My story: My husband took me to Lourdes hospital one night last year with extreme hip pain.
The nurse in our cubicle told us, after running a cbc, that although all their regular beds were filled, that they really felt i should stay the night, acting very concerned. And that staying on the mental floor would be just fine, no problems, extremely nice, etc. I didn't know any different.
This woman could sell anything. She chatted us up for about 20 minutes, upon which time i agreed to stay and signed something, thinking it was standard hospital whatever. I had signed a voluntary commitment form.
As soon as she left, we realized we had made a big mistake, period. I ran out to tell some nurse out in the hall i had changed my mind. This nurse informed me of what i'd actually signed, and said if i tried to leave they'd call the police, wake up a judge, get commitment papers, and i could be in there for weeks.
The next day, the director of social work there, Gina Beck, came to see me in the 'day room'. Tearfully she apologized to me for about 30 minutes (she told the same thing to my husband who was trying desperately to get me out of there), telling me Lourdes was running a scam on insured patients through the ER, tricking them into signing that form, and then threatening them. I spent 5 miserable days on that ward doing absolutely nothing. Several other people on the ward had gone through the same scam. Gina begged me to sue Lourdes Hospital when i got out.
The only reason i did not sue - i couldn't get in touch with other people who'd had a similar experience (we didn't think to exchange phone numbers there) and when i went back to talk to Gina, she said that she had her people staying later at that date so it wasn't happening as much. But it is still happening. I wouldn't take my dog to Lourdes Hospital, Paducah, KY.
I was charged $7,000, which i'm still paying off, for that scam. I was sexually harassed by the staff, was put in with male convicted felons, and the worst thing - i was strip-searched. That had never happened to me in my life. Period. Ever.
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