Switching centers....so pissed off! Plus they have bugs!

[kit78]

For the past month now there has been a bug issue in center.  Those "roll up" bugs, normally found under rocks are invading the center, waiting room and in treatment area. The nurse and techs just kick them around or step on them, roll over them with chairs but God forbid anyone sweep them up and get rid of the problem.  Not too long ago a patient got bed bugs from setting their tote on the floor and it's the only place the tote is takin.
Health centers should be clean.

Due to some techs not being able to understand what "shallow" means while inserting the needles, they go right thru the whole vein.  Then the nurse has to come over and move it around to get it correct.  This always leave me in a lot of pain. Even using ice may help for a while, my arm to starts to ache severely and I have to come off the machine early. 
So this morning one of the techs tells me shes glad nobody is whining yet!  Oh Sally my arm is hurting.....  are you kidding me?  Now she's mocking me because they don't pay attention to what and how they do things and put me in pain!  This isn't the first time.  I also have a problem with my throat closing and let them know my hand gestures if it happened but NOT to call 911 as it would stop in a few. Because it didn't happen that day I was mocked afterwards by the nurse. Held his hand out and waving back and forth...my throat is closing, my throat is closing.  Unreal.........

The person that manages the place is hardly ever there.  Nobody has that many meetings.

I called another center today and am moving to a clean facility as soon as they have an opening.  I have had enough!   

Am I wrong here in wanting to leave?

[Bill Peckham]

You absolutely should change centers. Where is your doctor in all this? Have you visited the other centers in your area? Are they with a different company?

[NDXUFan]

For the past month now there has been a bug issue in center.  Those "roll up" bugs, normally found under rocks are invading the center, waiting room and in treatment area. The nurse and techs just kick them around or step on them, roll over them with chairs but God forbid anyone sweep them up and get rid of the problem.  Not too long ago a patient got bed bugs from setting their tote on the floor and it's the only place the tote is takin.
Health centers should be clean.

Due to some techs not being able to understand what "shallow" means while inserting the needles, they go right thru the whole vein.  Then the nurse has to come over and move it around to get it correct.  This always leave me in a lot of pain. Even using ice may help for a while, my arm to starts to ache severely and I have to come off the machine early. 
So this morning one of the techs tells me shes glad nobody is whining yet!  Oh Sally my arm is hurting.....  are you kidding me?  Now she's mocking me because they don't pay attention to what and how they do things and put me in pain!  This isn't the first time.  I also have a problem with my throat closing and let them know my hand gestures if it happened but NOT to call 911 as it would stop in a few. Because it didn't happen that day I was mocked afterwards by the nurse. Held his hand out and waving back and forth...my throat is closing, my throat is closing.  Unreal.........

The person that manages the place is hardly ever there.  Nobody has that many meetings.

I called another center today and am moving to a clean facility as soon as they have an opening.  I have had enough!   

Am I wrong here in wanting to leave?

No, most of my family is in Nursing.  You need to call the State Health Board. 

[kit78]

Thanks to both of you.  Yes, Bill, I have called Davita as I am hearing good things about them. Think it will be a closer drive for me as well.  Just waiting to hear back.  Not to pleased with the one opening they told me about but she thought the manager would have a better schedule.  Hope it all works out and isn't a hassle.

[Alex C.]

Keep in mind, if you change centers to a new one outside of the system that your current center is on, you will probably also have to change nephrologists.

[Hemodoc]

My transition from Kaiser to FMC here in Idaho has been less than good. They couldn't get my financial affairs correct and the local folks were just sitting on their hands. I called the central verification officer in Arizona for FMC and they ended up putting me with the lead supervisor who stated that they should have been able to EASILY approve me locally. After I made my own verification, about three days later, the center called up and acted like THEY got the approval.

They made me switch over to the PureFlow which in some ways is easier, but the chicken foot leaked and blew my hard drive. They are sending me a new control by tomorrow.

Yesterday, I went to the clinic for my second clinic visit. The doc seemed a bit reserved from our first meeting. After seeing her, they brought in the ENTIRE home dialysis dept all at one time INCLUDING the second nurse even though she was not doing my clinic visit that day. The reason:

12 days earlier during another visit for my initial eval by dietician and social work, the nurse sat down with a graph and said she had "good news." I could reduce my filtration fraction (I have it elevated at 45%) and improve the efficiency of my treatment and use less dialysate. I spent about 10 minutes going over the physiology of solute removal with her hand drawing a graph of that relationship with NxStage and then she was back yesterday like as if I had not already had that conversation.

To state that my second meeting was a confrontation is an understatement. In addition, even before I started at this unit, I asked all I talked to if being on 40 L a treatment was going to be an issue. They all assured me it wasn't. When "they" "approved me" they stated that it was only if I switched to the Pureflow but it was not a problem to keep my 40 L.

To say the least, I have no trust in these folks and I will explore my further options. My old unit here in Spokane is not part of Group Health even though Kaiser was not a problem at all.

Long and short of it is that the for-profit dialysis centers are in general a bunch of creeps that could care less about you or your outcomes. It is all about money period.

If your unit is filthy, you are justified to leave and report them.

I wish you the best dealing with this horrible industry.

[Bill Peckham]

My transition from Kaiser to FMC here in Idaho has been less than good. They couldn't get my financial affairs correct and the local folks were just sitting on their hands. I called the central verification officer in Arizona for FMC and they ended up putting me with the lead supervisor who stated that they should have been able to EASILY approve me locally. After I made my own verification, about three days later, the center called up and acted like THEY got the approval.

They made me switch over to the PureFlow which in some ways is easier, but the chicken foot leaked and blew my hard drive. They are sending me a new control by tomorrow.

Yesterday, I went to the clinic for my second clinic visit. The doc seemed a bit reserved from our first meeting. After seeing her, they brought in the ENTIRE home dialysis dept all at one time INCLUDING the second nurse even though she was not doing my clinic visit that day. The reason:

12 days earlier during another visit for my initial eval by dietician and social work, the nurse sat down with a graph and said she had "good news." I could reduce my filtration fraction (I have it elevated at 45%) and improve the efficiency of my treatment and use less dialysate. I spent about 10 minutes going over the physiology of solute removal with her hand drawing a graph of that relationship with NxStage and then she was back yesterday like as if I had not already had that conversation.

To state that my second meeting was a confrontation is an understatement. In addition, even before I started at this unit, I asked all I talked to if being on 40 L a treatment was going to be an issue. They all assured me it wasn't. When "they" "approved me" they stated that it was only if I switched to the Pureflow but it was not a problem to keep my 40 L.

To say the least, I have no trust in these folks and I will explore my further options. My old unit here in Spokane is not part of Group Health even though Kaiser was not a problem at all.

Long and short of it is that the for-profit dialysis centers are in general a bunch of creeps that could care less about you or your outcomes. It is all about money period.

If your unit is filthy, you are justified to leave and report them.

I wish you the best dealing with this horrible industry.

Peter your post reminded me of something I've been thinking about but rather than hijack this thread I started another thread here http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=29561.0

[kit78]

Wow Hemodoc..  I am switching from FMC to Davita.  It's a brand new place about a year old.  My Neph is on staff with them as well.  The social worker wanted to take steps further but I told her to back off as I didn't need any more crap added to the situation while I have to wait being transferred. I am just cringing at the thought of having to go in there tomorrow morning.  Makes my skin crawl.  Davita said I should be transferred by next week.  Wish it were faster! 

[Hemodoc]

Well, my doc stuck up for me today. I sent an email to the nurse and explained in great detail why her suggestion was simply wrong. It was also documentation for my own protection as well. The nurse sent the email to the other nurse and my doc. About 20 minutes later, she stated the following:

Peter, I have read your email with interest. I write your dialysis orders and I don’t have any intention of changing your prescription at this time and certainly not at any time without your participation. Thanks for all your hard work in the field of HHD.

Maybe there is hope for this clinic yet, we will wait and see for now.

[rocker]

Well, my doc stuck up for me today. I sent an email to the nurse and explained in great detail why her suggestion was simply wrong. It was also documentation for my own protection as well. The nurse sent the email to the other nurse and my doc. About 20 minutes later, she stated the following:

Peter, I have read your email with interest. I write your dialysis orders and I don’t have any intention of changing your prescription at this time and certainly not at any time without your participation. Thanks for all your hard work in the field of HHD.

Maybe there is hope for this clinic yet, we will wait and see for now.

This is the problem with dialysis (and most medicine) in America.  DaVita (and no doubt all clinics) employs many, many caring people who care deeply about the wellbeing of their patients.

And they work for a corporation run by MBAs whose only interest is maximizing profit, so they are often hamstrung by corporate policy.

We need to take the profit out of medicine, and let the MBAs go play somewhere else.

[gothiclovemonkey]

that is really just unacceptable. mocking you? wow. the nerve.
Now, i know, at my clinic they tend to kind of poke fun at me, because i say "owie" or "ouchie" when im cramping, but i take it in good fun, not trying to be jerks... because it is rather funny to hear a grown woman saying ouchie repeatedly... maybe they are just trying to make light of something (even though the really shouldnt!) or they really are just jerks. do they know this bothers you?

bugs, ew. but this time of year its rather commmon isnt it? maybe they just have a problem during summer months?

Im with you, though Id find a new clinic... ive done it myself. and it was the best decision i ever made!

[kit78]

Jen I have been there since last yr in June and there was never any problem.  These bugs live under rocks!  Why would they be coming in a facility?  People call them "rolly pollies" the ones you touch and they curl into a ball.  After the manager told them about it they finally swept the floor twice.  Then they were still crawling around. I thought one was going to crawl up a ladies blanket as the corner of the blanket was on the floor and she was sleeping. Gross......  Hope the manager calls someone to have it taken care of. 
I should be out of there by next week, which is the plan. Wish it were sooner. Of course they are coming up to me saying "you're leaving....why?"  "Where you going"  My reply....CRAZY!!!!!!!! 

[PatDowns]

Jen I have been there since last yr in June and there was never any problem.  These bugs live under rocks!  Why would they be coming in a facility?  People call them "rolly pollies" the ones you touch and they curl into a ball.  After the manager told them about it they finally swept the floor twice.  Then they were still crawling around. I thought one was going to crawl up a ladies blanket as the corner of the blanket was on the floor and she was sleeping. Gross......  Hope the manager calls someone to have it taken care of. 
I should be out of there by next week, which is the plan. Wish it were sooner. Of course they are coming up to me saying "you're leaving....why?"  "Where you going"  My reply....CRAZY!!!!!!!!

It's good that you have found another clinic.  However, to help the patients still there, how about filing a grievance with ESRD Network 10?  It is a not-for-profit, contractor organization for CMS (Medicare) which monitors quality of dialysis care in Illinois.  Its role is "to promote and support quality dialysis care and outcomes of ESRD patients and kidney transplant patients through patient services, education, quality improvement and the collection, analysis and exchange of relelevant incidence, prevalence, surveillance and outcome data."

Patient Line: 1 (800) 456-6919    Here's the link: http://www.therenalnetwork.org/services/index.php

You can also ask them to give you the contact info for the state surveyors overseeing dialysis units so they can make a call on your clinic.

[kit78]

Thank you Pat...will do so.

[NDXUFan]

Thanks to both of you.  Yes, Bill, I have called Davita as I am hearing good things about them. Think it will be a closer drive for me as well.  Just waiting to hear back.  Not to pleased with the one opening they told me about but she thought the manager would have a better schedule.  Hope it all works out and isn't a hassle.

Kit:

I was at Davita Home Dialysis for five years.  I left because all they cared about is their pocketbooks, HemoDoc is correct. This is what Davita cares about $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.  They promised Nocturnal Dialysis at Home for me, for five years, they never came thru on their promises, that was the last straw.  The way that they treat patients, as a former police officer, they should be going to jail.  If you are interested, you could call me and I can tell you how they treated me, so you can make an informed decision.

[cdwbrooklyn]

NDXUFan, do you mind sharing with everyone?  Inquiring minds want to know.

[kit78]

ND that is how it is where I am now.  If it's a prob, I will go to another center I know of actually owned by my Doc's partner who also happened to be my Mom's doc when she was alive. 
I will not put up with any crap from any center.

[Big E]

We need to take the profit out of medicine, and let the MBAs go play somewhere else.
[/quote]

  Thanks for putting it so succinctly, Rocker.

[kit78]

Just found out on Monday that FMC has a few other location with BUG problems.  Interesting!  I thought they used new blood filters. Was not aware they just sterilize them.  Saw this post...


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Fresenius warning
« on: September 03, 2013, 01:18:42 PM »
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I just got an update from MedScape which gives constant news in the medical field to physicians.
Fresenius just was warned by the FDA to clean improve the way it sterilizes dialysis blood filters.
That is something to really think about . Very scary since many clinics and home patients use their machines and filters.


'In March the company's separately listed subsidiary Fresenius Medical Care, the world's largest dialysis company, was told by U.S. regulators to improve the way it sterilizes certain dialyzers for filtering patients' blood.'
(i pasted this from the article)

[obsidianom]

Just found out on Monday that FMC has a few other location with BUG problems.  Interesting!  I thought they used new blood filters. Was not aware they just sterilize them.  Saw this post...


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Fresenius warning
« on: September 03, 2013, 01:18:42 PM »
   Reply with quote
I just got an update from MedScape which gives constant news in the medical field to physicians.
Fresenius just was warned by the FDA to clean improve the way it sterilizes dialysis blood filters.
That is something to really think about . Very scary since many clinics and home patients use their machines and filters.


'In March the company's separately listed subsidiary Fresenius Medical Care, the world's largest dialysis company, was told by U.S. regulators to improve the way it sterilizes certain dialyzers for filtering patients' blood.'
(i pasted this from the article)

I beleive they use new filters but regardless , any new product has to be INITIALLY sterilized before use. The filter would not be sterile when made until it goes through a RIGOROUS sterilization process . This is critical as the blood passes throught these filters along with the dialysate. ANY contamination could lead to sepsis and DEATH.
SO ANY issue with sterilization is QUITE serious. This is NO room for error  here.

[noahvale]

*

[Rerun]

I posted this somewhere else but our drains stink and their answer was to put  AIR FRESHINERS behind each chair..  It cost money to get a plumber.  DaVita!!

[gothiclovemonkey]

ive been told that reuse is soooo much better for your body, BUT (and i could just be insane here) going to davita, vs going to fresenius, i seem to always feel much sicker, and idk why... my assumption is the fact they use reuse, or maybe some other solution they use causes it... idk.

[kit78]

My new question on the reuse....   leaving FMC went to Davita.  My filter was a 180, now where I go it's a 160.  I noticed my hand felt so much better and did not lock up on me.  I felt better as well.  Every thing was the same including flow rate.  Is it ok with 160?   Also, when they do the monthly test, they do it with a person that comes in once a month. Instead of testing your access via the machine they hook up a block like looking thing that clamps on to your lines.  They get better info about your flow.  It's like listening to your lungs versus a chest xray. 
First visit went ok.  Only question is with the Dialyzer and if it's ok.   That's all they use there.

[Bill Peckham]

I posted this somewhere else but our drains stink and their answer was to put  AIR FRESHINERS behind each chair..  It cost money to get a plumber.  DaVita!!

Why not just pour some bleach solution down the drain? That's what I do at home every so often.