Medical neglect, abuse or incompetence -- You Decide? (00/36)

July 12, 2007

To anyone that will ever need to use a hospital emergency room:

This is the short version of about how St. Joseph's Hospital in
Dickinson, North Dakota took a fully functional adult female and more
than likely made her an invalid for the rest of her life. The long
version including attachments are in photo-format for easier viewing.
If requested I can supply a more detailed account of this tragedy.
The following is about how St. Joseph's Hospital controlled the
admission of Patricia VanDeMark on 10/02/05. Then didn't take the
proper safety steps against her allergy. Then assigned a doctor to
her. Then transferred her to another medical facility as soon as they
realized she had suffered strokes in their hospital from the drug we
both told them she was allergic to, on 10/08/05. All of this was done
without consulting myself and by the time of transfer my wife could
not communicate anyone.
Employees of the hospital admitted wrongdoing by the hospital.
Catholic Health Initiatives and St. Joseph's Hospital requested me to
attend a meeting on 12/27/05. At this meeting I was promised a fair
settlement by the people that the Catholic Health Initiatives and St.
Joseph's Hospital selected to represent them. This promise was to be
fulfilled by 2/01/06.
The administration of the Catholic Health Initiatives and St. Joseph's
Hospital after seven months found someone to say it wasn't their
fault.
If they could take back the strokes that my wife suffered, because of
their admitted neglect. The way they took back their admission to
their neglect. Then I wouldn't be writing this letter.
I have included several attachments, maybe too many. But if you'll
read the letter from Cardinal McCarrick you can see that he cares and
shows human compassion. Then if you will read the letter from the
Catholic Health Initiatives and St. Joseph's Hospital attorney there
is no human compassion or caring.
I was told by both the Catholic Health Initiatives and St. Joseph's
Hospital that, "they really care about their patients".
The letter from the Catholic Health Initiatives and St. Joseph's
Hospital attorney is the only correspondence I have received from the
time they changed their mind. In another words this is their way of
showing "they really care about their patients". I can say this about
Patricia's care. They don't care if they reduced Patricia to an
invalid, so in my wife's case I can say they don't care about their
patients. Now I am not talking about the doctors, nurses or health
care workers. I am talking about the administration that refuses to
admit that their facility can make a mistake. In another word the
people that control the facilities and make policies. This when people
in their employ have already admitted mistakes have been made.
Please forward this letter and attachments to anyone that you feel
will ever need a hospital emergency room.


Thank You,
Larry VanDeMark


Larry VanDeMark
115 Buffalo St N.
Hebron, ND 58638

larry wrote:
> July 12, 2007
>
> To anyone that will ever need to use a hospital emergency room:
>
> This is the short version of about how St. Joseph's Hospital in
> Dickinson, North Dakota took a fully functional adult female and more
> than likely made her an invalid for the rest of her life. The long
> version including attachments are in photo-format for easier viewing.
> If requested I can supply a more detailed account of this tragedy.
> The following is about how St. Joseph's Hospital controlled the
> admission of Patricia VanDeMark on 10/02/05. Then didn't take the
> proper safety steps against her allergy. Then assigned a doctor to
> her. Then transferred her to another medical facility as soon as they
> realized she had suffered strokes in their hospital from the drug we
> both told them she was allergic to, on 10/08/05. All of this was done
> without consulting myself and by the time of transfer my wife could
> not communicate anyone.
> Employees of the hospital admitted wrongdoing by the hospital.
> Catholic Health Initiatives and St. Joseph's Hospital requested me to
> attend a meeting on 12/27/05. At this meeting I was promised a fair
> settlement by the people that the Catholic Health Initiatives and St.
> Joseph's Hospital selected to represent them. This promise was to be
> fulfilled by 2/01/06.
> The administration of the Catholic Health Initiatives and St. Joseph's
> Hospital after seven months found someone to say it wasn't their
> fault.
> If they could take back the strokes that my wife suffered, because of
> their admitted neglect. The way they took back their admission to
> their neglect. Then I wouldn't be writing this letter.
> I have included several attachments, maybe too many. But if you'll
> read the letter from Cardinal McCarrick you can see that he cares and
> shows human compassion. Then if you will read the letter from the
> Catholic Health Initiatives and St. Joseph's Hospital attorney there
> is no human compassion or caring.
> I was told by both the Catholic Health Initiatives and St. Joseph's
> Hospital that, "they really care about their patients".
> The letter from the Catholic Health Initiatives and St. Joseph's
> Hospital attorney is the only correspondence I have received from the
> time they changed their mind. In another words this is their way of
> showing "they really care about their patients". I can say this about
> Patricia's care. They don't care if they reduced Patricia to an
> invalid, so in my wife's case I can say they don't care about their
> patients. Now I am not talking about the doctors, nurses or health
> care workers. I am talking about the administration that refuses to
> admit that their facility can make a mistake. In another word the
> people that control the facilities and make policies. This when people
> in their employ have already admitted mistakes have been made.
> Please forward this letter and attachments to anyone that you feel
> will ever need a hospital emergency room.
>
>
> Thank You,
> Larry VanDeMark
>
>
> Larry VanDeMark
> 115 Buffalo St N.
> Hebron, ND 58638

Scary stuff Larry. It hits a little close to home for me. I am currently
undergoing treatment in ND. As caring as the medical staff is, the
bottom line is always about $$$, no getting around that. It's the only
language the f'ing bean counters understand. I assume you have engaged
an attorney? Do you have documents from the staff specifying their mistakes?
Peter

>
>Scary stuff Larry. It hits a little close to home for me. I am currently
>undergoing treatment in ND. As caring as the medical staff is, the
>bottom line is always about $$$, no getting around that. It's the only
>language the f'ing bean counters understand. I assume you have engaged
>an attorney? Do you have documents from the staff specifying their mistakes?
>Peter

The only document I have from the Hospital proving what I have said is
their promise to give me an offer of settlement by 2/1/06. But several
people know of the conversations and I doubt if all would lie about
this incident.
As far as an attorney there were three that was interested in taking
the doctor to court. As soon as their investigation found that the
doctor was not told of the allergy I was let known that they were not
interested in tying up several years fighting the Catholic Health
Initiatives.
But if you know of an attorney that doesn't mind tying up several
years to fight a corporation that their advertised net worth it over
seven billion dollars, please let me know.
Larry