Kaiser Cases. Lots and lots and lots of Kaiser cases.

We have never lost a single Kaiser case going back to the 1980s. Not one. Here is the next one coming up. Kaiser’s 42 year old pregnant patient had all of the classic, textbook symptoms of a well known heart condition. She kept being short of breath. Even when just sitting still. She nearly passed out. Many times. Instead of ordering a simple, cheap blood test to evaluate her heart, Kaiser doctors gave her an inhaler for asthma. She never had asthma. That did nothing. She got worse. Still no tests. Her doctors took her off work because her condition worsened. Still no tests. Still short of breath. Still nearly passing out. The patient returned to Kaiser again complaining of shortness of breath and nearly passing out. Again no tests. During the final office visit with her doctor- a heart doctor!! – she collapsed, had jerking movements and went into seizures. Her heart had finally failed. Now they did a test. She had an abnormal heart condition that they missed over and over and over again. Too late!!! She is now in a coma for the rest of her life. Three young children. And by the way, at the time she was pregnant. They lost the baby also. This was 100% treatable. It could have easily been diagnosed with a single inexpensive blood test. Kaiser doctors didn’t do their jobs! What’s it going to take to get some attention at Kaiser to raise standards to at least minimum levels?