Nightmare
This nightmare, this “on the cusp of tragedy” may have a better ending than thought possible a mere 24 hours ago. This still may be a case of being poor results in sub-standard medical care but Sonia del Cid Iscoa’s condition has improved significantly in the last two days. The story, as first reported in The Arizona Republic on 14 May led to postings here (with copious comments) and here.
Today’s follow-up story points to a more positive outcome. And raises some serious questions, some legal and some societal, beginning with
- St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center on Tuesday reached agreement with lawyers representing Sonia del Cid Iscoa, ending an international legal drama over whether a legal immigrant could be forcibly transported from the country by a medical facility.
- Iscoa went to the hospital on April 16 because of abnormal bleeding, but the hospital sent her home, family members said. The next day, her doctor asked her to return, and when her water broke and she began having contractions, she was rushed into surgery and did not regain consciousness afterward. She went into kidney failure and had two more surgeries to stop bleeding and to remove an ovary.
- Where, Oh Where is the outrage over this issue. Forget the for-profit motive, where is the humanity, the caring for a living being.
Why did the hospital send her home? Inadequately trained staff? Too poor to pay? How has the system evolved so a hospital can try to have a person legally in the country deported? Who in the hell are hospitals? The for profit motive is one of the problems. We NEED universal health care.
The realty is that hospitals don’t “have” to do anything. Doctors have certain rules by which they practice medicine. That is why you must see clerks and administrators and nurses before you ever get to see a doctor.
The answer is that first of all she has no insurance. She may have a darker pigmentation in her skin but first and foremost she is poor and will be a drain on the Catholic hospitals bottom line.
Tags: Chief
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