I am astonished and embarassed that a family memeber of mine came to visit us and unfortuantely on the day that he was to depart from here ended up having to be admitted into Southern Maryland Hospital in Clinton MAryland.
After our first attempt to seek him care at Andrews Air Force Base was futile due to the fact that he wasn't an active duty member or Dependant... Andrews transported our family member to Southern MAryland Hospital for ongoing care.
Due to the fact that we are military we had no idea what hospitals in the civilian sector would have acceptable to send our family member to. After a long night of yes and no's and maybe so's they finally operated to remove his gall bladder along with changing his external port which was totally infected.
Upon completion of his surgery he was in terrible pain and his physician would not accomidate him with appropriate pain management. He was up walking the hospital corridors just to try and get some relief from the pain.
When he asked for something for pain he was told he couldn't have any until he reach a certain hour and upon begging the RN for something to ease his pain, his nurse called the physician to see if it would be alright if she gave him his pain meds 30 mins early, the physician responded with "I told you I didn't want to be bothered and that his orders were very clear on the order up paperwork"
I could go on and on about the half A* care in which my family member received from Southern Maryland HOspital. Needless to say my family and I are left taking care of our family member and trying to make him as comfortable as possible and doing care in which neither one of us is qualified or trained to do. And it rips my shorts to know that had my family member been part of the military sector, he would have gotten better care then what Southern Maryland gave him.
I would not recommend my worst enemy to seek treatment there. Is this what our civilian sector medical care has come down to!!!
A. Dunn
Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland
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