard this and were sympathetic.  I started to have a panic attack and that was confirmed ,but they DID NOTHING ABOUT IT, and continued to treat me like a criminal. I believe a breach of privacy was at play which contributed to this mistreatment

 They had made a judgment before I even walked in the room and acted with extreme bias. I know it was due to mental health stigma because before they did any lab tests, they called a psych nurse! I knew that could lead to my immediate involuntary admittance into the psych ward that night.  I was being punished because I had spoken out that they were violating my rights. I had to choke down all of the outrage, panic, and fear that ANYONE would have felt if they were treated like this.  Psych quickly surmised I was NOT having a psych issue.  Long story short, I left the ER reTraumatized, hopeless, and still desperately sick. I vowed to never go to this ER again. A grievance I  made went nowhere.

 

The next incident was with a different department.  After undergoing a grueling test, the doctor withheld the results until I gave her the details of what meds I was taking.  I already HAD given this info.  My results were abnormal, but she claimed they were due to me withdrawing from a long list of meds that I was not taking.  Requests to amend the meds, the med history ,and for the raw data of my  lab results are still not being granted, months later.

 

As well as misaligning me for mental health issues, she also told me my BMI was high and I should go to an obsesity clinic.  MY BMI IS ONE POINT over "average"  .  These are intelligent people.  I don't believe these kind of comments are made out of innocence - they are meant to create SELF DOUBT and SHAME in the patient.

 

Her false claims that I was withdrawing from some heavy drugs are very, very serious.  Her comments transferred to the other doctor I requested for follow up.  I asked for help from two other docs on my team but they have not,  I assume for fear of stepping on that doctor's toes.  Yet they felt no qualms in trampling on my rights.  I am being ganged up on and bullied by the people that are supposed to help me. 

 

Patients do have rights, but when I assert them, I am subjected to WORSE treatment . My efforts through Patient Advocates and with the doctors myself have been immensely triggering and futile . I am not continuing this labor until I show that this is not just a me problem .  So, I made this petition because I know I am not alone, even though I feel like it. Your signatures and stories need to be heard.  This petition will force the higher ups to take this issue seriously.

 

I have the proven patience, persistence,  and passion to sustain the long and hard road of challenging institutions who think they are above the law. I am reaching out for help because I am  discouraged and rimming out of steam from being blocked at every turn.

 

GMC doctors and nurses have consistently violated the law, the hospital's own policies, as well as the Hippocratic Oath that they all took in medical school:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My goal is to get at least 50 signatures and then I will take this petition to the administration, along with my grievance. 

 

Patients are supposed to be "active participants"  in their health care, according to Geisinger's own Patients Rights brochure.  But that does not seem to apply to all patients . All people deserve to be believed no matter what is in their medical history .

 

I will advocate like holy heck for our right to transparency, privacy, dignity and respect. Add your voice here and trust me, it will make a difference.

 

POWER TO THE PATIENTS! NO MORE MEDICAL GASLIGHTING! YOU ARE NOT ALONE! PATIENTS HAVE RIGHTS! WE WILL NOT SACRIFICE OUR HEALTH TO PACIFY EGOS! WE WILL NOT ENABLE BIAS! WE WILL NOT SETTLE FOR INCOMPETENCE DUE TO STIGMA! We will not be silent...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                   

                     ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

SIgn and share if you've had ENOUGH...