ComplaintsforARH-Appalachian Regional Healthcare Beckley Hospital

• Initial Complaint

  06/17/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On April 28th, 2021 at approximately 7:30 pm my three year old daughter impaled her left leg with a stick. I could see that the stick was deep and required medical professionals. We live in ****** ******, WV and drove as fast as we could to BARH in Beckley, WV. We checked in and waited. They kept telling us they did not have a room. When we finally received a room it was adjacent to the check-in/vitals room. The room wasn't clean either as there was blood on the floor. An older doctor came in and he chastised us asking why we didn't bring her in sooner! I explained it just happened, we had to drive from Meadow Bridge and had been waiting in the lobby. I asked him if he could xray her leg for removal of the stick. He said the stick wouldn't show up on an xray. I then asked if it could be done with an ultrasound. He said there was not an ultrasound technician and that is why we should've brought her in sooner. Again, I told him this just happened. He said he would have to cut and remove the stick. He left to go check on another patient. When he came back he had a nurse with him and had me lay our daughter down and told me to hold her down. He gave her a shot of lidocaine in her leg then begin cutting immediately. He didn't even wait for the lidocaine to take effect. My daughter was screaming in pain and her whole body was shaking with her teeth chattering. He stitched her and proscribed her an antibiotic and advised us to watch for infection. May 3rd, 2021 my daughter's leg was swollen, hot and seeping pus. We took her back to BARH hospital. They went to do an ultrasound and saw that there was still stick in her leg. While doing the ultrasound more of the stick came out. We were advised she would need surgery to get the rest of the stick. They gave her anesthesia & she goes back for surgery. They bring her back and explain they did not do the surgery because the rest of the stick came out during ultrasound. They keep her for observation. I have more to say no room

  Business response

  06/27/2022

  This letter is in response to the letter received on June 22, 2022, ID # ********, from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), describing the care that **** ***** *** ********** received from us on April 28, 2021 and subsequent visit on May 3, 2021. Thank you for taking the time and effort to let us know about the concerns and giving us an opportunity to address them. Our mission is, at all times, to provide quality and compassionate care to our patients. You describe an experience different from this and thus we are concerned. 
  It is my understanding that your concerns include the following:
  1. Retained foreign body, such as a wooden splinter, in the leg after a puncture wound from a stick. 
  Investigation of Issues:
  1. Per physician from April 28, 2021 initial encounter ER visit: The area was anesthetized with 7 mL of 1% lidocaine plain after prepping the skin with Betadine solution.  A 0.25 cm incision was made with a 11. Blade, 1 and of the wooden foreign body was exposed and was grass with a surgical clamp and removed by traction.  It proved to be a 3 cm by 0.5 cm wooden object.  The resulting defect was closed with a single 3-0 Ethilon suture. 
  2. ARH Education: Removal of a foreign body in the skin is when the doctor takes the object out of that is stuck under the skin. What happens before the procedure? The doctor will ask about your history i.e., any medications you are currently taking, and any known bleeding issues. What happens during the procedure? Your doctor will give you a special drug to make you numb for surgery, the doctor will clean the area where the foreign body is. The doctor may need to make a larger cut to find the foreign body. After cutting, the doctor will clean the wound and stitch it closed. What happens after the procedure? Staff will watch you closely, doctor may give antibiotics to prevent infections, you may receive a tetanus shot if your last shot is unknown, and you may go home later that day. What problems could occur? Not all the foreign body is taken out, infection, bleeding, damage to nerves and blood vessels. 
  ********* * **** ********* ***. and its affiliates and/or licensors. All rights reserved.
  3. Beckley ARH Ultrasound Hours of Operation: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM Monday – Friday; 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM Saturday and Sunday. 
  
  Investigation Completion Date: June 24, 2022
  
  Lastly, I personally apologize to you for not receiving the level of care and service you expected. It is our aim to meet and exceed your expectations for quality health care. 
  
  It is my opinion that there was not medical negligence per Dr. ******** ****** M.D. during this visit and procedure. There is a risk of requiring a follow up to ensure that the entire foreign body was retained. Patient was educated to follow up with the PCP in three days for a wound check and in ten days for suture removal. 
  
  Sincerely, 
   
  ****** ******* BSN, RN 
  Community Director of Risk and Compliance
  

  
  

  Customer response

  06/27/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  I am not satisfied. Dr. ***** had a horrible personality, berated us for not coming in sooner when we came as fast as we could after the incident and did not wait for the lidocaine to take effect! Although he may have felt it was a minor problem, in my three year olds eyes this was a very scary situation. Having us hold her down was unacceptable and medical staff should’ve held her down. She associated that trauma with her parents and would not allow us to even touch her leg! She is now traumatized & scarred for life! I feel if he would’ve taken the time to adequately treat her than we wouldn’t have such a significant scar & a traumatized child. I am forwarding their response and this complaint to the Office of the ******** ******* ******** ********** ******** and the **** ******** ***** ** ********* 

  
  Regards,
  ******* ****

  Business response

  07/18/2022

  See attached.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩