Surgical Centers are Deadly Traps: NOT Like a Hospital!

Many patients try to save money by going to surgical centers rather than hospitals.  Insurance companies like this option too, because if the procedure is covered by insurance it will be cheaper for them to have to pay.  But the reason why a hospital is more money should be clear—more support, better trained staff, and more oversight.  Indeed, surgical centers are exactly what they sound like—a large center for pre-op, surgeries, and post-op.  That’s really it.

But when complications arise from a surgery, again—that’s really it. There is limited emergency medicine.  Limited nursing for emergencies.  And even the physicians on call are greatly limited.

Take this scary story from California.  A patient had back surgery at a surgical center.  He doctors left after the surgery, but just four hours later she was gasping for air.  This was because an internal injury and bleedings was cutting off her windpipe.  This is a well-known and common complication of spinal surgery which can be easily treated when diagnosed in time.

However, no one in the surgical center knew what to do.  In fact, the post-op surgical center nurse CALLED 911!  That’s right, the surgical center called for an ambulance!

Why would anyone ever go to a surgical center again after seeing that!  We trust these facilities with our lives, yet the surgical center is calling 911 for help.  Shouldn’t they have help already there?  Especially for a back surgery?

It is revolting to hear how surgical centers—who are making a lot of money—do this constantly and fail to appreciate the risks.  It is BACK surgery!  Working around the spinal cord and esophagus sometimes.  These procedures cannot be done so haphazardly because real people could have complicated and get hurt.

But what do you think?  I would love to hear from you!  Leave a comment or I also welcome your phone call on my toll-free cell at 1-866-889-6882 or you can drop me an e-mail at jfisher@fishermalpracticelaw.com.  You are always welcome to request my FREE book, The Seven Deadly Mistakes of Malpractice Victims, at the home page of my website at www.protectingpatientrights.com.