Something else that should be of interest: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-kingdrew23sep23,0,885360.story?coll=la-home-headlines From the article: The hospital's failings did not stem from a lack of money, as its supporters long contended. King/Drew spent more per patient than any of the three other general hospitals run by Los Angeles County.
Five part series on MLK hospital from the Los Angeles Times Part 1: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-kdday1dec05,0,4541490.story Part 2: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-kdday2dec06,0,5000244.story Part 3: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-kdday3dec07,0,5458998.story Part 4: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-kdday4dec07,0,5852215.story Part 5: Link is in my first post
nobody will go to jail for this. the US system claims freedom and privatisation and these are, though unspoken, supposed to be minority programs. the government is allowed to spend hundreds of billions overseas, yet when it comes to healthcare and insurance this very government's expertise suddenly ends. so the authorities are able to decide about death, but they fail to decide about life. and coincidentally that is in synch with big business.
How do you explain the fact that more money has been spent per patient at King/Drew medical than any of the other three hospitals in Los Angeles County, yet it has the worst care? How does more money fix this situation. They are already spending more than their counterparts for a level of service that is substandard.
Well, I've done more research on Drew/King and the place is just fucked up. If I hated someone, I'd send em to Drew/King. I found a blog from an ER doctor there, and its just sick. The place is a building pretending to be a trauma center. They maintain status as a Trauma Center, but they really are not. About 1/3 of the time, for example, there is NOT A SINGLE RADIOLOGIST IN THE BUILDING, and the administrators stipulate that only radiologists can read MRI's, CTs, and Xrays coz because of insurance purposes. So, the ER doctor can for example order a CT, but you might wait 4 or 5 hours after its been done before anyone decides to come around and read it. Surgeons the same thing, as a trauma center they are always supposed to have surgeons around..not so @ Killer King, about 20% of the time there are no surgeons. So, what of the guy who comes in and needs a CT (wait 5 hours till the radiologist comes in) that tells them he needs surgery (oh damn, the surgeon just left and wont be back for 3 or 4 hours either. Your SOL. This ER doctor talked of rampant drug use and alcholism among staff nurses and doctors at staff, that many of them come to work drunk and high. The place should be shut down, and its the dumb politician hood rats running it that should go to prison for what happened to this woman. This place is like a gun that occassionaly shoots backwards. It does not need another nickle from the taxpayers of Cali, it needs to be closed. Brandon
Can you PM me the link to the blog or post it here? I would like to read through it. I'm sure it has more horror stories than we get to read in the press. Thanks.
http://emphysician.blogspot.com/ There are three others too, but I cant recall the links, they are also blogs though. Type in King/Drew, Killer King Hospital..stuff like that on Google. You will find em.
The place is such a shithole that it used to be certified for 244 beds, and now the Feds only give them 40 something. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King_Jr.-Harbor_Hospital It also does appear that anytime anyone tries to point out problems at King and potential solutions the entire African American community comes out screaming racism. Well dumb asses, how bout the racism of the fact that its YOUR COMMUNITY USING THIS HOSPITAL, AND ITS BLACKS THE STUPID PLACE IS KILLING? Nope, they dont complain about that. The medical school attached to the hospital is nearly 80% African American, and nearly all the staff and amins there are all well...so obviously anyone pointing out problems at King is an evil racists. So stupid.