ComplaintsforThe Ohana Addiction Treatment Center

• Initial Complaint

  05/17/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  On April 15, 2023 I entered into a mental health facility for my depression and to taper off of a medication I was currently on. Prior to traveling to this facility, I was promised there would be medical staff on site at all times to monitor my taper and withdrawal symptoms. They also verified my insurance, saying I needed to send them a payment up front for my portion of the in-network insurance coverage before arriving to O'Hana treatment center. Once I arrived to the facility on April 15th, 2023, it was not the case that there were medical staff and after a few days on the medication they prescribed, I was only able to speak with administrative staff about my intense symptoms from the rapid taper and the medication they used to taper me off of my previous medication. I was having such severe symptoms that I was needing emergency medical help, and they were not able to reach the doctor who prescribed the medication which they used to taper. After fainting multiple times, the paramedics were called by another resident in the program, and then soon after they left the administrative person who was in charge that day asked me to leave the program. I was not offered help in finding another program to enter into while I was experienced such severe symptoms. I was out of my home *****************), and the treatment center was in ******. My only option was to fly home while still experiencing such severe symptoms from the taper medication and from too quick of a taper that was not monitored by a medical professional. I was not given a ride to the airport after they asked me to leave, even though I was in very poor health. I would also like to mention that the administrative staff were the ones administering the medications to residents, which they said is actually required to be done by a medical professional. Since coming home, I've continued to have severe symptoms as a result of the medication they prescribed and as a result of medical neglect.

  Business response

  05/23/2023

  We take pride in delivering excellent care to our patients. If a patient is unhappy with the care or treatment they have received, we welcome the opportunity to discuss these concerns directly with the patient.  Due to patient privacy laws, we cannot confirm nor deny if a person was treated at our program.  
  
  Without raising privacy issues, we would like to address some of the concerns that were raised based upon publicly available information about our treatment center.  First, as policy and procedure, we have a robust medical staff, including Psychiatrists, Medical Doctors, R.N. 's, LPNs,and CNAs, who monitor patients and their medications.  If emergencies occur, we rapidly respond and contact emergency medical response as needed. 
  
  Second,our website states and shows we accept payment from numerous PPO insurance providers.  It does not state we are in-network with any insurance company anywhere on our website.  We specifically inform each patient that we are not an in-network provider.  We bill PPO insurances as a courtesy to clients to help them with the cost of treatment. Our terms and conditions are also clearly set forth in the agreement signed by patients when they choose to enroll in our program.     
  
  As further policy, we intervene if a patient decides to leave against medical and or clinical advice before their treatment is completed.  We work with a list of sources on the island and on the mainland should the patient need a higher or different level of care.  
  
  If this individual was a patient at our location, we will reach out to directly discuss the patients experience, and we hope to reach a mutually acceptable resolution.

  Customer response

  05/25/2023

   
  Complaint: 20069973
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I have not been able to get ahold of anyone at Ohana to discuss the negligence of medical care and unsubstantiated information I received prior to arriving. I welcome someone who can address these concerns to contact me, but have not received any returns to my calls previous to the claim I have filed. I appreciate that the person responding to my claim shows sensitivity to my privacy rights, but I did not receive this protection of my privacy while there in treatment. While in the ** at *********************** after a seizure and loss of consciousness, Genesis Kepo'o disclosed my residence at an addiction treatment center, rather than notifying the Nurse Practitioner the medications I was on and the name of the medication that I was tapering off of. This disclosure was an extreme breach of my privacy rights, and this choice she made on my behalf led to misassumptions and lack of treatment in the **.

  Before entering the residential program at Ohana, I was promised 24/7 monitoring by medical professionals on site. Once arriving, I saw that the only trained & licensed medical staff was the Psychiatrist I saw on the first day I arrived. Once my symptoms and side effects were present, I was in need of an immediate appointment with ************************************ Psychiatrist to respond and adjust my treatment plan. He did not respond and I only saw him again on the last day I was in treatment. He did not accept that the seizure, fainting, and other distressing symptoms I was experiencing were really happening and I was told it was just in my head. There were no other nurses, doctors, or any medically licensed staff on site to help me during any time of my stay, and this was a truly terrifying experience.

  Regarding insurance, before arriving I was told by ****************** that I would need to submit a one time payment of $1700 and my insurance would cover all other expenses. That is not the case, and I now owe thousands of dollars. I have not been able to receive a Superbill from Ohana billing, of the $1700+ tax to submit to my insurance for reimbursement. At no time was I made aware by anyone before arriving that they are not in-network with any insurance companies. I was not given an agreement including their terms and conditions prior to arriving or at any time.

  I did not choose to leave treatment early on my own accord, but rather was told by *********************** that I needed to leave as soon as possible. This was half an hour after fainting and losing consciousness for the third time while at Ohana. I was not offered any resources to seek treatment elsewhere, nor was I offered a ride to the airport the next morning, with these sever medical symptoms were very present for me.

  While the statements made in Ohana's response to my BBB claim sound well thought out, none of the policies & procedures they claim to implement at their treatment center were applied or truthful in my experience. It seems that there is some disconnection between executive staff and on-site care team staff regarding these claims of procedures. I urge Ohana to hire the medical staff they promise, and to be more thorough in monitoring the care at this treatment center. Please consider also providing additional training to ****************** in his interactions & false promises with admitting new clients, as well as further training for *********************** and ************** in client care.

  Again, I welcome contact from this business to address my concerns.

  ***************************

   

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