How can I get my grandma into a new hospital?

October 14, 2008 8:34 AM

My terminally-ill grandma is in a hospital that is dirty, poorly staffed, and crowded. My family wants to move her to another facility. She has 2-8 weeks to live. Hospital staff has been unreceptive to our requests. How can we get grandma transferred to another facility?

My grandma was diagnosed with intestinal cancer about a week ago. She had a tumor removed, and it is likely that she will spend her remaining days in the hospital. Currently, she is in an old hospital in a small Iowa town. None of the rooms are private and they do not limit visitors - at one point the other person in her room had 8 family members in with her, chatting on cell phones, eating fast food, and generally being loud. When we brought it up to the nurses, they said not to worry about it, the other patient would be gone in a couple days anyway.

When my grandma presses the call button to summon a nurse, she sometimes has to wait 15-20 minutes. We have been there and witnessed the slow response times. The hospital is not under-staffed, the employees are just not responsive.

The point is that every single day of my grandma's life matters. Her doctor spreads his time between several small hospitals, and he makes his rounds early in the mornings and then is unavailable the rest of the day.

We have another hospital in mind that she has stayed at before. How can I escalate this to get her moved? I have asked the nurses to leave a note in her chart for the doctor to read (I leave 3 hours away so I miss seeing the doctor in the morning) but I have not gotten a response.

posted by Ostara to health & fitness (6 comments total)

When you visit, ask for the doctor's phone number so that you can call him or her. Alternatively, leave a message saying that you have urgent questions and you need a call from the doctor.

Also, ask the other hospital and the doctor who you want to take over her care if they can initiate the transfer.

I feel for you deeply. My mother was ill most of last year and was shuttled among numerous strange hospitals and rehab centers, and a few times was transferred with no family members being notified. She was eventually transferred to a care facility located at her retirement home, and received hospice care there, in a familiar surrounding. She passed on a year ago this week.

All the best to you and your family in this difficult time. Hang in there.
posted by Robert Angelo at 8:42 AM on October 14, 2008

Do you have a hospice nearby? Seems like she should be in a hospice or the staff at the hospice should know how to pull strings because they must have a lot of experience with this kind of situation.
posted by cda at 8:45 AM on October 14, 2008

Find an Iowa hospice through this site. (Do a ZIP code search on the membership page.) There appear to be 103 hospice organizations in Iowa.
posted by beagle at 9:05 AM on October 14, 2008

Agreeing that it sounds like hospice would be a good option for her; I'm surprised that the hospital hasn't recommended it. I know you live far away, but is there anyway you or another family member can be there when the doctor is? If not, try talking to the nursing manager on that floor. Additionally, the hospital should have a social worker or patient liaison available that could work with you.
posted by curie at 9:16 AM on October 14, 2008

Nth the hospice suggestion. That is the best way to go. She will be well cared for via the hospice route. There is the in-patient unit or at home care available. I'm sorry you are going through this difficult time; it's great you are being so proactive.
posted by muxnaw at 9:28 AM on October 14, 2008

Just coming back to add, our experience with hospice was overwhelmingly positive, not just for my mother but also for all of us family members. With hospice, for the first time we had a sense that the primary focus of care was on Mom's comfort. They also had resources to provide emotional support for family members, including a number that we could call 24/7 with any questions or concerns.

Hospitals, as such, aren't really set up to handle these sorts of things. They exist to cure people, to make them "better." Hospice helps when you know that the patient cannot be cured, and when "better" means giving them the most comfort possible and relief from pain. The two missions are quite different, and in fact, the hospitals where my mother received care were not licensed for hospice care. You might be able to locate a hospice that provides in-patient care, or one that works with patients in nursing facilities or (unlikely for your grandma) at home. In any case, you have more and more appropriate options with hospice. Please check it out and let us know what happens.
posted by Robert Angelo at 9:37 AM on October 14, 2008