My son suffered a trauma in Blacksburg that resulted in a local orthopedist requesting the ER physician transfer my son to a facility with a pediatric orthopedist.  A pediatric orthopedist accepted the transfer at UVA hospital but suggested a call to Roanoke to see if they could accomodate the transfer since it was closer. 

Roanoke Memorial Hospital accepted the transfer and the surgery was done.  We subsequently discovered that the doctor who operated on my son was NOT a pediatric orthopedist.  They did not even have one on staff or available but ACCEPTED THE TRANSFER ANYWAY.   

The outcome from the surgery was so bad that my son had to go to Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters in Norfolk and have a femoral osteotomy, plate removal (the one placed at RMH) and a rod implant.  The orthopedists at King's Daughters were appalled at what had been done to my son. 

My son's case goes straight to the heart of the "leakage" problem with Carilion.  The transfer should never have been accepted.  The EMTALA form clearly states the reason for transfer as "pediatric orthopedist".  The surgeon who accepted the transfer and performed the surgery is a HAND specialist.  In a trauma situation, you trust that something as specific as a pediatric orthopedist request will be followed.  My son has to this point endured 18 months of pain and therapy (in addition to the surgery done in Norfolk).  He is still not recovered and has a way to go. 

We, of course, contacted Carilion and was sent a letter stating that my son's case had been reviewed and that he had received adequate care.  They will now have to explain this "adequate" care to a judge and jury. 

If anyone has a similar situation or any information that will be helpful to our case, please email me or post here in this forum. 

I am so sorry your family and son endured suffering from this kind of thing.

I pray your son sees improvement and recovers soon and I hope you follow

through with having Carilion see the judge. Of course, Carilion owns most

everyone, you know.

Obviously, this forum is pretty much dead and a pretty big failure, because

people critized Carilion and the Coalition changed directions and practically

apologized to Carilion. It was the one forum people could air things out on,

and now people have decided not to use it.

Shame.

Makes you wonder if these docs who started this group, but refuse to

use real names, are not just as interested in Money as Carilion........and

also less interested in patient care. 

One of my good friends recently lost her husband because he picked

the wrong urologist. Not a Carilion doctor.

I am thinking he will get to see the judge too.

Healthcare these days just sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You can email me at maidmore@aol.com.

Thank you

Tammy Leonard