Horrible experience with surgeon on surgery day

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JimAZtec

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I just cannot believe what happened at the hospital 2 days ago. Took 90 mins of driving in Arizona heat to the hospital, checked in and waiting in bed to be wheeled into surgery to have an implant in right ear. My doctor comes out and stands by my bed, he starts pointing to both his ears, where I have the impression he was giving me a final choice to which ear I wanted, so I pointed at left ear since the insurance authorization has me down for left ear and he storms off!

He comes back 5 mins later and tells the nurse the surgery is canceled because I am "confused" to which ear I wanted! He then leaves again, never once asked me in writing to confirm that I haven't changed my mind which I haven't and would never pointed to left if I knew what he really was asking or was under impression from insurance he had changed ears.

Seems to me in dealing with deaf people surgeons should write questions down so there is no misunderstandings and to resolve misunderstandings right there when they do exist instead of running away like a little prick. I have to find a new surgeon that has better people skills and not a jerk to their patients.
 
Surgeons are notorious for horrid people skills. I'm sorry you suffered this and encourage you to write down the experience and send a complaint to both surgeon and hospital. Include a copy of the insurance authorization.
 
JimAZtec said:
I just cannot believe what happened at the hospital 2 days ago. Took 90 mins of driving in Arizona heat to the hospital, checked in and waiting in bed to be wheeled into surgery to have an implant in right ear. My doctor comes out and stands by my bed, he starts pointing to both his ears, where I have the impression he was giving me a final choice to which ear I wanted, so I pointed at left ear since the insurance authorization has me down for left ear and he storms off!.
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Did you not meet with the surgeon prior? That's odd. And, why would you say you were getting ready for an implant in your RIGHT ear, yet choose the left the day of surgery?
 
AlleyCat said:
Did you not meet with the surgeon prior? That's odd. And, why would you say you were getting ready for an implant in your RIGHT ear, yet choose the left the day of surgery?
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I had the idea that may been what he changed it to from the insurance authorization and considering it was the better ear. I was just waiting for him to tell me what he was asking, whether he was implying he was changing from right to left or asking me if I knew which ear or asking for a final choice.
 
Ouch, that happens, for example, even if I ask doctor to change my mind to replace with N24 implant on surgery day that supposed to remove the implant completely with no replacement, so the surgery will be cancelled instantly because they don't have insurance authorization for re-implant with N24, add 2-3 hours more to surgery and possibly require overnight hospital stay, also it could make recovery longer as well.
 
JimAZtec said:
I just cannot believe what happened at the hospital 2 days ago. Took 90 mins of driving in Arizona heat to the hospital, checked in and waiting in bed to be wheeled into surgery to have an implant in right ear. My doctor comes out and stands by my bed, he starts pointing to both his ears, where I have the impression he was giving me a final choice to which ear I wanted, so I pointed at left ear since the insurance authorization has me down for left ear and he storms off!

He comes back 5 mins later and tells the nurse the surgery is canceled because I am "confused" to which ear I wanted! He then leaves again, never once asked me in writing to confirm that I haven't changed my mind which I haven't and would never pointed to left if I knew what he really was asking or was under impression from insurance he had changed ears.

Seems to me in dealing with deaf people surgeons should write questions down so there is no misunderstandings and to resolve misunderstandings right there when they do exist instead of running away like a little prick. I have to find a new surgeon that has better people skills and not a jerk to their patients.
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First of all, I'm confused. If the insurance was going to pay for the left ear, why was the surgeon going to do the right? I do think you need to wright a letter to the surgeon and tell him that all this needs to be ironed out before he operates on another person and tell him that you drove 90 minutes just to try out a hospital bed and you didn't appreciate it. He of all people also needs to learn how to communicate with someone who has hearing loss. He should also know which ear is being covered by insurance and if it's not the one that insurance is willing to pay for, he should of told you that he can't operate on the right ear until the insurance co. is willing to pay for it. He deals with these things on a daily basis and I'm sure you don't deal with it very often. The last thing you need on the day of the operation is having your surgeon coming in and asking, Will that be the right or the left ear that we will be operating on today? I mean if he doesn't know I would want another surgeon!

A lot of doctors I have known in my life were good at being a doctor, but were not good at their bedside manners and you sound like you got a guy who definitely has no bedside manners or had a golf date and was looking for a reason to cancel the surgery.

With family as well as friends I have seen surgeons and nurses asking stupid questions or telling patients stupid things while they are not in the right frame of mind and probably under the effects of drugs to ease their fear and nervousness. Prior to my wife having surgery, as they were getting her prepared, the nurse was in asking my wife her medical history because the hospital was updating their files and going to computer based records! When I told her to stop because this was dangerous because my wife was already on basically mind altering drugs to ease her apprehension about the surgery and her memory could be a little cloudy as to what drugs she is allergic to, the nurse said they had to do it now, so they didn't give her the wrong drugs during surgery. I lost it and told her to go pull her chart and find out what she is allergic to because it's all in the file and her file should of been pulled days before and these items should of been noted on the surgical notes to be shown to the anesthesiologist. Since that day I have always told people I know who were going to have surgery to have their own advocate in the room with them, because they will hear things that the patient won't.
 
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I believe it is standard procedure for the surgeon to see the patient in pre-op and verify which <ear, arm, leg, etc> will be operated on. Then the surgeon marks to appropriate <leg, etc> with a marker. This is to avoid making a mistake while in the OR.
My surgeon did this with me and my husband' surgeon did the same for his leg operations.

The original post is confusing as O can't tell which ear the OP was expecting to be operated on.
 
Hmm... you went in knowing you wanted the right ear operated on yet you also knew that the insurance company had the LEFT ear down as being approved. I can kind of see why the surgeon stormed off. He too was expecting the right ear, but you indicated left as you thought that they (doctor/hospital) had the insurance information/approval, while the doctor has in HIS note that the right ear was to be done.

Something hinky. If you knew that the insurance had the WRONG ear- you should have gotten that straightened out before the surgery day. I'm sorry you had to deal with all that...but if you had gone through it there would have been an even bigger headache squaring away the insurance snafu as they'd have refused payment due to the info given to them...and you'd be stuck with the bill until/if it was straightened out.
 
LoveBlue said:
I believe it is standard procedure for the surgeon to see the patient in pre-op and verify which <ear, arm, leg, etc> will be operated on. Then the surgeon marks to appropriate <leg, etc> with a marker. This is to avoid making a mistake while in the OR.
My surgeon did this with me and my husband' surgeon did the same for his leg operations.

The original post is confusing as O can't tell which ear the OP was expecting to be operated on.
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Never happened in my case...hmmm (verifying which ear will be operated on), not that I remember. And several times, the interpreter was not there...to my dismay, as the Nurses were talking to me (2 of them) on the left and right...asking me questions as I was being put to sleep...then a paper held in front of me to sign and I did not have my glasses...I don't know what I signed...LOL...as next thing I know I was out like a light.
 
This was a response from an OR RN:


That is very unusual behavior for a surgeon to just walk off without trying to resolve any perceived doubt between patient and surgeon. He should have said in writing, do you still wish surgery on your right ear? Too easy to ask. This doctor is clearly in the wrong here for not wanting to resolve perceived discrepancies for the surgical site and not communicating correctly with a deaf patient. Also, any incorrect insurance authorizations are the responsibility of the doctor to resolve, not the patient because all that is strictly handled between doctor and insurance company.​
 
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JimAZtec said:
This was a response from an OR RN:


That is very unusual behavior for a surgeon to just walk off without trying to resolve any perceived doubt between patient and surgeon. He should have said in writing, do you still wish surgery on your right ear? Too easy to ask. This doctor is clearly in the wrong here for not wanting to resolve perceived discrepancies for the surgical site and not communicating correctly with a deaf patient. Also, any incorrect insurance authorizations are the responsibility of the doctor to resolve, not the patient because all that is strictly handled between doctor and insurance company.​
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It looks like you may need to reschedule the surgery after issue with insurance has been resolved, also you must be 100% sure that you want CI in left ear - it should be final in days before surgery day, so you can't change your mind about switch to right ear on surgery day.
 
rockin'robin said:
Never happened in my case...hmmm (verifying which ear will be operated on), not that I remember. And several times, the interpreter was not there...to my dismay, as the Nurses were talking to me (2 of them) on the left and right...asking me questions as I was being put to sleep...then a paper held in front of me to sign and I did not have my glasses...I don't know what I signed...LOL...as next thing I know I was out like a light.
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Happened to me on both of my implants. I was asked multiple times (at least once by each person who dealt with me) which ear was being implanted. Seemed kind of silly for the second implant, as I was obviously wearing a very visible CI processor on my left side while being prepped for right-side surgery, but still - I'd rather have it crystal clear than to wake up and be shocked by an implant on the wrong side and all of the attendant difficulties with insurance that would lead to.
 
jstegeman said:
Happened to me on both of my implants. I was asked multiple times (at least once by each person who dealt with me) which ear was being implanted. Seemed kind of silly for the second implant, as I was obviously wearing a very visible CI processor on my left side while being prepped for right-side surgery, but still - I'd rather have it crystal clear than to wake up and be shocked by an implant on the wrong side and all of the attendant difficulties with insurance that would lead to.
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Driving halfway across the state for surgery on a Friday. You've got to be kidding.
 
Foxrac said:
It looks like you may need to reschedule the surgery after issue with insurance has been resolved, also you must be 100% sure that you want CI in left ear - it should be final in days before surgery day, so you can't change your mind about switch to right ear on surgery day.
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I didn't change my mind, fully came to have implanted right ear. If he had asked in writing which ear was the agreed implant I would had said right ear. When he was pointing to his left ear I said in effect, well make it the left if that isn't any trouble thinking that is what HE wanted to do.
 
JimAZtec said:
I didn't change my mind, fully came to have implanted right ear. If he had asked in writing which ear was the agreed implant I would had said right ear. When he was pointing to his left ear I said in effect, well make it the left if that isn't any trouble thinking that is what HE wanted to do.
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Hmm, he was pointing to his left which would be your right if you consider mirror image. Sounds like the surgeon took your "well make it the left if that isn't any trouble" to be YOU changing your mind, not him.

Yes, he should have made an effort to communicate effectively with you. Use paper and pen, or something to clarify which ear you were supposed to get implanted based on your previous meetings with him.
 
Mirror image. I am assuming someone showed up on it.
 
I thoroughly agree with Tetracyclone. You should report this surgeons behavior to the hospital. Hopefully, he will be called on the rug about it.....at the least, it will go on his record.
 
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