The below are my
reviews of the VMC doctors that were “in charge” of Mark’s health care. My
reviews are based on what I saw, heard (in the hospital) and what I found in
Mark's medical records. Be sure to go out and check these doctors out on the
internet – some say they are/were “Seattle’s Best Doctors” but ask yourself the
question – “Did they strongly encourage the staff at VMC do the voting?”
This section is still in work. You can locate these doctors on the VMC / Southlake Clinic websites. Be sure to also read other reviews posted on the internet - and keep an open mind.
January 13: Dr. Michael Hori comments that “they” have done a heck of a job with Mark (he thinks they have performed well?). Valley has no antibiotics to treat Pseudomonas.
Per our veterinarian: his father also died (because of errors) at VMC ICU. “I would never hire any of the VMC ICU doctors to work in my practice. At my practice I always have qualified personnel to watch over our surgery “patients” even over night; this doesn’t happen at VMC.”
Per a University of Washington doctor: I ask “Now that Valley Medical Center (VMC) and the University of Washington (UW) have merged – do you consider yourself an equal doctor to a VMC doctor?” The response was “NO, and we do not like being associated with VMC and their bad reputation. That’s a really bad place to go.”
Per one doctor I respect the most – from Swedish:
“I extend my utmost sympathy and compassion and outrage at the loss of your son, Mark….to die as he did savages the heart.
Sadly, what you describe is not an isolated phenomenon, but a preverbal malignancy in the practice of medicine. There is no one to blame save for physicians themselves who turn blind eyes to these processes and sell their oath for scattered pieces of silver. This is not all physicians, but enough to allow corruption to go unchecked. I apologize if I am brutal. What happened to Mark may have been preventable. I applaud your championship. I share your grief for your son; perhaps you will share mine for the looming death of Hippocratic practice of medicine.”
My Reviews (my opinions based on what I saw at VMC, what I heard/documented and what is contained within Mark's medical records):
Dr Michael Mena – Moved to another facility
This section is still in work. You can locate these doctors on the VMC / Southlake Clinic websites. Be sure to also read other reviews posted on the internet - and keep an open mind.
January 13: Dr. Michael Hori comments that “they” have done a heck of a job with Mark (he thinks they have performed well?). Valley has no antibiotics to treat Pseudomonas.
Per our veterinarian: his father also died (because of errors) at VMC ICU. “I would never hire any of the VMC ICU doctors to work in my practice. At my practice I always have qualified personnel to watch over our surgery “patients” even over night; this doesn’t happen at VMC.”
Per a University of Washington doctor: I ask “Now that Valley Medical Center (VMC) and the University of Washington (UW) have merged – do you consider yourself an equal doctor to a VMC doctor?” The response was “NO, and we do not like being associated with VMC and their bad reputation. That’s a really bad place to go.”
Per one doctor I respect the most – from Swedish:
“I extend my utmost sympathy and compassion and outrage at the loss of your son, Mark….to die as he did savages the heart.
Sadly, what you describe is not an isolated phenomenon, but a preverbal malignancy in the practice of medicine. There is no one to blame save for physicians themselves who turn blind eyes to these processes and sell their oath for scattered pieces of silver. This is not all physicians, but enough to allow corruption to go unchecked. I apologize if I am brutal. What happened to Mark may have been preventable. I applaud your championship. I share your grief for your son; perhaps you will share mine for the looming death of Hippocratic practice of medicine.”
My Reviews (my opinions based on what I saw at VMC, what I heard/documented and what is contained within Mark's medical records):
Dr Michael Mena – Moved to another facility
In my opinion, Dr. Mena’s attempt to follow the proces could have saved Mark from going through the medication withdrawal had he stayed Mark's hospitalist for at least another day and got the Swedish records for Mark's prior prescriptions. Dr. Mena writes down at least 3 times that he wanted the Swedish records. He then hands off to Dr. Goda (who doesn't review Dr. Mena's orders or ensure those are ordered from Swedish).
AVOID.
I have had more individuals contact me privately from this blogspot to discuss Dr. Alperovich. Dr. Alperovich used to work at St. Francis Hospital in
Federal Way doing gastric bypass surgeries. The first thing I think of is the
cross-contamination of the VMC bacteria (and introduction of more
bacteria) that occurred when Dr. Alperovich performed a tracheotomy then a G-tube (in
that same order). Within days another new bacteria, Pseudomonas, was identified
on Mark's tracheotomy incision (then lungs); soon after both bacteria were in
Marks gastrointestinal track. I am concerned about the obvious lack of
re-gloving and the use of non-sterile technique. It’s either those or the operating room and
equipment. You be the judge; some of you have already told me.
INFECTIOUS
DISEASE:
AVOID.
I have also had a lot of contact from this blogspot to discuss Dr.
Hori.
If you are looking for an infectious disease doctor that doesn’t seem to understand
infectious diseases - he's you guy. Dr.
Hori
will throw the patient “under the bus” even though he is aware the bacteria
came from the hospital. Dr
Hori's
shotgun approach to prescribing antibiotics scared me (he stopped all
antibiotics right after Pseudomonas was identified - I asked why and they
were restarted again). Dr. Hori also said that a 2C9
poor metabolizer (how your liver metabolizes certain prescriptions) was for
psychiatric drugs - wrong again Dr.
Hori. You
have to have a busy job at VMC with all the Hospital Acquired
Bacteria; sounds like a "revenue generator" to me.
AVOID.
If you are looking for a neurologist that will tell you your loved one is brain
dead, recommend comfort care to end their life, then your loved one wakes up
and communicates – she’s your doctor. What more can I say other than I’d find
another neurologist.
AVOID
UNLESS YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT FOOTBALL. If you are looking for a doctor that
would rather be playing football - he's your guy. He will tell you he will be
the "Quarterback for the team" - to drive your loved ones health care
and direct all the doctors to ensure an adequate tie-in between each (so silo
medicine isn't practiced). It's almost like one stop shopping - then he
will leave and not come back. When the going gets tough - Dr Wall gets out of there
and fast - just like he did when Mark was going through medication withdrawal,
being over-sedated and intubated on those first days. And Dr Wall is the VMC ICU
Medical Director?
AVOID.
What a fitting review of Dr.
Krell.
If you are looking for a doctor that intimates everyone around her - she's your
gal. If you are not strong and assertive - she is not your doctor. Dr.
Suzanne Krell
thinks Dr. Suzanne Krell is the best. One day I wore in a
sweatshirt from UCSF School of Medicine - Dr
Suzanne Krell was
the first to point out that she also worked at Duke and VA Mason. I wonder why Dr
Suzanne Krell
is working for Southlake Clinic/Valley Medical Center? Hmm, that is very
interesting. A recent Geico commercial reminded me of Dr.
Krell. Oh,
and did I tell you she always has 26 OTHER PATIENTS AND NOT ENOUGH TIME (In an
ICU)?
In
the wrong business. Dr.
Chen
should be ashamed of himself. Maybe it’s because he is too busy trying to take
care of all his patients. He did seem sincere, but then I read in Mark’s
medical records that another patient came down with the bacteria, Dr.
Chen
talked to the lab and Dr.
Chen said nothing while
the other doctors blamed it all on Mark. Dr.
Chen,
you make a good old school doctor in non-disclosure of facts and data and YOU
DON’T KNOW HOW TO READ. You have so much potential - the status quo at VMC will
not work for your career. Get out of there while you are young and can recover
- unlike Mark.
Dr. William Park
Dr. William Park
AVOID.
If you are looking of a doctor that "doesn't know" he's your guy. I
have never heard a doctor say "I don't know, go ask (insert other doctor's
name here)" so many times. Under Dr.
William Park’s
command, Dexamethasone was prescribed to Mark which caused the
VMC bacteria to eat through Mark's gastrointestinal track. It was
horrendous watching Mark suffer and die in that manner. Dr Park, you are scary
but at least you can blame it on the fact that "you didn't
know."
TBD.
We called Dr. Nunez the Dr.
Suzanne Krell
“Mimi Me.” Dr. Nunez tries to insert herself like Dr.
Krell
(OH, she also has 26 other patients), however, she does not. At least she
listened to what we said (and documented this in her focus notes (handwritten))
– “we (the parents) lost all confidence (because of the errors) in the doctors
at VMC.”
Dr. Amy Morris Moved
to another facility; at least she documented a lot of concerns correctly and had she been in charge things may have turned out differently.
In work
In work
Dr. Lindy Klaff
In work
THE HOSPITALISTS:
Dr. Mary J Vancleave – No longer at VMC – now at Swedish.
AVOID. Per the internet: "practicing medicine" for 5 years. It appears that Dr. Vancleave is now working at Swedish. Both Southlake Clinic and VMC made it a point to tell me she wasn’t working at either location now. Dr. Vancleave has no business practicing medicine in an ICU - at the cost of your loved ones lives - she is a hospitalist with no real specialized training. She cannot handle pressure or making critical decisions on the spot. Dr. Vancleave gets a lot of hits on this blogspot – almost as many as Dr. C. Alperovich.
In work
THE HOSPITALISTS:
Dr. Mary J Vancleave – No longer at VMC – now at Swedish.
AVOID. Per the internet: "practicing medicine" for 5 years. It appears that Dr. Vancleave is now working at Swedish. Both Southlake Clinic and VMC made it a point to tell me she wasn’t working at either location now. Dr. Vancleave has no business practicing medicine in an ICU - at the cost of your loved ones lives - she is a hospitalist with no real specialized training. She cannot handle pressure or making critical decisions on the spot. Dr. Vancleave gets a lot of hits on this blogspot – almost as many as Dr. C. Alperovich.
AVOID.
MISSING IN ACTION. If you are looking for a doctor that is "missing in
action" during critical times (and most of the time thereafter) -
which means you won't see her but she will bill for her services - she is your
doctor. Since I only talked to this doctor 1 time (and she billed for 10 days)
I'll let you be the judge.
Dr. Ajay Kundra – No longer at VMC – can’t locate
AVOID.
MISSING IN ACTION. During critical discussions Dr. Christopher DiRe will actually take
other phone calls which could not be as important as one of your loved ones
health. I'm sure those phone calls were his wife or children asking
"dad" what's for dinner and "can you pick this up at the grocery
store." Dr. Christopher DiRe there is something
called "Voice Mail" and I'm sure your office staff can take messages
and "Text." OR, maybe you were trying to avoid the entire
conversation because you didn't have a clue as far as status. Dr. Christopher DiRe also billed for his
services in November (I never talked to him and I was there) and shows up in
December (which I thought he was another new doctor). It's amazing these
doctors can bill a patient and the insurance company without seeing the
patient. Hmmm, now that's something to look into.
AVOID.
MISSING IN ACTION. If you are looking for a doctor that is "missing in
action" pretty much ALL the time - which means you won't see him
but he will definitely bill for his "services" - he is your doctor.
If you ask Dr. Eric Yap questions, of course he will not make eye
contact and will speak so soft you can barely hear him. Is this because he
doesn't know what is going on? He will also tell you he will get back with you
- you will never see him again. At one point I had to ask who the GI was this
week because no GI’s ever came to Mark's room, it was Dr.
Eric Yap.
Hmm, I'm seeing a trend here with VMC/Southlake Clinic GI doctors...
AVOID. MISSING
IN ACTION. At first we really liked Dr.
William Pearce and
his appearance of a "genuine nature." My opinion of Dr Pierce has
changed because of a critical meeting we had set up with all the doctors
involved in Mark's care. Dr.
William Pearce decided
to eat lunch instead (I saw him in the VMC cafeteria check-out line minutes prior
to this meeting - I was getting coffee) and send another doctor that knew
little to nothing about what was going on with Mark; AND Mark was dying. In
hindsight, thanks heavens they sent Dr.
Duane Carlson
(he told the truth) instead of Dr.
William Pearce.
Hopefully, you choked on your lunch.
AVOID.
Dr. Frank Thomas never gets it right; actually he
never bothers to review any tie-ins from previous lab work (you should have
read Mark’s lab work saying he had gallstones). You should also have read the
other doctors orders – like when they prescribed drugs that should not have
been when a patient has pancreatitis and gallstones. You should be ashamed of
yourself. Maybe it’s time for Dr. Frank Thomas to go back to medical school?
GOOD
LUCK TO YOU. The first time I saw Dr.
Duane Carlson he
said to me "how long has your son had liver disease" I responded
"since he has been in your hospital." Dr.
Duane Carlson looked
at me funny and said he will go and review the records and get back to me
- he did not get back with me. Dr.
Duane Carlson however
ordered the gallbladder ultrasound right after this conversation and due to him
actually trying to make a difference – Mark’s gallstones were located. Of
course, the doctors rotated and Dr. Frank Thomas didn't read the report nor did any VMC GI's
after that. Dr. Duane Carlson was also the doctor that told us (even
though VMC tried to cover up the facts) that the bacteria were eating through
Mark's gastrointestinal track. If you are looking for a doctor (as long as he
will stay with you for the duration) that will try to find out what is
going on and will be up front - he is your doctor. Dr.
Duane Carlson,
I wish you were the driver for Mark's health care - he might have survived. I
wish you and your family much luck in your retirement.
Dr. Daniel O’Neill - Retired
AVOID.
Your 7 blue index card technology doesn’t work - what was scary is that you
didn't realize it. You never have any idea what the lab results were; or what
was ordered because those are not on your 7 blue index cards. Did you ever use
the VMC computing system - maybe one didn't exist? You could have printed out
the most current information (from a computing system that
contains "electronic" records) before coming into the patient’s
room. I am still wondering why you put on your focus notes "Virginia Mason
GI consultation" and that didn't occur. Most likely the same reason
we couldn't get the Swedish GI second opinion. Do yourself and the patient
community a service and stay away from medical practice until to learn how to
use a computer.
NEPHROLOGISTS:
The VMC Renal team should have been on point and contacted Swedish the very first 6 hours Mark was at their hospital. It appears that the Renal team discontinued the Sensipar an Gabapentin without consulting any other doctors (at Swedish) prior to doing this. Hence, Mark when through medication withdrawal.
Dr. Vilma Quijada
In work
NEPHROLOGISTS:
The VMC Renal team should have been on point and contacted Swedish the very first 6 hours Mark was at their hospital. It appears that the Renal team discontinued the Sensipar an Gabapentin without consulting any other doctors (at Swedish) prior to doing this. Hence, Mark when through medication withdrawal.
Dr. Vilma Quijada
In work
Dr. Andrew Brokenbrough
In work
Dr. Frank Fung
In work
NURSING SUPERVISION:
Bob Chapman, Rn – Moved to another facility
Bob
has taken way too many management classes when his focus needs to be on
integrity and managing all the errors and complacency among his hospital and
staff of nurses. Bob, you need to do more "Gemba walks" and read your
"Kaizen Newspaper." Maybe a little Value Stream Mapping might help
along with Root Cause Analysis techniques and Compliance Risk Management
assessments (and how about Compliance Self Assessments and Surveys to your
customers - the patients and advocates). Bob, you don't have a
clue – put down the pipe – it’s not legal yet.
VASCULAR
SURGERY:
Dr. Oliver Aalami – Moved to another facility
AVOID.
Dr. Oliver Aalami needs a lot more practice in placing
dialysis lines; and not on ICU patients. Case and point: Dr.
Oliver Aalami
goes to push the guide wire in (in Mark's neck - jugular vein) and says it is
getting stuck on something and doesn’t want to push/shove it in. I tell him not
to, and why don’t they place these like Swedish (via x-ray) so
they don’t puncture something and hurt Mark. Victor (Rn) goes out and gets a
different guide wire; Dr.
Oliver Aalami
bends the end of it then says it goes in easier. Later, Victor goes to use the
new dialysis lines and they are not working. Victor is waiting for the dialysis
nurse to come when I leave for dinner ~ 4:30pm. When I get back, Dr.
Oliver Aalami
had already come back to the room and had to re-do the dialysis line with a
longer one (I find out why Christmas morning when I see Dr.
Oliver Aalami
~ he says "the first one was too short because of where he had
to place it in Mark’s neck.") So, how come Dr.
Oliver Aalami
couldn’t figure out that having to move the access incision/line placement up 2
to 3” might mean it will be 2 to 3” shorter at the end of the line? Dr.
Oliver Aalami that
is simple math. OMG, even my niece (who doesn't have her high school diploma
yet) can figure that out and she's not a doctor.
In
work
RADIOLOGY:
Dr. Mark Justus – Moved to another facility
In
work
Dr. Kenneth Reger – Moved to another facility
AVOID.
There seems to be a trend with VMC's doctors being able to place lines
correctly. Case and point: Dr. Reger inserts a picc line and apparently it is
placed into Mark’s heart too far (and the 2 x-rays they do on Mark don’t show
the tip of it) causing the V-tec and heart rate indicators to go off every
second. The nurse calls Dr. Reger back. Instead of Dr. Reger coming back to reposition the line; he tells
the nurse (Cindy) to pull it out a bit and she won’t. Cheryl (ICU Rn) comes in
and pulls it out a bit. Dr. Reger, if you place a picc line incorrectly, and
you can't see the results of that placement via x-ray, and the heart rate
indicators/V-tec begin sounding every second, isn't it YOUR responsibility to
fix it (to reposition it) since you placed it? Wasn't an IV nurse
(with specialized training) the one that should have "pulled it out a
bit?"
SOCIAL
WORKER:
Michele
Bohl, Rn
Michele
can turn on the tears just like I turn on my faucet. Michele can also
"turn" on the patient. In a doctor conference I asked the question of
what was causing all Mark’s massive gas (belching, the rectal tube bag full of
gas, the G-tube incision gurgling with gas, bile, and infection, etc.). Michele
restates my question (to her doctors) and says that the nutrition was causing
all the gas (to cover up the fact of what really happened with the bacteria -
Mark wasn't even getting TPN). Thank heavens Dr.
Duane Carlson corrected
her and told her “No - that would not cause those symptoms...” Always remember
this (as a patient or advocate) - the Social Worker is hired by the hospital
and will act for and with the hospital. The Social Worker is not a
patient advocate.
