A Daughter' s Journey: Finding Answers and Accountability

A daughter's pursuit for answers, helps to indirectly improve care through accountability.

I'll never forget the day my father was rushed back to the hospital shortly after being discharged after a routine surgery. As his daughter, I had always been close to him, but in that moment, all I could do was hold on to hope as he lay fighting for his life.

As a high-risk post-operative patient, Dad's care required constant monitoring and attention. With pressures to discharge quickly after his surgery, I felt we were rushed out before he was ready. It was my plan to help him at home after his surgery. I met with his in the nurses and had his discharge instructions.

My father almost died of a pulmonary embolism (PE) a complication from surgery. I was left wondering is this normal? Did I not do something I should have when I got him home? I spent months thinking about this.

I came across EvaluCare, a company that reviews medical care. I reached out andmy father's medical records and care reviewed by their team. ,After a few weeks of analysis, they presented me with a comprehensive report detailing the standard of care for post-operative patients like my dad.

Their findings were stark: the hospital had failed to follow established protocols for PE prevention, leaving my father vulnerable to this devastating outcome.

The EvaluCare report highlighted several areas where the hospital fell short:

• The medical staff didn't conduct regular assessments to monitor Dad's risk factors and adjust his care accordingly.

• Compression stockings weren't prescribed or used despite being a simple and effective way to reduce the risk of PE.

• Early ambulation wasn't encouraged or built into practice, which further increased my father's risk of developing a PE.

• Due to my father's risk factors he should have been prescribed prophylactic blood thinners to patients at risk of pulmonary embolism (PE) after surgery. This is because major surgeries, increases the risk of "venous thromboembolism (VTE), including DVT and PE."

I would not have known any of this. I'm not a doctor. In hindsight, it's clear that the hospital fell short in providing adequate care for Dad's post-operative needs. They didn't follow established guidelines for preventing PEs, which apparently EvaluCare shared is a leading cause of preventable deaths after surgery.

EvaluCare provide me with details below about what they call the "standard of care" related to my dad.

1. "Compression Stockings**: The American College of Chest Physicians recommends using compression stockings to reduce the risk of PE by 60-80%." However, my father was not prescribed or fitted with these stockings despite being at high-risk for developing a PE.

2. "Early Ambulation: The Society of Thoracic Surgeons suggests that patients should be encouraged to walk and move around as soon as possible after surgery to reduce the risk of PEs." Yet, Dad wasn't allowed to get out of bed or take regular walks during his hospital stay.

The report gave me some next steps that I could take, including hiring an attorney.

Armed with EvaluCare's review, I felt empowered compelled to reach out to the hospital. With their guidance, they provided me with some strategies to get a direct settlement from the hospital. I followed their advice and the hospital legal team wrote off all of the bills associated with his care along with some additional money to cover his additional pain and suffering. I could have gone to court but, I would have been tied up for years dealing with this and I'm not sure I could have gotten someone to take the case. It was a small victory. In the settlement, I gave them the recommendation on care changes that EvaluCare made that they said they would review and consider adopting.

As I reflect on our journey, I realize that EvaluCare's approach helped me not only find answers and but also hold the hospital accountable. Their expertise gave voice to my concerns and provided a sense of validation.

In hindsight, I wish someone had told us about the risks of PE before Dad's surgery, because I could have been a better advocate. I kinda kick myself thinking I probably should have done some of my own research. I can't change that now. But even with that knowledge, it's unclear if I could have got the hospital to do stuff anything differently. What is clear is that EvaluCare's review helped me understand what went wrong, or really, what didn't go right.

If you're like me and searching for answers after a bad outcome in the hospital know that there are people who care about your story and will fight for justice.

EvaluCare is more than just a review service; they're advocates for patients and families seeking truth and closure in the face of poor care.

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You shouldn’t navigate care questions alone. Let EvaluCare help you find answers, hold the healthcare system accountable, and begin the healing process.

Email EvaluCare today at info@EvaluCare.net or visit us at EvaluCare.net For more information about our services evalucare.net/medical-care-review-services

Your story matters, and your quest for justice starts with understanding what really happened.