Nancy had a very busy day with therapy in the morning and a trip to Yakima and the doctor’s office in the afternoon. Minus some stitches she returned about 4 P.M. All is well.
The mail brought a survey form from the hospital. We have both been responsible for surveys – in-person varity and mail type. We are very critical of these one-size-fits-all forms. Acutally, we hate them.
I wrote a response to this one and show it below. I will tell you in advance that Question #8 asks if her bathroom was kept clean. In the ICU there is no bathroom. So, my response:
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Dear Mr. ——————-,
My wife, Nancy, entered your hospital early morning on Friday after Thanksgiving via an emergency transfer from Kittitas Valley Community Hospital. Her treatment in the catheterization lab went well and she expressed satisfaction with those that treated her. However, by Saturday afternoon she experienced a complete cardiopulmonary collapse and was in the ICU, completely sedated, for eight days. Before she was brought out of sedation I received, at home, a survey form asking her thoughts on how well she was treated. I returned the form with this message:
I suggest you and your staff consider adding another step in your patient surveys protocol. Namely, before sending this form you ought to determine the whereabouts and medical status of the recipient.
Later Nancy was taken from the ICU to the ACU and two days later sent back to the Cath Lab for a temporary pacemaker and then to the ICU again. I received another survey. I wrote a second letter, thought about it for a day – and never delivered it.
Nancy had open heart surgery on Dec. 29th and was discharged and sent to a rehabilitation facility on Jan. 20, 2010. Total days in your hospital: 55
The discharge triggered the current survey request.
I can assure you that Nancy is very thankful to be alive and gives the credit for that to the doctors, nurses, and staff of Yakima Regional. Also, I can assure you that answering this survey would require that Nancy make guesses and assumptions and/or leave things unanswered.
I will provide just two examples of where the survey form, if answered, would suggest a false or inappropriate idea. Question #9 “was the area around your room quiet at night?” The correct answer is almost never. That sounds bad – except she was in the ICU for 51 of the 55 days. What should one expect in a place with the key word of the title being “intensive?” Question #23 “the admission process.” First, she doesn’t remember being admitted in any formal sense. I guess it depends on one’s viewpoint as to whether that is a “best” or a “worst” experience. If she wasn’t admitted she could have gotten hung up in the system like “poor Ol’Charlie on the MTA.” I guess I will ask you to look at question #8, also. Knowing she was in an ICU bed for 51 days how would you suggest she answer that?
Also, we think she is “white” (Q.#27) but some family members think her DNA is a little suspect. Her mother gave her the middle name “Lee” as in Robert E. Lee to compensate, claiming relationship. Touchy subject.
Yes, she does recommend Yakima Regional Medical & Cardiac Center to anyone, including family and friends (Q.#22). No we do not like these surveys.
She is currently here:
Nancy B. Hultquist Room 28
Kittitas Valley Health & Rehabilitation Center
1050 East Mountain View
Ellensburg, WA 98926
Please feel free to visit and ask any questions you like.
Sincerely,