There is a mighty lot of talk amongst the MRSA community about why they cannot find an attorney to take an MRSA case against the hospitals. At the risk of sounding like a conspiracy theorist (again), there IS some reason they won’t. Maybe hospitals are just too well financed and protected by the law, or maybe they have leg breakers (ha) - who knows. At any rate, two Louisville attorneys, Joseph White and Michael O’Connell, have stepped down from several MRSA cases against Jewish Hospital, and this is why:
O’Connell said the attorneys’ limited resources and early decisions by the court to limit some testimony led to their decision to withdraw from many of the cases. He stressed, however, that the cases may move forward and that they have not met with all of their clients to discuss their individual cases. Source
Sounds to me like the judges are in on whatever conspiracy there is to protect the hospitals, no?
Kentucky, MRSA, MRSA Lawsuits .gif)
58 responses so far ↓
Debbie // Nov 26, 2006 at 12:05 pm
How sad that so many people have lost thier loved ones from Jewish Hospital. We just lost our Mom last month after she got MRSA at Jewish. There is definely something wrong.
Christina // Nov 26, 2006 at 12:07 pm
I am so sorry for you Debbie - this situation is truly out of hand. I sure wish I had the solution…
Linda M. // May 1, 2007 at 5:29 pm
People need to start banning together to start something that causes changes in the way hospital and other health care facilities do business pertaining to MRSA. We can talk all we want, but talk without action is dead! I have spoken to a few attorney’s who are telling me that hospitals are generally immuned to being sued over things like MRSA. I know, how convenent! Right? Who makes these laws stating they are immuned but the rich lawmakers & lawyers themselves working for the hospitals!! They are all looking out for their own interests and we also need to do the same to makes these needed changes!! MRSA is preventable, and we need to let them (healthcare intitions) aware of what they already should know! I am interested of starting a classaction suit/ or at the least collecting names for contact for a future suit once I have enough people/names. You may contact me at lifesadvantage@aol.com
Debbie // May 13, 2007 at 1:19 pm
I have written letters to the President and some Senators but have received no reply to date. I can’t believe that judge threw out alot of the cases with the class action suit that had been filed. Something is definitely not right about that. We have talked to a few people as well and are having a hard time getting anything accomplished. I will continue to try to make our voices heard. Something has to be done about the careless practices of the staff. Today has been especially hard on Mothers Day without my Mom. It hurts and I am sad but mostly I am angry because she went through alot of un-necessary pain and suffering.
steve // Jul 7, 2007 at 6:30 am
I GOT MRSA THE NEXT MORING AFTER SURGERY AT A HOSPITAL IN ORLANDO FL. IT EAT ALL THE MUSELS ON MY RIGHT SIDE OF MY LEFT FLANK UP LEAVING ME MESSED UP AND I ALSO CANT FIND A LAWYER TO HANDLE MY CASE. I WAS TOLD BY LAW THE HOSPITAL DOES NOT HAVE TO RELEASE ANY INFECTOIN REPORTS MAKING IT ALL MOST INPOSSIBLE TO PROVE WHAT A SHAME
Debbie // Aug 7, 2007 at 11:16 pm
Did any of you see the article in the Readers Digest this month (Princess Diana is on the cover). I was surprised to see that MRSA ranked in the serious category with Aides.
joe // Sep 4, 2007 at 6:18 pm
Do you people realize that mrsa is also community acquired? That mrsa can be tranmitted by salvia. That mrsa is not active until you get cut on. That hospital acquired and community acquired are two different strainds. That you might have it and not even know. That people come to the hospital with so called spider bites and turn out to be mrsa.
Wendy // Sep 10, 2007 at 10:15 pm
I acquired my CA-MRSA in a NON-hospital setting. I am otherwise healthy, yet no one knows where or how I got it.
But now that I do, I am on some specialized antibiotics and some nasal antibiotics to hopefully get it out of my system (for a while).
MRSA CANNOT be transmitted by saliva, unless you have a lesion in your mouth (which IS possible).
MRSA is only transmitted by direct contact, which is why hand washing, and keeping your environment clean (antibacterial wipes) is sooooo important. Good Luck to everyone. God Bless.
Karen // Sep 11, 2007 at 12:30 am
My husband went to Jewish on July 18,2007 he did not have any Infections when he went in there to Have Aorta replacement surgery.
He came thru the surgery fine. then on July 4th his Temp went up, his Heart Rate went up and his B/P went down. Told us it would be 96 hours before they would know what Infection he had.
Found out he got MRSA and ACINETOBACTER BAUMANNII which he got from that Infected place. Made me so mad.
He suffered a great deal from this and they act like its nothing over there. Everything is Hush Hush about Infections.
I was told by an attorney that the Experts use to work for the Lawyers now Jewish has hired the Experts to work for them and this is why the well known Lawyer in Louisville cant handle these cases any longer. Jewish turned around and sued these Lawyers.
But, people I agree something has to be done and Im willing to do whatever it takes. Paul Moses from Channel 32 would put us all on TV to tell the public to beware of these Infections over there.
Could this be taken to the Supreme Court?
By the way my husband lost his life at Jewish due to them leaving a Shunt in his neck for 25 days which should of been taken out in 12 to 14 days. And he got MRSA again which caused him to go into Septic shock and his heart stopped beating, they shocked him back and he was in a coma for 3 weeks. I had to make the decision to take him off of the respirator which was very hard to do.
Jewish is killing people. Beware dont go there.
Every room in ICU’s has signs hanging on the doors Infections. Its like an assembly Line there.
Lean // Sep 12, 2007 at 4:33 pm
I am sorry to hear about the sickness and it seem like there is notihng you can do. I Think exposing it to the media will help, there is power in numbers. We can all get together and help each other.
Debbie // Sep 12, 2007 at 11:34 pm
Karen, I am very sorry to hear about your loss. It is very sad about the lack of concern and the assembly line of infections. I remember when my Mom was at Jewish and all of the signs hangin on the doors back then as well. I lost her a year ago and it sounds like its worse than ever. I continue to write letters to people that should be able to make a difference but so far I have heard nothing back. Illiteracy (in the government) runs rampant in this country when its convenient? Remember that elections will be coming up again before you know it. We may not have a say individually but as voters, we have the power of the people. I will continue to do what I can, in memory of my Mother and everyone else that has been subjected to this.
Deborah // Oct 5, 2007 at 1:18 pm
My husband also died at Jewish Hospital from MRSA in the bloodsteam, that hospital is dirty and needs to be torn down and rebuilt, that is the only way for them to get rid of what they have down there. Everyone needs to ban together. I am in a lawsuit as we speak with them without a lawyer and it is not easy but if they think they can KILL my husband and get by with it then they and there high powered lawyers can think again. My goal is for people to stop going there. The doctors,nurses and whole staff down there no what is going on so my wish for them is to become a patient in that hospital.
Debbie // Oct 8, 2007 at 11:14 pm
I agree that hospital is filthy. I will continue to write letters to get the word out. I don’t understand why nothing is being done about it. I guess Jewish hospital has enough money to keep it quiet. The staff doesn’t seem to care or are worried that they can’t get a job elsewhere? I’m not sure. My Mom was placed in a room with someone that had MRSA and the idiot person that changed the womans bed linens put them on the end of my Mom’s bed. The sheets had blood on them from the other patient. Shortly after, we found out our Mom got it too so we are not sure if it was from surgery or from the other patient. I called the Doctor and told him about it but nothing happened from there. There was a journalist from the Courier Journal working on the story about the whole MRSA lawsuit that was dropped by the lawyers.
Marcie Hascall Clark // Oct 17, 2007 at 3:41 pm
Any of you who have experienced these infections at Jewish Hospital should contact Paul Moses at WLKY.
Check out my website for more information on Acinetobacter baumannii.
www.iraqinfections.org
I am getting more and more reports from people who say the hospitals are not even telling the loved ones that some of these patients even have AB.
Linda M. // Oct 22, 2007 at 12:59 am
UPDATE: Please Read!!! For those of you using ANTI- BACTERIAL soaps and wipes, THINK AGAIN!! I recemtly read an article about MRSA and anti- bacterial soaps, the article had said that anti-bacterials actually are causing MRSA to become even stronger!! Contrary to what we thought we knew, it’s time to throw those cleaning aids out!
I brought the subject up to a local pharmacist and she totally agreed!! She said people need to use alcohol to clean their hands and also to clean counter tops!! She said bleach is good too, but alcohol is the best to use, something I personally was unaware of!! She also recommended we use regular soap to wash with, abandoning all anti-bacterials.
If anyone watch CNN the other night, they had a whole thing on the MRSA Strains. A guest on the show said that MRSA is now worse than AIDS!! It kills 1 in 5 and is starting to show up nearing everywhere. That’s a SCARY number! 1 in every 5!!
Linda M. // Oct 22, 2007 at 1:11 am
Just a thought - My daughter the other day brought this up while we were traveling home and I was discussing MRSA with a friend. She said, “Do you think MRSA is some type of Biological Warfare?” It made me stop and think, I have to be honest with you. Because it seems no one can get legal help and so many are becoming ill. I find it a bit “fishy” to be honest. Why aren’t these lawsuits moving forward? In todays world it seems if you look at someone the wrong way, well you know what I mean - but seriously people these days sue over just about anything. You would think that lawyers would be jumping at these MRSA cases, especially when many have because of carelessness at hospitals and nursing homes. I sure is strange to say the least. So, is it possible that the MRSA we hear so much about is a form of bio-warfare? Just a thought!
Lisa W. // Oct 22, 2007 at 7:52 pm
Hi, all - have to chime in on the lawyer thing - in the case of my deceased father, he was not cultured when he came into the hospital and had no previous high risk signs (nursing home patient, recent med procedures, etc.) However, my research at the time showed that the chances of proving in a court of law that the hospital’s negligence caused MRSA were very slim. Instead of the medical route, we wrote a lengthy letter to the hospital and CC’d everyone from the state health department, local health, and the hospital’s public board of directors. A committee was formed by the health care system with my participation. It was grueling and emotionally brutal to participate in this but I felt like the brochures, etc. that resulted were saving people’s lives right away.
By the way, unlike PTA’s and citizens oversite panels for law enforcement, patients and their family have little or no participation in the running of health care systems. Found that fascinating. Thanks for letting me share. Lisa
Mary // Oct 26, 2007 at 11:07 am
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued a report
that estimates 94,360 cases (about 32 cases per 100,000 residents) of an
antibiotic-resistant infection, methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA),
occurred in the U.S. in 2005. The study, reported in the October 17 Journal of
the American Medical Association, establishes the first national baseline for
MRSA infection rates. The CDC concludes that MRSA is more prevalent than
previously believed, affects certain populations disproportionately, and is being
found more often outside of health care settings.
Although the CDC found that most infections are healthcare-associated, only 27
percent of the infections were classified as originating during a hospitalization.
Another 58 percent were classified as likely resulting from the provision of health
care in any number of settings and probably present at the time of the admission.
An additional 14 percent of the MRSA infections were determined to be
community acquired.
Deborah // Oct 26, 2007 at 1:57 pm
What Mary said is true but my husband had a procedure where they went in his juglar vein and within 72 hours fevers started at 104. I am glad the schools in Virginia took ahold of the problem as fast as they did to clean them up, what a shame that the low life hospitals have never done the same.
Lisa W. // Oct 26, 2007 at 7:18 pm
Sorry - I don’t take must stock in anything the CDC releases to the public. The CDC knew about this problem years ago and gave vague information out on their website. The page for health care providers is the only one that mentions that MRSA is spread most often in health care settings by care givers not washing hands. You don’t see that on the page for the public. The chief med officer where my dad was diagnosed said it’s practically impossible to conquer MRSA in the hospital setting. You have to be your own advocate - see consumer’s union site - stophospitalinfection.org for clear info. Medicine is an art and practitioners vary in their beliefs about MRSA - just take a casual survey next time you’re in the hospital.
anomnymous // Oct 26, 2007 at 10:55 pm
hello
iI just stumbled across this and wanted to add wht i know about mrsa. Jewish is not the only hospital in louisville with this problem. My mother died after she left audubon after heart surgery which she acquired mrsa. high fever coma septic shock ventilator. she pulled through but we were not even told she had mrsa i read it in her chart they left lying around. we were not made to use precautions while visiting. I am infected with mrsa now. i wonder if i did acquire it at jewish though from several surgeries in the past. anyway who ever posted not to use antibacterials is correct. i was told by my infectious disese doctor that it just opens you up to the bacterias. your body has a good protective layer of good bacteria to protect yourself from the bad. Ialso remember this from my college biology classes i was in. I went back and read my books again and yes this is true. Use plain soap its just s effective in washing away the bcteria like mrsa. no soap can kill this. so dont kill your good bacteria. i was also told not to use antibiotics unless absolutely necessary. again your killing off your good protective bacteria inside and out. Ive had a few dctors tell me they were probably colonized with the bacteria from working within hospitals. this is why they wear masks gloves and gowns so they dont spread their own germs or contract someone elses. if you want to find information about a hospitals bacterial situation google the hospitl name city and state then search antibiogram. i did this for audubon and it will tell you all the bcteria that they have and and the number of patients that were infected and with what and what they should be treated with as far as antibiotics. My brother also worked t baptist east as an orderly. this was 10 - 15 yers ago even then he sid they would all tlk about how they couldnt kill the staph. Nothing would touch it. But now this bacteria has evolved past any remedy we have. my id doctor told me you cant kill it. it can only be suppressed and made to go dormant. this bacteria can hide when it needs to. then reemerge when the coast is clear. I think bacteriaphage therapy is our only hope and they need to researach this option and put it into use. google bacteriaphage therapy to find out more. this is natures solution to this problem i believe. there needs to be attention brought to this now that mrsa is in the spotlight. this is practiced in old soviet union republic of of georgia and with quite success. bacteria phages are bacterias natural seek and destroy enemy. if i could fford this treatment which is probably 10000 to fly over get treated and come home i would. they are now experimenting with this in poland nd i believe israel. we need to get the fda to approve these treatments if someone wants to be treated with this method. Im willing because if this doesnt kill me the antibiotics will. and as my doctor says you cant stay on them forever because it will just select out another antibiotic resitant germ. then i will pay the price. as a matter of fact it already has. the focus needs to be on the solution as it was with the aids epidemic after it became national and the public was aware. this Mrsa is everywhere now really bad in california and florida and texas states where thereis warm moist humid weather. with global warming i hate to think about what will happen. As you know its very bad in the u of k. they are finding it in their livestock their food chain. Also the antibiotics they feed our catlle with these days doesnt help us either. The fda just approved bacteriaphages for use in packaging certin foods here to combat bacterias. So you see this problem is more widespread than any news that has been reported. They just broke the tip pf the iceberg recently. I hve spent so many waking days and nights researching this and its bigger then what people think. I just pry they do something fast. tell the reporter to reserch this then do his story.
by the way there is more thn antibiotic resistant mrsa, theres the acinterobacteria you spoke of, mrse, pseudomonas, and others. the government needs to address this problem like they are trying to do in the u of k.
anomnymous // Oct 26, 2007 at 11:31 pm
Antibiotic susceptibility charts
(Hospital antibiograms)
Sometimes laboratory tests are needed to find out more about the organisms (bacteria, for example) that are causing a patient’s illness. By testing a sample collected from the patient, the hospital laboratory finds out what the organism is, and then determines how well various antibiotics work against that organism. Antibiotic susceptibility charts (also known as “antibiograms”) summarize the percentage of tests where a particular organism was found to be susceptible to a particular antibiotic. A high percentage indicates that the antibiotic might provide an effective treatment against the organism, whereas a low percentage indicates that the organism is resistant to the antibiotic. Antibiotic susceptibility charts provide physicians with the information they need to make the best use of antibiotics.
Separate charts are made for each inpatient facility and, for 2006, for outpatients. The chart for outpatients represents all tests run in the Norton Healthcare laboratory on patients seen in emergency departments, outpatient clinics, and private physician offices.
Click on the hospital name to get the 2006 Antibiotic susceptibility chart in a PDF document:
Norton Audubon Hospital
Norton Hospital
Norton Suburban Hospital
Kosair Children’s Hospital
Outpatients
2005 Antibiotic Susceptibility Charts
2004 Antibiotic Susceptibility Charts
For more information about Norton Healthcare’s Quality Report please email us at quality@nortonhealthcare.org.
View the Quality Report Disclaimer
Karen // Oct 27, 2007 at 11:39 pm
Can someone please send me info on MRSA Infections at Jewish like the person found on Nortons?
And also ACINETOBACTER BAUMANNII the number of people that have caught these infections while in jewish?
Thanks so much,
KNSlots294@aol.com
And also, when are we all going to ban together and get something going on Jewish?
The sooner the better for me.
Did anyone ever think of making signs and marching out in front of Jewish or whatever?
I’m not sure any lawyer is interested in even trying to go against Jewish for afraid of being sued.
So something is wrong with this picture.
JEFF S // Oct 28, 2007 at 8:20 pm
omfg i dont want to die. I have these bumps and my brother said i had mrsa and i went to docter i didnt hav thank god
anomnymous // Oct 28, 2007 at 11:58 pm
hey karen
i trie to look info on jewish for you because im also interested in see their numbers but had no luck i think you may have to call them or drive over to get it. this info needs to be made public .people should be given this information before they even step foot in a hospital. its like one news report said you are taking a huge risk everytime you enter a hospital. I know im one of them.
Karen // Nov 20, 2007 at 3:19 am
Dont forget to watch Channel 32 this coming Wed. night Thanksgiving Eve.
More on MRSA at Jewish.
I wonder why now, Jewish wants to talk about MRSA? Must be trying to cover for themselves?
Wonder why they dont mention Acinetobacter Baumannii Infection that they also have at Jewish? I guess not enough people have died with this yet or their trying to keep this Infection quiet like they tried to MRSA.
Also, my husbands medical records showed he had Heavy Growth of E Coli is this from Food Contamination or Bowels.
Husband had a Colostomy Bag and the nurses dont want to fool with this so when the bag starts to come off instead of Cleaning around the stoma and replacing the Bag like they should they tape the bag back on to the patients skin. My husband also got two Infections in his Colostomy. I changed the bag and his skin around the stoma had not been cleaned at all.
Im telling you Jewish is getting by with Murder over there. They are the worst around.
They can say all they want to about these Infections being out in the grocery stores or everywhere but I know where these Infections are, at JEWISH HOSPITAL.
And any Dr. that works there must not be much of a caring person to think of putting these people thru the surgery and knowing they can get these Infections and die anyway.
I use to think different about them til all this happened to a good man, my husband.
He nor anyone deserves to suffer like he did due to their filthy Hospital. MRSA is spread thru contact and if a person gets MRSA it has to be from a Dr. or a Nurse or filth in the bed or on the surgery table.
The Head Nurse over there in ICU-G is a liar also her name is Ruth Hunley.
She told me the reason Infections set in is because she has alot of young nurses and their afraid to talk to the doctors about replacing tubes that have been left in to long.
My husband had a infection that set in on a Sat. had Pus formed around his catheter. Nothing was done and I ask the male nurse if he could look at it after begging 4 days prior to this to change it. He came in looked at it and wiped it off and went back out. Did nothing.
That evening I ask a female nurse if she could ask a Dr. about it because more Pus was on the catheter, oh yes she said I sure will.
Next day, I had to ask the same male nurse if a Dr. could look at this, he said well there is one in here now I guess I can have him look at it.
Finally, a culture was done and YES Infection had set in. They could care less.
It never was taken out, so I called Ruth Hunley on her cell phone whom is head nurse in ICU-G.
This was on a Sunday and she never called me back or got in touch with me til on that Tues.
She then said she called Josh the male nurse and told him at Noon to take that Catheter out and he did.
But, guess what? We were there and it was not taken out til Five PM on that day.
Now, do you all call this good care that should be protected by the expert, Jewish has working for them?
I will be so glad when some of these other Infections come out and the media gets ahold of them.
I hate Jewish for what they did to my husband and to the many others that this is happening to.
KNSlots294@aol.com
It would be a blessing if Jewish had to close up.
Deborah // Nov 30, 2007 at 7:40 am
Karen
What you are saying about Jewish is so true they kill you then lie about it. I have one for all of you if you can believe it, I even have a doctors written report that states that she believe’s the MRSA my husband had in his bloodsteam was gave to him during the procedure he had done at the hospital where they went in his juglar vein. During deposition when she was called on that she said if she could change the wording she would. (DID NOT MEAN TO WRITE IT THAT WAY) What crap they get by with. There is no justice in Jefferson County Court when it comes to the Powers that Be. But I will have my day, still fighting them with no lawyer and I will only go away if I die. And if I am ever admitted there that just might happen. But for me to every go through those doors again I would have to be unconscious. The only real way we as the puplic will ever get them is by making enough people aware , where they refuse treatment at that hospital. Will keep you posted.
Karen // Dec 10, 2007 at 1:23 am
I recently read about the Lawsuit filed back in 2005 against Jewish for MRSA.
A man by the name of Mr. Bray testified that he was the Supervisor over Cleaning the rooms at Jewish.
He said due to the Census at Jewish the Cleaning person was never given enough time to Clean a room properly and sometimes the rooms arent cleaned at all.
He said he told Jewish about this and they werent concerned at all.
He also said bodily fluids would be present on things in these rooms.
but, even after his testimony Jewish still won.
Their getting by with Murder over there.
People what can we do to STOP JEWISH FROM CONTINUING?
I met a family over there when my husband was in jewish.
That same lady is back in there due to Congestive Heart Failure. She now also has MRSA and another Infection.
She is from way down in KY and no other Hospital in her area was helping her is the only reason she was flown to Jewish.
Any idea out there people of what we can do together to Stop Jewish from Spreading any more Infections?
Im sure they think their so highly protected that nothing could be done.
I would sure like to change that.
Joe McKnight // Dec 11, 2007 at 11:31 am
Hospitals aren’t to blame for every little thing that people aquire in their life time. MRSA is a huge problem, but the general public brings it into the hospital on a regular basis due to poor hygeine. It is sad that people sue for personal gain. You can say that these law suites are to make these institutions make their conditions more suitable and disease free for the general public. The truth is that you cannot control everything 100% and it does cause alot of pain and suffering when you lose a loved one to something as simple as MSRA when they go in for surgery. But no amount of money paid out to these families will ever bring back a lost loved one. Everytime these law suites are brought against institutions that need more funding as it is, millions of dollars end up going to legal expenses instead of helping others who are really in need. Then insurance premiums go up, and so on.
It makes me sick that everybody acts like a law suite is going to fix the problem. Sure it does give the institutions are big reason to change policies and procedures, but the money does nothing except for fuel the fire for money hunger Attorney’s.
Everybody goes straight to the Attorney’s office instead of contacting the agencies put in place by the government to keep hospital’s like these in check.
Deborah // Dec 11, 2007 at 12:14 pm
For your imformation Mr McKnight I have no attorney. As far as something making you sick how bout you let your wife, daughter or son go in a hospital walking and talking to have something very simple done and get an infection that they had never even heard of and lay for eight long weeks. Everyday they are dying just a little more because the infection has went to their heart, kidneys, spleen and lungs with green pockets of infection eating away at their organs. Have you ever seen someone die with cancer? Not a pretty site. But to be dying of something a hospital gave you in your bloodstream during a simple procedure is what is sicking. Because my husband was tested before the procedure and shown to have no infections.And then when they give it to them they will not even tell you what it is, you have to make an a– of yourself to get answers. And as for as contacting other agencies believe me I have turned them over to every agency in this state. You better hope people like me get something changed or you are someone you love could be next. So if you want to get real good and sick hop in your car and take yourself down to Jewish Hospital I am sure they will take care of you.
anomnymous // Dec 11, 2007 at 2:24 pm
I have mrsa and it is a living nightmare. It tells me how to live my life which is nil to none. I contemplate knocking my self off because i dont want to give it to my family. I dont live a normal life . Ive been on picc lines all oral antibiotics and as if I wasnt sick enough the antibiotics make you feel sicker. when the antibiotics dont work my doctor said ill pray for you. so everyone needs to open their eyes to this worldwide problem and the government needs to do something fast instead of down playing its potential to harm millions and millions of people. I was healthy before I contracted this. So your best bet is to be on the defense and stay out of hospitals period and large crowds and jails. daycares are another place small children pick it up. dont hug people or shake hands or get close to their face because you dont know who has this (carriers). I feel like im dying everyday. so protect yourself and your family.
Marcie Hascall Clark // Dec 11, 2007 at 2:37 pm
The hospital aquired strains of these Superbugs are easily identifiable from the community aquired strains.
Karen was extremely patient with Jewish Hospital while they gave her husband one superbug after another and E coli to top it off. She was treated in a horribly condenscending manner and information was kept from her.
Lawyers are her last resort in her effort to save the lives of other innocent victims.
Negligent cost cutting by hospitals and apathy towards these killers by doctors and other staff is killing people.
Mr McKnight either does not know what he is spouting off about or is a member of the medical community posting here on their behalf.
Lisa W. // Dec 11, 2007 at 4:03 pm
Hi, just wondering if Mr. McNight has been personally effected by MRSA? Is he aware that it’s next to impossible getting a MRSA case prosecuted because of the nature of the infection? That’s why a site like this is so needed - consumer driver advocacy is the only way to make changes in the health care system. I can comment on attempting to get assistance from governing agencies. “The Joint Commission” is the major accrediting association for health care systems. Has anyone ever heard of it? Neither did I until I went looking for help after my dad died. “The Joint Commission is comprised of health care providers - self policing - we all know how effective and transparent that can be. Also, look on their website. Every hospital scores so well. I’m a teacher and can tell you that when everyone gets an A, there’s something wrong somewhere. Hospitals have months and months to prep and go to great lengths to make sure their employees are up to snuff for the inspections. The whole process is a joke. You rarely, if ever, hear about this commission, yet they claim to be “helping healthcare organizations help patients.” Florida, my state, looks to them to certify hospitals -probably similar in other states. Also, remember, no one is required to publicly report statistics. The head of Infection Control for Florida was polite but informed me there were other ways of raising public awareness.
Two keys I’d recommend for Mr. McKinney - browse this great site and then go to stophospitalinfections.org to see what Consumers Union has to say.
Linda // Dec 11, 2007 at 6:42 pm
Europe is killing off hospital infections. They apparently recognized the threat of MRSA and have gone and continue to go to extra lengths to control the spread in their healthcare facilities. Why isn’t the USA following that lead? If you are an American admitted to a hospital in Amsterdam, Toronto, Or Copenhagen these days, you will be considered a biohazard. Drs and nurses are likely to put you into quarantine while they determine whether you’re carrying Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureaus, (MRSA) its called search and destroy- a combat mission that hospitals abroad are undertaking to prevent the spread of germs resistant to antibiotics. Our own health care authorities seem to be strangely reluctant to join this assault. Recently (reported in the courier journal this fall) they banned healthcare workers from wearing ties, long sleeve shirts, all jewelry and lab coats (which go unlaundered for weeks) . Apparently they have become aware of the many possible ways to transport this super bug from workers to patients.
Also, there is information written in 1999 by our own KY state government which has guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Multi-drug-Resistant Organisms which all the hospitals in KY are to follow. IS anyone listening??? 1999 !! This is the end of 2007 and still in KY we are all still at risk. Even tattoo parlors must follow guidelines. All we are getting is a Wall of White when trying to obtain information regarding the infection rates in a hospital hear in Ky. Just this year a bill was introduced that would require reporting. The language was wonderful & would give the average citizen the information needed prior to any hospital visit, but our legislature failed to pass this bill.
Go to the CDC web-site and look at the CDC campaign to prevent Anti-microbial Resistance in Healthcare Settings (11/2003), they even have a campaign for patients. Now tell me who is going to know to go to the CDC web-site prior to going to a hospital? Bottom line is that the hospitals have failed to warn us and continue to cover up the seriousness to every patient/visitor. Why can’t we get answers instead of a run a round? It really doesn’t matter whether the Super Bug started in the community and spread to the healthcare facilities or started in the healthcare facilities and has spread to the community (my best assumption) what we need to do now is keep awareness going and get someone in power to listen and do something. Its not going to matter if we win or lose in Iraq, if there will be no one left in the USA once this MRSA and other bugs continue to multiply worse than the Aids epidemic.
Joe McKnight // Dec 12, 2007 at 2:10 pm
Mr. McKnight is in the Healthcare profession and I do appreciate the information in the replies to my post. The war in Iraq is a huge example of how this government is negligent to the real needs of the US and its citizens. Other countries are way ahead of the US when it comes to Health Care and the well being of their citizens. It doesn’t help when the President of the U.S. and the Vice President has alot to gain by the huge increase in the price of Oil. Do you really think they care about spending money on something that is going to help you??? Especially when gas is over $3 a gallon here and its only 16 cents a gallon in Iraq. As long as this war is going on, they are making hundreds of millions of dollars annually. I am not denying that MRSA isn’t a huge problem, but you need the proper funding from the government to better educate the public and train medical facilities new ways of controlling MRSA.
anomnymous // Dec 12, 2007 at 2:46 pm
Mr Mcknight, I have a question for you. why arent doctors helping the citizens and themselves and other healthcare workers by lobbying congress to do something about this worldwide problem in the US. They dont seem to listen to regular civillians here. It seems you have to be someone in politics, doctor, lawyers and movie stars. I wish Dennis Quaid would have done something since one of his twins contracted staph in the hospital. Why wont doctors and healthcare professionals who see this everyday join with the citizens of the US instead of sweeping it under the rug and saying oh well. I guess until this hits a prominent government official we have no hope. Also why arent they checking into bacteriaphage therapy here. Im sure you know what it is. Are they going to let this be the next plaque just so the pharmaceutical companies can controll our destiny. This doesnt make sense to me. I will tell you this. This is airborne I dont care who and how many says its not I have it in sinuses and this stuff comes out of your nose when you breath. Doesnt it make sense that if other bacterias are exhaled out when you breathe this stuff is to. If not then why do doctors where masks when they operate. People exhale bacteria everyday all day some more than others. If dust can float so can microscopic bacteria!!!!!!!!!!!!. Why are they not acknowledging this. Yes people would panic but really are we going to let this be the end of our society. This stuff mutates to quickly to wait for antibiotics 5 years down the road it will have mutated again. I just dont get it. Eliava institute is curing and eradicating this from poeple why are we just trying to control it. a simple bottle of 10.00 bacteriaphages will take care of it in 95% of the people infected. Whats wrong with this country. I want to see my children grow up and live a normal life with my husband. Just be careful who you sit next to. No one wants to be a leper and most wont acknowledge they have this.
anomnymous // Dec 12, 2007 at 2:50 pm
Mr Mcknight,
Why dont you take the initiative to help us lobby congress.
Joe McKnight // Dec 12, 2007 at 7:09 pm
You know as well as I do, Democracy is a good concept on paper. But its just like taxes, insurance fraud and everything else, people abuse it for personal gain and benefit. You can lobby all you want, but if it is going to cut funds and keep people from making money that support politicians campaign’s then they aren’t interested in it. Health care should be provided by the government, hospitals should be owned by the government, so that the proper funding can be put in place to benefit U.S. citizens. Its easy for the government to over look these law suites when it doesn’t involve them.
Its kind of like Aids, there are alot of people who don’t realize that they have it until its too late. If you don’t realize that you have it and you interact with people on a daily basis, then it is going to spread.
As far as lobbying, have you seen how busy doctors, and Lawyers are??? Doctors are having to watch everything they do no matter how good their intentions are, because everybody is just waiting to file suite for something. Lawyers have no interest in anything unless it is going to involve their client a big settlement. As far as they are concerned they look at something like MRSA as a cash crop so to speak. As long as there are outbreaks and they are winning lawsuites because of MRSA, then they hope it is here to stay.
There is no right or wrong answer for this stuff, other then we need more funding to provide the public with protection against this stuff. If the government isn’t willing to help, then how is the hospital suppose to control it???????
You have been to a hospital lately right? It normally takes hours before you even get to see a doctor because of all the paper work and prep time. Now imagine if you have to be quarentined in that process. The hospital would have to almost double its staff to take on that type of project, and hospitals are just like any other business. You have to watch your spending on labor and supplies to keep your doors open, if you waste too much money then you will eventually go broke.
As far as lobbying goes, I don’t mind doing what I can to help. But you are fighting a losing battle until something big happens involving MRSA. Health care is already a big issue that gets pushed aside and looked over, I would imagine MRSA would just be put into that same pile.
Its bad when a country as rich and powerful as the USA cannot provide the same health care that Canada does at a cheaper price. The government is just like the mofia, whats in it for them?????????
Lisa W. // Dec 13, 2007 at 3:58 pm
I found Mr. MacKnight’s idea of the government owning hospitals to be fascinating. When my father was diagnosed in 2003, the only info on the web I found was from Great Britain where the infection precautions in their government run hospitals were so bad that MRSA was a debate issue in Parliament. So much for socialized medicine being the answer. Consumers have to advocate for themselves and their loved ones.
Lawyers do not look at MRSA as a big cash crop. It is difficult to prove in a court of law exactly how and when a patient became infected. Was it on the cleaning person or the doctor or the nurse or what? Lawyers won’t take these cases.
Hospitals are businesses - consumers need to stop feeling intimidated by the health care system and insist on partnering and oversight systems with full disclosure of infection information.
chris // Dec 25, 2007 at 9:38 am
MRSA is in every hospital in Louisville, KY not just Jewish. Each one of these hospitals have had deaths related to MRSA. The schools that have been shut down and cleaned will be recontaminated. MRSA lives on surfaces including your skin. When it enters the skin is when you get the infection. Since most people don’t follow their family doctors advise or follow instructions, they endanger the rest of us. Wounds should be covered, antibiotics should be taken as prescribed (you should never have antibiotics “left over” unless the prescription is changed by your doctor.) and you should wash your hands frequently.
When you are in a hospital anyone caring for you or your loved one should wash their hands. And if they don’t you should ask them to before they examine you. And leave young kids and older adults AT HOME Unless there is a life and death situation. Kids and the elderly get sicker easier. And hospitals don’t only have MRSA they have tons of other germs (TB, pneumonia, VRE, EColi just to name a few). When people start accepting responsibility for their actions and quit trying to blame others we will all get along a lot better.
Marla // Dec 26, 2007 at 6:51 am
Didn’t the timing of the nationwide staph infections coincide with the nationwide sewer and water line infrastructure upgrade? In Fresno, CA - cover-up for felony altering of sewer and water lines entailing massive discharges of raw sewage, trail of illness and staph. Could this be happening throughout the states?
Hervey // Dec 31, 2007 at 9:02 pm
I have recently become concerned about this issue as friends contract MRSA in hospital. The length of stay plus costs just skyrocket. Led by some European coutries, the VA in USA has now successfully adopted strict protocls that reduce hospital infections. Some states are requiring MRSA reporting. The cost-benefit answers are not yet accepted. Is MRSA screening and isolation at admitting justifiable? How much benefit is gained just by enforcing stricter handwashing? Are doctors being cavalier in assuming that yet another antibiotic will save the day? Right now we need to be writing our legislators to get something on the books for the upcoming session. Just required reporting would be a start.
Debbie // Jan 7, 2008 at 12:51 am
This message is directed to Chris. You don’t sound like a very compassiate person or apparently you haven’t lost anyone from MRSA-hospital related…A person that gets MRSA from surgery is not in any condition to tell the hospital staff to wash thier hands nor should they have to. I saw a hospital staff member drop gauze on the nasty dirty floor, pick it up and put it on my Mom’s bed and was getting ready to use it on her. I put a stop to it immediately but whats happening to patients when family members are not there? My Mom was supposed to have a private room after her surgery but was placed in a room with someone that should have already been quarantined. They didn’t ask our permission they just did it. They also took bloody sheets off the other persons bed and then laid them on the end of my Moms bed while they went to get something from the restroom. The hospitals need to clean up thier act and need some training about MRSA.
Kaitlin K. // Jan 9, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Hey guys, I am doing a research paper for school on MRSA and Jewish hospital!
My grandma had colon cancer and had surgery at Jewish. After all the cancer was gone she aquired an MRSA staff infection. That in itself almost killed her. She survived, however, cannot function properly now while using the restroom. It is horrific to see what she has to go through now.
About a year ago, about 30 of us got bright red t-shirts made that read “LOOK! these are the faces of mrsa victims of jewish hospital” –something to that effect. We also had posters and chanted sayings things like”Clean your hospital!” We performed this outside of Jewish. We got alot of good and bad comments from people, but it defenitaly made an impact. i suggest people get together again. We had many people come up to us and share their stories about MRSA and Jewish hospital.
Deborah // Jan 11, 2008 at 9:46 am
I am trying to figure out when alot of the MRSA cases were taking place at Jewish, I have tried to get records but they are impossible to get. Could any of you on this site post when you are a family member got MRSA from there. Thanks for your help.
Ron Cunningham // May 2, 2008 at 1:16 pm
After being a senior executive for the largest supplier of Nurse and Doctor uniforms in the country, I recently left this position and started up a new company with a few other senior executives in order to offer all hospitals an antimicrobial scrub/lab coat as well as patient gown that has been tested and reflects over a 99% kill rate of the most common bacterias to include both MRSA & VRE. We deal direct with the hospitals and are in a position to offer our merchandise at the same or even reduced prices of what they currently are subject to paying. We have started to work with some of the larger hospitals in the country, but for the most part have been ignored by majority of hospitals contacted. One has to wonder why? It appears that the Doctors are to busy to actually take time to properly evaluate this product and when it goes to the buyers they never want to take the time. The usual response is we already have a vendor for this product. Fact of the matter is we are the only supplier that offers such a product. I think people who read this and have had problems with the contraction of MRSA should be asking their hospitals why they are not on the phone to our company that can do nothing less than provide an economical means of helping in the fight against this deadly bacteria.
Deborah // Aug 15, 2008 at 9:38 am
August 14th, 2008
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Hospital Infections: Preventable and Unacceptable
By BETSY MCCAUGHEY
August 14, 2008; Page A11
On July 30, a jury awarded over $2.5 million to James Klotz and his wife Mary in a medical malpractice lawsuit against a heart surgeon, his group practice and St. Anthony’s Medical Center in St. Louis, Mo. In 2004 Mr. Klotz, now 69, was rushed to the hospital with a heart attack and a pacemaker was surgically implanted. He developed a drug-resistant staph infection called methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). It was so severe that he underwent 15 additional operations, spent 84 days in the hospital and lost his right leg, part of his left foot, a kidney and most of his hearing.
This verdict should send a warning to physicians, hospitals and hospital board members. Until recently, infection was considered an unavoidable risk. But now there is proof that nearly all hospital infections are avoidable when doctors and staff clean their hands and rigorously practice proper hygiene and other preventive measures.
Hospital infections will cause the next wave of class-action lawsuits, bigger than the litigation over asbestos. The germ that Mr. Klotz contracted, hospital-acquired MRSA, infects about 880,000 patients a year and accounts for only 8% of all hospital infections. Hospital infections caused by all kinds of bacteria sicken millions.
The Klotz verdict is not the first sign that hospitals are in a new legal environment. In 2004, Tenet Healthcare Corporation agreed to pay $31 million to settle 106 lawsuits by patients who contracted infections after heart surgery at Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center in Florida. Since then, numerous lawsuits have been filed against hospitals in Florida, Kentucky and elsewhere by infected patients. Hospitals being sued are saying that their infection rates are within national norms. But for most infections, the only acceptable rate is zero.
Medicare calls certain device-related bloodstream infections, urinary tract infections and surgical infections after orthopedic and heart surgery “never events.” Starting in October, Medicare will stop reimbursing hospitals for treatment of these infections. Hospitals will be barred from billing patients for what Medicare doesn’t pay, forcing them to take a loss. Next year Medicare will add other types of infections to the list of “never events.”
The evidence justifying Medicare’s new policy is compelling. Central line bloodstream infections, caused by the contamination of certain devices, are preventable. Hospital patients in intensive care are commonly medicated through a tube inserted into a vein. The risk is that bacteria will invade the tube and enter the bloodstream. Rigorous hygiene, including clean hands, sterile drapes, and careful cleaning of the insertion site with chlorhexidine soap, can keep bacteria away from the tube.
Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City reports that it hasn’t had a central line bloodstream infection in the cardiac intensive care unit in over 1,000 days. Dr. Brian Koll, chief of infection control there, explains that the key is using a checklist that doctors and nurses must follow. Implementing the checklist cost $30,000 and saved $1.5 million in treatment costs. Lives saved: priceless.
Other hospitals — from Johns Hopkins Medical Center in Baltimore to Sutter Roseville Medical Center in Sacramento — have reached the goal of zero central line bloodstream infections. No wonder Medicare calls these infections “never events.” Why should jurors reach a different conclusion in a lawsuit?
We have the knowledge to prevent infections. What has been lacking is the will. A recent survey from the patient-safety organization Leapfrog found that 87% of hospitals fail to consistently practice infection prevention measures. Insurance companies that sell liability coverage to hospitals could change that by offering lower premiums to hospitals that rigorously follow infection-prevention protocols.
To be sure, lawsuits are not the best way to improve patient care. Many verdicts are unjustified, and few truly injured patients find a lawyer to take their case. Still, the coming wave of lawsuits, as well as financial incentives from Medicare and insurers, will fight complacency about hospital hygiene.
Ms. McCaughey, a former lieutenant governor of New York State, is chairman of the Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths.
Carol // Aug 15, 2008 at 2:18 pm
I am in the process of trying to find a lawyer to sue 2 hospitals in NJ and one in NY. It is not easy, I was told that you can get MRSA anywhere. Based on what I’ve been reading here, most people get it in the hospital. My father died from MRSA, it is listed as the cause of death on his death certificate. I am in the process of ordering all of his medical records. If I can’t find a lawyer I’ll file myself. My father spent 3 years in either the hospital or rehab prior to his death. He suffered terribly with mrsa along with a multitude of other infections. MRSA was aquired after a double bypass operation, the abcess was in the surgical site and burst before the rehab place would send him to the hospital. Cleaning personnel in both the hosptials and the rehabs wore gloves, but the same ones in every room. Nurses would enter and treat my father without gloves while he was infected. Doctors don’t tell you anything, I had to demand my fathers records and read them, take notes and then look up what they had written. I have been told by doctors offices that I need to call his primary care physican for any information, they wouldn’t talk to me. They got paid, but they would talk to me. My father was septic over and over again, near death many times. All because hospitals won’t take simple steps to demand proper hygiene along with other simple methods of wiping out MRSA. I hope that I find a very good law firm. With the recent jury award and Medicare now going to refuse payment for infections it only stands to reason that there will be more lawsuits. I don’t trust doctors or hospitals. They really don’t care, nor do most of the nurses and other workers. We trust them with our loved ones and they kill them.
Marcie Hascall Clark // Aug 15, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Carol you story is almost word for word like so many others I talk to everyday.
The MRSA your father died from can be DNA typed and matched to the MRSA that has contaminated the hospital or other facility he was in.
Don’t give up the fight.
Contact me if I can help
junglem@yahoo.com
Anonymous // Aug 15, 2008 at 4:15 pm
I work in a Federal Prison. There are numerous inmates at our facility who have contracted MRSA. Our union has asked management to be more proactive but they have done nothing. At least 6 staff have contracted MRSA now. When each of these staff have applied for Workman’s Comp because of the time they were away from work they were all denied. Management contested the fact that they contracted MRSA while working. Marcie mentioned something about DNA matching. Is it possible to prove that a staff member contracted MRSA from an inmate through DNA matching? Thank you.
Anonymos // Aug 15, 2008 at 4:31 pm
The washing of hands, etc. is all so important. But what about the uniforms our health care providers are wearing? If the bacteria is on the uniform, regardless how clean the hands may be, once the hand comes in contact with the uniform the hand becomes contaminated once again. Is the washing of hands enough? Why are we not seeing antimicrobial uniforms as a mandate in all hospitals?
Debbie // Aug 15, 2008 at 7:18 pm
Deborah, thank you for the information on 8/14/08 that you provided, it was very informative. Carol, I am very sorry for your loss and I hope you are able to find a good attorney and some peace in your life. Losing a loved one is never easy and I am still sad from losing my Mom 22 months ago to MRSA. Unfortunately we were not able to find an attorney to take our case again Jewish hospital because of the stupid rulings of a judge from previous cases. The attorneys said it would cost too much for the amount of time they would have to work on it. Hang in there.
Lisa W. // Aug 16, 2008 at 8:00 am
My heart goes out to you, Carol. I’ve posted before about my father’s death in 2003. Keep up the good fight. Have you considered contacting the lawyers in the case from the Journal article? Maybe they can assist you with finding someone in your area. I would also recommend finding someone in the media that you can trust - not often easy - and sharing your story. An article in the paper could save so many lives in your area. Just another tip, when I was searching for answers when my father got sick, I found myself on a lot of malpractice websites. The stories there were horrifying and reading them didn’t help me. One group that was helpful is from Massachusetts. MITSS is the name - very positive and forward thinking. God bless you Carol!!
Carol // Aug 18, 2008 at 8:25 am
Thank you all for your encouragement. It really helps to know that there are others (although way to many) who know the pain of losing someone to an infection that could have been prevented. I also like the suggestion of finding someone in the media that I can trust. Again, thanks to all, your comments and caring really help.
Carol // Aug 19, 2008 at 12:54 pm
I thought I would give a brief update. I was told today by an attorney who limits his practice to medical malpractice that I wont’ find an attorney to take my case. NJ law limits any kind of damages for pain and suffering, since I am not a spouse or dependent child. Also, based on my fathers age, 75 when he acquired MRSA, and he was not still working that NJ law states that he was no longer a viable part of society and that his death(not in those words), although sad, doesn’t constitute a reason for any substansial award. So, no big money, no lawyer wants to take the case. The cost of litigation outweights the possibility of award. Sad isn’t it…I don’t know if I’m more angry or just profoundly sad. I don’t want to give up, so I have called 25 other law firms and am waiting for a response. So far, 4 have said no. All but one would give no reason. I don’t care about “big money”, but my father’s suffering should have some kind of meaning. Maybe it’s time that NJ’s laws were changed, that lawmakers realize that any life is viable and that losing someone to MRSA doesn’t need to happen.
Deborah // Aug 19, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Carol have you thought about taking them on by yourself ? You have that right. There are so many ways with the internet to do your research and even if you do not win being able to vent all of your anger will help. I have done just that and so far I am still in court.
Lisa W. // Aug 19, 2008 at 4:26 pm
Carol,
To give another perspective, we decided to go the advocacy route, knowing what you know now about litigation. I wrote letters to every agency I could find - this was quite a process. I wrote a detailed letter to the board of directors of the hospital. I got lip service from public health agencies but the hospital’s chief operating officer called immediately. I worked on a new committee to develop patient safety practices. It was somewhat rewarding but also gut wrenching at times. The health care system polices itself for the most part. The providers at times did not seem able to communicate effectively with someone outside of their field - it was fascinating. This was in 2003 and the only info I could find was from Great Britain. Nothing at that time in the US. You say you want your father’s suffering to have some kind of meaning. Advocacy work will make that happen. I strongly encourage you to check out www.MITSS.org - the founder, Linda Kinney, almost died from a surgical error. She is compassionate and wonderful to talk to. Please email me directly if you’d like - tbwj780@bellsouth.net. You are in my prayers and you are not alone.
Debbie // Aug 19, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Lisa W, the letter writing is somewhat therapeutic but has provided no resolution thus far for me or my family. I’ve written letters to President Bush and the Governor of Kentucky, Hilary Clinton (supposedly big on health care issues) and to the Centers for Disease Control. Guess how many responses I’ve gotten so far…zero. I will continue to write the letters in memory of my Mom.
Leave a Comment