Loss of East Texas town’s hospital (due to Medicare billing fraud) hits home after toddler chokes

[TexasTowelie]

[font color=green]Note: This story is behind the paywall at The Dallas Morning News. In order to read the complete story you will need to google "Loss of East Texas town’s hospital hits home after toddler chokes, dies".[/font]

CENTER — On this much, everyone agrees: 18-month-old Edith Gonzalez, who charmed folks in this East Texas town by shaking her pink tambourine in the church choir and pretending to mother her baby sister, shouldn’t have died.

A grape was stuck in her throat. Her family rushed her to nearby Shelby Regional Medical Center. But the hospital was locked and empty.

“I feel in the depth of my soul had a simple ER unit been in the Center area, the child would have survived,” said Charles Bush, a bystander who held her head and prayed as the family waited in vain for help.

-snip-

It’s the latest fallout from the collapse of the hospital chain owned by Dr. Tariq Mahmood. The Dallas-area businessman’s six facilities have been subjected to state and federal crackdowns after alleged billing fraud and substandard care that led to patient deaths.

More at http://www.dallasnews.com/investigations/patient-safety/headlines/20130928-loss-of-east-texas-towns-hospital-hits-home-after-toddler-chokes-dies.ece .

[font color=green]A couple of paragraphs at the end of the article summarizes the jackass attitudes of rural Texas Repukers:[/font]

Sheriff Willis Blackwell sums up Shelby County leaders’ reluctance this way: “They don’t want to get into the hospital business.”

County Judge Rick Campbell says that as a Republican, he’s philosophically averse to too much government interference in private health care — particularly when the county itself faces budget shortfalls.

[BlueToTheBone]

1. I'll join you

[mbperrin]

2. Let me join you as well.

[TxDemChem]

3. And me. At a loss for words.

[madmom]

4. I'm not criticizing anyone, but I have one question...

didn't anyone know the Heimlich maneuver?

My dad once saved me by knowing what to do when I got a piece of chicken stuck in my throat. It is something everyone should know!

[truebluegreen]

5. True. But I don't know how tricky it would be on an 18-month-old.

otoh, clearly the alternative was worse.

[Niceguy1]

6. it is easier

Than on an adult.

[truebluegreen]

10. I'm sure, but they were probably afraid of breaking bones, etc.

[intheflow]

11. No kidding!

Very simple, much simpler on children than adults. I saved my son's life with it and only knew about it theoretically from an 11th grade health class (I was about 20 when my son was choking). The story points to horrific and wide-spread ignorance running rampant in the town.

[TexasTowelie]

12. Let's be honest...

...there is horrific and wide-spread ignorance running rampant in the state due to the Republican leadership defunding even the most basic items of education.

[jeff47]

13. Can't do it on toddlers

They're too small. You have to clear their throat a different way....which you should also be taught as you are being taught the Heimlich.

[Ilsa]

15. There are manuevers to do on toddlers.

Starting with back blows. If that doesn't work, then you do a more classic heimlich.

[jeff47]

17. Yep, that's what I was talking about.

Inversion with back blows, followed by a throat sweep with a finger. Repeat until clear.

[SheilaT]

7. I also don't want to sound like I could possibly be blaming the parents,

but I'm a bit surprised they had missed the news that the hospital had closed.

And it's also tragic that no one knew how do do a Heimlich maneuver. Even if the ER at that hospital had been open, taking the time to get the child there might have been too long.

[xmas74]

8. That young,someone should have been working on the toddler immediately

while someone else calls 9-1-1. It's not the parents' fault-they probably didn't know what to do.

It's an argument for not only the closed hospitals but for offering free classes to the public of that nature. I know in my neck of the woods, the classes run at $40+.

[jeff47]

14. My only "blame" is to ask why they didn't call 911

The EMTs in the ambulance would definitely know how to clear the food.

[Ilsa]

16. Any new parent should contact the American Red Cross

to find out when and where they can learn CPR and clearing airway obstructions. They might be able to get enrolled in a class at very low or no cost.

[aquamarina]

9. I bet he'd being singing a different tune if that child was his.