My letter to the Area Director of DaVita

[Rerun]

I'm mad and want to email this to the DaVita Area Director.  But, should I?  Any suggestions?

David,

There seems to be some control issues on the Thursday Night Shift.

After years on dialysis, my vision has decreased to the point that it is no longer safe for me to drive.  That has thrown a real road block into my dialysis schedule.  I have tried the bus which is so unreliable that it is of no use.  Plus it doesn't pick up until 6:30am.  I'm done at 300am.

I have been blessed with another patient picking me up and taking me home but they are in the hospital for a few weeks now. 

I took a cab which is an option.  I was blessed with another patient picking me up and taking me home but our "on" times are about an hour apart.

Instead of putting him on a little early (other slot is gone for a few weeks) they make him wait until 7:30.  No common courtesy or sense.  Just a brick wall and then General Patton is deployed to "straighten us out".  She asked me about the patient that is in the hospital.  I told her it was a HIPPA violation and not my business to tell.  She said "no, I can't tell you, but you can tell me, now what is going on"?  I would not tell her.  I should not tell her about another patient.  I did tell another worker that I "use" to trust.... past-tense.

A patient went to sit down on the chair and she said "Don't sit there now it is dirty".  I'd like to remind you that we are not parasites, we are human patients who PAY to come there because we have Chronic Kidney Disease.    We are the Customers.  Without us you would not exist. And without you we would die.  There needs to be some respect balancing training done here.

All of a sudden we are locked OUT of the treatment room.  I make 3 trips to make my chair up for an 8 hour stay.  Again, no common courtesy or sense.
Lock it after everyone is there.

We, as patients, need to abide by the rules, but we don't need to be treated like dogs, slobs, and disgusting animals..  Again, we are the ones paying.

Thank you,

[iolaire]

My suggestions:
What is the call to action you are seeking?  I suggestion summarizing everything at beginning and end in one line.  So for example if that person was to forward on your email and add a sentence of instructions what would it be?  Help that person envision that message.

Right now its sort of confusing with a lot of random information (no one is going to take much time to read the complaint so the main message needs to be very understandable).   i.e. are you asking for transportation?  The first three paragraphs seem to be about your transportation issues - where really you are asking them to be more flexible and put on the person who is now giving you a ride early if the seat is open.

What I think you want the person to do is forward on your message to the center management with a one-liner something like this. (Again hopefully you can help put words into that person's mouth as far was what exactly you want.)
"Team, I received the following complaint, please try to be more accommodating of patients and flexible; we want to be helpful when it doesn't impact our patients safety, treatments and your workload."

[Rerun]

Okay, thank you. 

[Jean]

ReRun, I agree with Iolaire, otherwise, perfect. I am appalled that you have to put up with this crap, and I hope that things get better after receipt of this letter.

[Charlie B53]

Iolaire makes a lot of sense.  Organizing your letter, arraigning the points to make better use in directing the thoughts you are pointing out.

Proofreading here a couple of times may be a good idea again to get it nailed down into something a Department head can easily sign off on to direct the needed improvements.

Wife is going through much the same vision problems,  It ain't easy.  I know if it were me I'd be having serious problems also.

As always, take Care,

Charlie B53

[Simon Dog]

"Don't sit there now it is dirty"

The standard is that each chair is cleaned after every patient.    Until the  cleaning is  done, the chair is considered "dirty" - that  is not a comment on the patient, their hygiene, or probability of them having cooties.

HIPPA binds medical providers, not individuals outside the system.   Calling the request for info on another patient a "HIPPA violation" demonstrates legal ignorance; better to say "privacy violation".

Be sure to address real points of contentions; not things that are easily refuted - like the need to clean a chair between patients, or mis-statement of the provisions of federal law.

[kitkatz]

I have written letters to centers. 
State your center's name and address and person to contact
Date your letter.
State the problem.
State what you need done.
State some solutions.
If more than one problem list them one at a time.

[Rerun]

Thank you all.

It was an email, not a letter.  The chair in question was a rolling stool used by the staff.  It has a cloth seat.  His butt is just as dirty as theirs.  Who is paying for the stool in the first place?  Some of those techs go smoke and then come sit down.  Really?

Anyway.  I forgot to put that I got in trouble for talking to another patient about the situation.  Really?  This isn't prison.  I told the other patient "Thank you, for letting Joe go first"  he said no biggy.  I wasn't ready.  "

Locking us out of the treatment room is an oppressive move.  "You will come in here when we say you can come in here." Again, this is not "day" shift.  There are 10 night patients who stay 8 hours and we bring long pads to cover the chairs, blankets, C-Pap machines, snacks, etc....  No lockers available for us.  Just a new conference room, lunch room and showers for the employees.  They have 3 bathrooms and we have one.  Us and Them is very prevalent. 

Why lock the door until everyone is there.  Just being used as a warden stick. 

Anyway, I sent the email.  This guy has come talk to me before when the drains stunk and the Manager said nothing could be done for months.  It was so putrid to try and sleep with that smell engulfing you.  Guess what?  Drains got fixed and that manager was later fired. 

Thanks again for the feedback.   

[iolaire]

Good luck. 

Re locked doors.
I feel like the policy of DaVita is to keep the doors locked and for techs greet patients in the waiting room and bring them back.  Thus the signs saying wait to be brought back and such.  Of course the center does things like block the doors open so we can wander back - I'm sure that's a violation of policy but they don't want to walk back and forth to the waiting room any more that you and I.  And of course those signs get me into trouble sometimes when traveling (to DaVita centers) since I patiently wait in the lobby as the signs instruct for far to long until I find someone and they tell me I should have just came back....

[MooseMom]

Rerun, I hope your message brings you good results.  Please keep us updated!

[Rerun]

This whole locking the waiting room is new.  I will have to look for a sign.  Thank you.

  

It seem like every few years they try the "No snacks and No drinks during dialysis"  This never lasts as patients RISE UP in protest.

It must be  nice to only have you job to worry about.  No building health issues along with dialysis and and and and ....

[iolaire]

It seem like every few years they try the "No snacks and No drinks during dialysis"  This never lasts as patients RISE UP in protest.

I hear them telling people with low blood pressure issues to not eat (after the episode). I'm glad that they leave it open for me because I eat a ton...

[Rerun]

Well, most of us are adults.  Unless they are going to send someone home with us to watch us, then leave us alone.  Educate us and back off. 

[Charlie B53]

I am still very new at my clinic.  The other morning the door was closed and locked.  So I sat down.  I was a couple of minutes early, my tech had told me the earlier I come in the earlier she will put me on as my cath make me much easier than having to needle.

I waited long enough I went ahead and stood outside on the walk and had a cigarette.  Can in and sat some more.

No secretary that day, still a Holiday for many people being Monday the 2nd.

Tech finally came looking for me, told me I should have knocked to let them know I was waiting.

How was I to know?

[Simon Dog]

I always knock (regardless, or irregardless) of the sign when I am a transient at a clinic, as I do not count on the staff knowing when to call me.

As a self-sticker I try be a bit aggressive about getting in, since I can go right to work while the staff stabs someone else.  I find the staff gets very "helpful" when I walk into a clinic I have never visited and start rummaging for syringes, wipes, etc.

[LorinnPKD]

Hey, Rerun, it's HIPAA. 

[LorinnPKD]

I've been thinking more about your letter.

The purpose of such a letter is to tell them what you need and make it as easy as possible for even the most chuckle-y of chuckleheads to help you.  iolaire is exactly right. There's a lot of extra details in here that muddy the point.



So you might say something like this:

Dear Clinic,

As you know, I have been relying on a fellow patient, Joe, for rides to and from treatment.  Joe starts and finishes an hour after I do.  When there's an extra seat available, would it be possible to put Joe on early instead of waiting until 7:30?  This would save us each an hour of wait time on either end.

Thanks,
Rerun



 

[Rerun]

Thank you.  Well, it is sent now.  Damn... HIPAA?  Oh well, they probably don't know the difference.... LOL

[Rerun]

Another complaint.  They have No Shovel to keep the walks clear.  Heck, I'd do it rather than tramp through the snow.  Plus it creates lots of melted snow in the lobby which can be slick.  I have donated two brooms to clear off cars and they've disappeared.
 
I've called twice that we need a shovel.   Falls on deaf ears.
 

[SKS]

I suspect that like our situation in current center there are dozens of improvements and considerations that could be fine tuned.  That makes it difficult to stay focused.  First I agree with you its NOT your place to inform center of someone's situation unless you have been asked too relay.  It should be in their records. Both centers we.very encountered seem to think we shouldn't be concerned about some details   BUT  you should be given copies of your details especially as a VA Patient receiving care we need to be able to answer questions when asked at next VA appointment    regarding the transport and scheduling  IMO major co-ordination should be attempted   Just last Friday a patient finished chair time at 2:30 pm  and at 8:30 pm  finally found a good Samaritan to take her home  1-2 hour wait is the norm here.   VA told us last week  talk to the nephrologist on duty  there is one always there  Wrong   

[iolaire]

Another complaint.  They have No Shovel to keep the walks clear.  Heck, I'd do it rather than tramp through the snow.  Plus it creates lots of melted snow in the lobby which can be slick.  I have donated two brooms to clear off cars and they've disappeared.
 
I've called twice that we need a shovel.   Falls on deaf ears.

Around here the city governments have rules about cleaning the sidewalk.  Not to mention businesses want to limit their liability and not have frail patients getting into accidents on their property.  I wonder does the facility have a property manager you could contact?  i.e. is it multitenant?

[Rerun]

The Area Director wrote back to me a lovely, well thought-out email addressing my concerns.  He said for security reasons we have to lock the door and although this seems harsh and unfeeling, it is not intended to be.  He would address with the teammates the concern about dirty and clean areas yadda  yadda....

I suggested that we could get a security guard that can open and close the door for us and maybe he could shovel too.

He didn't mention the manager trying to make me talk about another patients medical situation.  Hmmm  What could he say?

I'm just frustrated with my own situation.  So, it is frustrating jumping through new hoops that I think are ridiculous.

One thing I can't believe is they let patients bring in the same filthy blood stained blankets night after night.  Now, that should be a safety issue.  OMG

 

[kristina]

One thing I can't believe is they let patients bring in the same filthy blood stained blankets night after night.  Now, that should be a safety issue.  OMG

 

Dear Rerun,
I have just seen your post and I am so sorry that it became necessary for you to write to the manager about your troubles
and it is very sad and unfair that you have donated two shovels to keep the walks clear and now these two shovels have disappeared.
It also sounds terrible, that they let patients bring their dirty blood-stained blankets to their dialysis-treatments .
... And I can understand that you feel frustrated with your situation that you feel you have to jump again through new hoops ...
I so wish I could help you in any way and I send you my best wishes from Kristina.

[Charlie B53]

Contaminated blankets could easily become an issue.

I hate to put more work on clinic staff but........ having a washer and dryer and offering to wash those blankets would be a HUGE effort on their part.

I seriously doubt if this would ever happen.  It would be a very rare clinic manager and staff that would undertake doing patient laundry chores.

It never hurts to dream does it?

[iolaire]

I hate to put more work on clinic staff but........ having a washer and dryer and offering to wash those blankets would be a HUGE effort on their part.

Most foreign clinics I visit have medical beds and facility provided pillows, linens and blankets (that's in addition to a snack).  I'm always amazed at low quality of comfort of care we have here in the US versus other clinics.