Student Dies When Hospital Has No ICU Doctors, Calls One on Videochat Who Pronounces Him Dead Remotely, Lawsuit Claims

[blue_jay]

16. Uggh, thanks for the share. Understaffing and its consequences have been going on for many years sadly

This case and the resultant death is just awful and am sorry that it happened. I have known for years and have witnessed and heard too many stories about poor care or on-site hospice nurses having to split their time between multiple very sick people miles apart and there is always some poor soul and family that pulls the short straw and family is left alone to try to handle medical conditions without the skill set. This is just an even dumber and more horrifying extension of business trying to save every last penny at the expense of good products or good care.

Also, it seems our health care system is not set up to handle very ill patients who are not ready to go and/or have their pain, whether existent or not, be eased by sedating, stupor inducing medicines just so you will get your medical care covered, so they are easier to handle for the understaffed facilities. Not saying pain meds are never needed or helpful but people should have choices and that's a whole different topic with no easy answers. I just firmly believe everyone should have a say, if they are able, "alert and oriented" (or made plans in advance) in how they choose to go out and not be forced along a path that most pleases someone else, some societal norm, some religion's norm, someone else's war, some entity's business profit goals or some bureaucratic, legal framework more focused on fear of potential lawsuits than good patient care. We need a better system, both federally and locally.

Apologies for the rant, I know this is a loaded subject and everyone has different perspectives and experiences.