On Friday I did a post about the nightmare situation of Janice Langbehn and Lisa Pond and the refusal of Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida, to allow Janice and their children to be with her stricken partner, Lisa Pond as she lay dying. Other than perhaps the Roman Catholic operated hospitals in this area (which I advise LGBT client’s to avoid like the plague), I am not aware of local hospitals even in this area refusing to honor properly executed medical powers of attorney and similar documents. Therefore, I was shocked to receive a message directly from Janice Langbehn today wherein she said that she and Lisa Pond DID have proper documentation and the hospital still refused Janice access.
This makes an outrageous situation truly unconscionable and I am extremely happy that Lambda Legal is getting involved to sue the hospital. I hate to say it, but I would treat an injured animal better than what Janice and her family experienced at Jackson Memorial Hospital. These healthcare providers ought to be utterly ashamed of themselves and their hateful institution. Personally, I will think twice before visiting Miami again. God forbid I become ill and end up at Jackson Memorial. For those who would like to know more, here are links to Janice’s blogs: http://rwavesofchange.com/ and http://thelpkids.com/ Janice descries the situation she experienced at the hospital in part as follows:
I tried to follow the gurney into the trauma bay but was stopped by the trauma team meeting Lisa and told to go to the waiting area. I did as I was told and a short while later a social worker appeared to inform me that I was - and I quote – “in an anti-gay city and state.” He explained that this meant that I would not be allowed to see Lisa or make decisions about her care without a Health Care Proxy. I asked for his name and fax number and within 20 minutes I had contacted close friends in Olympia, WA who raced to our house, found all our legal documents including our Durable Power of Attorney, Living Wills and Advance Directives and fax them to the hospital.
The true tragedy really came over the next five hours. With the priest, I recited the ritual of the Last Rites and prayed for Lisa and held her hand for the first time since she arrived at Ryder Trauma Center. Following my few minutes with Lisa, the priest ushered me out to the waiting room again. After finally seeing Lisa, I knew our children and I needed to be with her and I asked over and over if we could go back again and was repeatedly told by hospital staff, “No”. In those five hours, Lisa lay at Ryder Trauma Center moving toward brain death and yet no one was there to hold her hand and talk to her and tell her how much she was loved. Jackson Memorial Hospital, in their inability or unwillingness to recognize us as a family with legally adopted children, forced Lisa to be alone in her last moments of life.
What is so shocking about this entire saga is that Jackson Memorial is a PUBLIC hospital and not affiliated with any religious organization. In my opinion, not only does the hospital bear responsibility, but so does the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners that overseas its operations. Here is how Jackson Memorial's web site describes the hospital:
Governed by the Public Health Trust, a dedicated team of citizen volunteers acting on behalf of the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners, Jackson Health System ensures that all residents of Miami-Dade County receive a single high standard of care regardless of their ability to pay. Opened in 1918, Jackson Memorial Hospital is an accredited, tax-assisted, tertiary teaching hospital with over 1,500 licensed beds. In conjunction with the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine faculty, Jackson Memorial provides a wide range of patient services, educational programs, a clinical setting for research activities and a number of health-related community services.
In the interest of providing more convenient and accessible healthcare services throughout the county, regardless of ability to pay, the Trust has continued its development of an integrated, coordinated primary care system at the request of the Board of County Commissioners.
For those interested in voicing their concerns and outrage, here are some contact links:
Mr. Marvin O'Quinn, President and Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Robert Alonso, Vice President for Marketing/Public Relations
Mr. Steven Klein, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer
Patient Relations: If you or a friend/family member are a current or former patient of Jackson Health System and have questions or comments concerning the care received or the overall experience at a Jackson facility, please contact Patient Relations at 305-585-7341.
I tried to follow the gurney into the trauma bay but was stopped by the trauma team meeting Lisa and told to go to the waiting area. I did as I was told and a short while later a social worker appeared to inform me that I was - and I quote – “in an anti-gay city and state.” He explained that this meant that I would not be allowed to see Lisa or make decisions about her care without a Health Care Proxy. I asked for his name and fax number and within 20 minutes I had contacted close friends in Olympia, WA who raced to our house, found all our legal documents including our Durable Power of Attorney, Living Wills and Advance Directives and fax them to the hospital.
The true tragedy really came over the next five hours. With the priest, I recited the ritual of the Last Rites and prayed for Lisa and held her hand for the first time since she arrived at Ryder Trauma Center. Following my few minutes with Lisa, the priest ushered me out to the waiting room again. After finally seeing Lisa, I knew our children and I needed to be with her and I asked over and over if we could go back again and was repeatedly told by hospital staff, “No”. In those five hours, Lisa lay at Ryder Trauma Center moving toward brain death and yet no one was there to hold her hand and talk to her and tell her how much she was loved. Jackson Memorial Hospital, in their inability or unwillingness to recognize us as a family with legally adopted children, forced Lisa to be alone in her last moments of life.
What is so shocking about this entire saga is that Jackson Memorial is a PUBLIC hospital and not affiliated with any religious organization. In my opinion, not only does the hospital bear responsibility, but so does the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners that overseas its operations. Here is how Jackson Memorial's web site describes the hospital:
Governed by the Public Health Trust, a dedicated team of citizen volunteers acting on behalf of the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners, Jackson Health System ensures that all residents of Miami-Dade County receive a single high standard of care regardless of their ability to pay. Opened in 1918, Jackson Memorial Hospital is an accredited, tax-assisted, tertiary teaching hospital with over 1,500 licensed beds. In conjunction with the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine faculty, Jackson Memorial provides a wide range of patient services, educational programs, a clinical setting for research activities and a number of health-related community services.
In the interest of providing more convenient and accessible healthcare services throughout the county, regardless of ability to pay, the Trust has continued its development of an integrated, coordinated primary care system at the request of the Board of County Commissioners.
For those interested in voicing their concerns and outrage, here are some contact links:
Mr. Marvin O'Quinn, President and Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Robert Alonso, Vice President for Marketing/Public Relations
Mr. Steven Klein, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer
Patient Relations: If you or a friend/family member are a current or former patient of Jackson Health System and have questions or comments concerning the care received or the overall experience at a Jackson facility, please contact Patient Relations at 305-585-7341.
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