Emory University Hospital — Attraction in Decatur

I can't even begin to tell you what type of nightmare dealing with Emory is. My wife was diagnosed with melanoma on her neck and the process to remove the tumor took over two months to arrange with litterally dozens of trips from Marietta, Ga to one of their locations either at the midtown location or the winship center near the cdc.

Anyway, getting the person responsible for setting up the scheduling with the anesthesiologist for arranging the surgey from their part, along with the surgical oncologist's team schedule, and the pre-surgical diagnostics was a nightmare. The woman in the surgical oncologist's office responsible for scheduling on their part would tell us one thing and then wouldn't respond to enquiries at all! We'd have schedules change on us with zero notifications and even diagnostics tests we'd have to drive almost an hour to get to dropped with no notice or explanation from Emory at all.

We've had to get client advocates from the insurance company assist us because Emory would stop communicating with us about much of anything and getting any real personal consideration on my wifes needs have been a matter of hours of fighting with them to even get them to consider a simple request that just shouldn't even be a battle.

Now I will say that the surgical oncologist there is one of the best, but aside from one or two of his staff, the nurse he has is a heinous, evil witch that should not be in the healthcare industry. I simply cannot believe how bad the experience with Emory has been.

It is impossible to call them, even if you are a long-term patient and actually talk to someone that can actually do something. You will always go through a receptionist that is as much a draconian telecom security rep as a person that might give you answers. I even almost had a security guard at their St. Joseph's lication that almost tried to get physically violent with me because I was trying to find a wheelchair for my wife and after waiting to the point where we were almost late, I walked around to where the chairs were to suddenly have him show up and give me a world of grief. What a scumbag!

Now, after months of dealing with the continued horrible, lack of humanity that Emory provides, my wife is dealing with the post-op targeted immunotherapy that our advising oncologist got my wife started on costs a staggering amount of money that nobody would advise us on the cost until after we started on it! 26 thousand dollars a month for tafinlar and mekinist. Yeah the insurance company says they'll help cover the costs, but after paying $6500 out of pocket late last year for the surgery, not to mention the 30 to 45 minute one-way drive sometimes twice a week to Emory, the over 10 grand last year and now another $6500 hit the first or second month this year, I can't describe to you the stress of dealing with these people.

Sure would have been nice if they could have at least warned us that this therapy would cost at least $300,000.00 for one year. Oh and there's also the quarterly ct scans. I hope our insurance company continues to be as awesome as they were last year. Even with the insurance company being awesome, Emory has successfully managed to put me and my wife on a path over the past three years (this is our second go around with melanoma on my wife's neck) to bankruptcy.

I could continue to complain about this souless corporate cancer big business machine called Emory, but I'll say a few good things about them. Among the myriad of worthless people and some absolute scum working there, some of the finest folks in the business also work there. The actual surgical oncologist, the doctor that removed the tumor, was simply one of the best! The dermatologist that we are dealing with due to my wife showing several of the systemic side effects of the mekinist drug is fantastic. Also the social worker that my wife deals with is a genuine sweetheart.

So there are some true gems in the hospital here. Now to expkain a couple of my wife's special needs... My wife is morbidly obese. At over 400 lbs, this is a...

4:22 10/4/2020 Very happy with the care as of today as well. Daniel is a very nice and caring nurse. My momma was able to do Zoom again to speak with her husband. This is all families want is to be able to see and hear a love one. We just wanna know he is ok and an update.

3:57 p.m. 10/3/2020 Elaine the nurse was very sweet today helped my stepdaddy do a zoom call and was actually speaking to him with respect. I'm actually very pleased with her and the night nurse Tessa was wonderful as well. I'm praying he can keep these nurses that actually have respect for a family not being able to see family.

The CEO or chief medical officer or whoever made the decision not to let one person in the ICU part of the hospital needs to be fired. I have worked in the medical field over 11 years and honestly it is so unacceptable. I know how it works if you know someone they will let them in. Absolutely horrible experience with this hospital. My stepdaddy was life flighted here. Due to covid NO family members are allowed in the hospital, and to put it slightly these doctors and nurses CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT I do believe. We have barely received any phone calls about his care and treatment and even when we called, were told to it might be tomorrow before we hear anything and the nurse would call. My momma called this morning around 8:00 a.m. because we still didn't hear anything!! Well we live over an hour away gps shows 1hr and 20 mins here I am sitting at my momma's house trying to comfort her while these nurses and doctors do whatever they want apparently. The nurse even told us they are short staffed umm ok I know covid-19 is going on but what about other serious life matters. Are they not letting people in because they don't want people to see that they are actually short-staffed. So I called back and someone finally answered. I'm wanting to know how they are making decisions without ANY family there. I have wrote every single thing down for my momma and she has not gave any consent. My momma has a will and she is his POA and over all medical decisions. I mean how is this hospital not allowing one dang person :/ the hospital we left allowed 5 people back to see him. If one hospital let's family why can't this one :/

10/2/2020 He is still in the ICU. This morning momma called and they asked if she had a password ummm no they haven't gave her one. Supposedly a family coordinator is suppose to call and give her one per. the nurse said. This is a mess and not healthy for the patients that wake up alone. It's not healthy for my momma who has a heart condition to sit around and wonder all day.

Update - 4:53 pm 10/2/2020 Still in ICU. She hasn't received a call from a nurse or doctor. I drove my momma up here it was 1hr 20 but wrecks made it over 2 hour drive. A nurse named Kelly was absolutely one of the rudest people talking to my momma but yet working in healthcare. One day maybe she will sit around and wonder about her husband or wife. As I sit here I see the nurses and doctors bringing food in and out. If they go out and get food why can't she see her husband :(

Update 10/2/2020 5:05- The house nurse didn't wanna come to the phone per. Kelly she said the doctor would call my momma back. I could tell she apparently leaves at 5:00 or maybe she just didn't care the way she was speaking to my momma. The doctor did call within a few mins. How does a house nurse refuse to talk to someone on the phone :( yes covid-19 is going on but my momma also didn't have any idea what or how her husband was doing. Just because covid is going on shouldn't mean other patients don't...

Letter written by my wife Carrie Caldwell

On Monday, September 5th my husband visited Emory University Hospital with the following symptoms: chest pain, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and shortness of breath. He explained his symptoms and expressed that he believed them to stem from pancreatitis.

After triage and, drug testing, and an EKG he was brought into an emergency room and placed under the care of Roslyn M. Seitz. Ms. Seitz's bedside manner was less than desirable. It was obvious that she quickly made a judgement of my husband as a person rather than taking the time or consideration to listen to his symptoms.

Billy was very honest in answering the questions Ms. Seitz asked. They discussed recent alcohol abuse Billy felt, again, that caused what he suspected was pancreatitis. It was at this time Ms. Seitz started speaking in a matter of fact tone saying this was not pancreatitis, it was an issue due to alcohol abuse. It was clear Billy was in severe abdominal pain.

While the alcohol use was concerning and a problem that, indeed, needed to be addressed, the pain was also very real and needed attention. Ms. Seitz ordered a CT scan and some blood work then returned to tell Billy that there was no pancreatitis and she would be ordering a GI cocktail. It was at this time I told Ms. Seitz that Billy has never experienced heartburn so he didn't understand the pain and that she would need to explain. She told him what a GI cocktail is but not what she was treating. Throughout his visit she continued to avoid addressing Billy and answer in generalities.

Ms. Seitz returned to tell Billy she was releasing him. While clearly experiencing unbearable pain, Billy asked about pain medication she said she could prescribe something, but that she wouldn't be doing so. Her attitude and the manner in which she expressed this made it clear that she categorized him with a group of drug addicted individuals who visit the ER for pain medications; even after his drug tests were negative.

She further explained that the pain would be severe, she was not prescribing pain medication, and he shouldn't take any OTC medication for the pain. She advised he should continue life as normal and avoid spicy foods. Directions which, unbeknownst to Billy, would lead to increased pain and discomfort throughout the coming week as well as worsening his symptoms.

After 7 hours my husband was discharged from the ER with treatment instructions for GURD and a prescription for Librium. Ms. Seitz advised she would be treating the underlying problem with Librium for alcohol withdrawals, Pepcid to help with reflux, antacids as needed, and instructions to follow up with a PHP.

On Friday, September 9th my husband was admitted to West Marion Community Hospital for 4 days where he was treated for Pancreatitis. Had Ms. Seitz listened to my husband 5 days earlier, rather than treating GURD, and telling him to continue eating and taking antacids, he would not have had a week writhing in pain or have suffered further damage to his body.

I am both disappointed in the medical attention given and disgusted with the unprofessionalism, specifically the discriminatory treatment provided by Ms. Seitz.

I'm sure Billy's ER visit will be billed quite quickly and am equally certain that the payment we send for your services will be applied without a second thought as to how the payment was made, much like the treatment of your patient.

Billy has vowed to peruse legal actions against Ms. Seitz and Emory...