Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center — Local services in Palm Beach Gardens

My sister who is a US citizen was out of the country and lost her medical coverage. She was taken emergently to Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center where she underwent surgery (Amputation). Christian Bono,Patient Advocate and Eligibility Enrollment Services visited patient to ask about employment and insurance and told patient there was nothing he could do. Four days after surgery spoke with Memphis, who stated she was the one who help with application for Medicaid, to get assistance in applying for coverage through Medicaid but was told that patient was not qualified. Kathy the Case Manager assigned to the patient was also approached by family but refused to offer any assistance. Patient was placed on IV Vancomycin 1250mg twice infusing at 200ml/hr for six weeks for osteomyelitis also Zosyn and cipro . Peripheral line kept infiltrating; one day no antibiotics was given as there was no IV. A PICC Line was order on June 19th but was never inserted as the nursing staff stated that there was no one in the hospital to put a line in or when they were there they were busy. June 27th I telephone the Director of Nursing, Shawn, who stated it was not true that there was no one to place a Picc Line and she would visit the patient. I also pointed out to her that the room was filthy as the nurses dumped everything on the floor. Also pointed out to Shawn that the nurse ran the blood with the Zosyn. By this time she was diagnosed with COVID which she did not enter the hospital with. Immediately medication was changed from IV to oral Doxycycline and the "Dumping" process began. On June 28th when I arrived at the hospital I was told I could not visit and I should contact my sister to find out why. Of course she had no idea what was going on. She was later told that the visiting policy was changed that morning to "no visitors for covid patients." Security spoke with nursing supervisor who stated that the only requirement was that PPE be worn. The only staff who wore PPE was the Physical Therapist. That same day I spoke with Terry Hughes, Risk Manager who stated that no visitors were allowed for covid patients and the patient would be discharged that day. Terry called meeting with Shawn, Kathy and another person (did not get name) for me to present my case, I connected my daughter as there was four to one. Upon asking about osteomyelitis was told that per infectious disease MD said she did not need any further testing. Spoke with ID Nurse Practitioner regarding medication switching from six weeks to two and was told all the infected area was removed during surgery per her boss. Received call from Karen Olsowski asking when patient would be picked up. Pointed out to Karen, Director of Case Management that this was not a safe discharge, of course she insisted that it was - a patient who had amputation and was non weight bearing being sent home without any assistive device. The movement across the hospital also began from second floor in and out of COVID room. Patient was told by Karen if she was not picked up in half and our she would be given a a bus ticket to wherever she wanted to go. Received call from Terry Hughes screaming in my ears to pick up my sister as she was discharged and could not stay in the hospital. Because the hospital would not work with the family I had to find an accepting facility for rehabilitation on my own with no assistance from the hospital. Terry also stated she would not be retested for covid. Testing was done after I insisted she would not be leaving the hospital with a positive covid result. Terry Hughes, Risk manager, threatened to put her in a taxi and send her to my address or whatever address is on her chart or she can assist her to Jamaica. By this time Kathy excused herself from the case and place it on Stacy, who seemed to be new to case management. I was also asked to pay for transportation to rehab and had to educate Stacey on how to arrange for transportation. Wish I could give a zero rating . Please advocate for your love ones when...

July 8th started innocently enough, with an appointment at Dr. Vedere's Cardiology Partners for a cardiac cath. Having gotten a stent from him in 2019, and showing signs that I was due for another, this procedure would take a minute, and I’d be on my way.

"Looks like the plaque and blockage is in a compromising place to put a stent, so you have to go for bypass surgery. Head around the corner to the hospital, and we'll call ahead to let them know you're coming." Yikes!

I checked in with John at the ER front desk. He handled this like the concierge at The Breakers: friendly and efficient, he ushered me in to meet Laura and Valerie, who calmly took vitals, inserted my first needle, and made me feel welcome. From there, I was brought to my ER suite under the watchful eye of Brooks, and the parade began in earnest: Dr. Ahmed, Internist, whose demeanor would become my daily balm of calm. Georgia and Leslie from Dr. Patel's staff, with lots of questions and the brief overview of what's to come. Next an x-ray machine on wheels, then Schaefler wheeling me for more scans, and deftly maneuvered me up to room 360. Got me there at shift change, where Claudia welcomed Rochelle, who's super pleasant. Eerie interruption at 4:30 a.m. from a lady monitoring the hearts of all the patients on the floor. Evidently my heart stopped for 5 seconds, precipitating my move to CVICU that morning.

This would be my home for the next 9 days, with surgery on day two, July 10th. The nurses here - I was not prepared for the overwhelming care and love. In order of appearance: Nick, Darcy, Nancy with the purest porcelain skin; Lynn whose smile can power the Jupiter Lighthouse and whose quiet charm is heartwarming (who knew she's a lacrosse star from Royal Palm Beach High); Kirby’s got Keira Knightley's good looks and glorious smile. Then there's Tamarsha, the 22-year veteran of CVICU, who is so wonderfully motherly that in my mind she is bathed in the light of saints. Dolly, two Lisa's, Laxmi, Austin, Zulay, and lastly Shawna, whose athletic hustle and coordination was a Godsend in getting me discharged in an efficient and timely manner.

The star of the show, Dr. Patel, is a down-to-earth gentleman dedicated to his calling. Unassuming, confident, practical, and talented, he exudes an aura of Zen-like tranquility, which is contagious when we meet. His staff is just as excellent: Leslie, Liz, Georgia, Claudia, Dr. Newton, Komla, Alex, Natalie, and Anna.

In Best Supporting category: Carol, the nurse from Adelphi who gave me The Guide to Heart Surgery. Dr. Elizabeth Mohanty, who I've known for 10 years as a patient of Cardiology Partners, with that impish smile and cute voice, was a breath of fresh air every day. Kathy Kirby, La Grande Dame, her 46th year there, she's like a visit from an old friend, we got along swimmingly! Ashley, the Dietician; and Meghan that sweetheart with a smile bringing the meals. The Respiratory staff pumping medicine down my throat every 6 hours: Queency, Gianna, Kekina, Jean, Cory, Ernst. And Cheryl who got me on the Spirometer. The Physical and Occupation Therapists: Denia, Michelle, John my golf buddy, Jennifer, Logan, Judy, Tracy, and that nice runner from Sienna College and Syracuse. The nightly crew pushing that X-ray monster with those heavy plates. Felicia being the only name I remember. And all the people that came at odd hours to get some: tie me up, tap tap tap, draw the blood.

What a production ! It takes a village ! I am so grateful and honored to be in the hands of each and every one of you. My new healthy heart thanks all of you for your wonderful...

UPDATE; 3 yrs after my first review, my stepdad is now in pbg medical icu unit. The experience is worse than prior. Gloria ICU director is on a power trip, w/ arrogance, NO Duty of care qualities, insensitive, and she makes the rules as she goes. My father passed away on my bday (thanksgiving 2024), who was here in 2022 for 8 wks. That experience was beyond unethical. His icu nurse Cynthia James colluded w my dads mentally ill sister who secretly drove from upstate NY w health surrogate papers, Cynthia James signed them as a witness to his sister holding my father hand & signing his rights over to her, bc he was paralyzed. I was aiding my 10 mo olds double ear infection on this day. The hospital turned off feeding tubes & all necessary meds, & cancelled his transfer to long term facility, rerouting him to “comfort care”, all w/ in 12 hrs of my absence. Not 1 phone call to me, my dad’s only child & next of kin. This was the horror of unethical practices on my first go around. Now w/my step dad there, I was ambushed (in retaliation) by Gloria and Leslie when exiting my step dad’s room feeling joyful bc my step dad responded to my command to look at me, until this extremely invasive woman got inches away from my face demanding to know if I had my questions answered by the Dr. bc Dr jundi refused to return my call to answer a few ?’s I had. She told me not to call bc they won’t answer. My distraught mom only receives updates in his rm. Patient advocate abandonment. Duty of care non existent.Unethical. 2022:The case manager, Carol, met me for 5 seconds before she started talking about my dad’s discharge, & informing me of where he was being transferred. When I interrupted & said “that’s not an option”..regarding the place she said he would go, she took that as “getting aggressive”. We had to go to a different area to discuss bc clearly, this wasn’t going to be an easy simply policy discharge as she was hoping for. That’s bc the place she suggested he go to, is where he came from, & when he got to pbg medical, I was informed of neglect per his trach valves being very clogged, and other evidence showed old Pieces of plastic in there. I have no idea what that means, but everyone w a medical background has understood when I have explained. As we were walking to another room to talk this over, CAROL looked back at me and said “I feel that you’re getting aggressive & I won’t tolerate that.” Mind you, she has not heard nor asked about what my father and us, as his advocates, have been through for 8 weeks.As we started talking in another room, I calmly started to give her the information about the negligence, & our experience thus far. She kept interrupting me, not allowing me-to finish my sentence. when she’d interrupt, I didn’t do the same. I RESPECTFULLY let her tell me what I already knew & have heard 50 times over. & when she was done speaking, I then went to finish what I was saying, only to be interrupted again. At that point, she started shaking her head and looking down. She wasn’t listening to anything we had to say, she was angry. I asked CAROL to imagine that it were her loved one, & before I could finish, yet again I was interrupted & she said “you’re asking me to look at this if it were my family, but I can’t do that. There are policies at the hospital & your fathers condition only gives us the options I’ve presented”… thanks CAROL! You’re in the wrong position & I’d advise you to find another career, bc having compassion & empathy should be a REQUIREMENT for being a case worker...