Description of Event or Problem · 0
A 78 YR. OLD HOSPITALIZED FEMALE PATIENT (PT.) AND FAMILY WERE INFORMED BY HOSPITAL THE PT. WAS WAITING ON ARRIVAL OF BIPAP MACHINE BEFORE ALLOWED DISCHARGE. HOSPITAL'S DURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT (DME) CONTRACTOR ARRIVED WITH A PORTABLE MACHINE THE PT. AND FAMILY ASSUMED WAS THE BIPAP. THE PT. AND FAMILY WERE INSTRUCTED TO BYPASS THE LEAK TEST, FOR THE PT. TO USE THE DME PROVIDERS FITTED MASK AND PARTS ACCOMPANYING THE MACHINE. COPIES OF ORDERS WERE REQUESTED FOR ENSURING INFO ACCURACY. THE PT. WAS TOLD THE DME PROVIDER WOULD BRING COPIES TO THE PT.'S HOME WHEN THE TECH COME TO SET-UP THE MODEM THAT WAS REQUIRED FOR MONITORING COMPLIANCE. ON THE FIRST NIGHT HOME THE MACHINE PRE-USE LEAK TEST DID NOT PASS; FAMILY NOTICED A STICKER ON THE MACHINE INDICATING "PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE" AS DONE. THE TIME SHOWED APPROXIMATELY 2 MINS BEHIND. FAMILY WAS CONCERNED DUE TO RED FLAGS INDICATED DURING THE DEMONSTRATION AT THE HOSPITAL WHEN THE MACHINE WAS CONNECTED BY THE DEMONSTRATOR TO AN OXYGEN PORT THAT SHOWED 0 LITER OUTPUT. THE INSTRUCTION TO BYPASS THE PRE-USE LEAK TEST WAS ANOTHER RED FLAG AS WELL AS THE 'BIPAPA' SYSTEM SHOWING 2 MINUTES BEHIND, YET LABELED FOR PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE BEING COMPLETED ON A PURPORTEDLY "NEW" BIPAP. THE INSTRUCTIONS WERE ADHERED TO. THE DISCHARGED PT. WOKE UP SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE NIGHT COMPLAINING OF EXTREME THIRST, DRIED SINUS, AND DIFFICULTY BREATHING. THE 2ND NIGHT WAS JUST AS BAD. THE FAMILY CONTACTED PIEDMONT WALTON'S DME, ROTECH, AFTER NOTICING NO HUMIDIFICATION OF THE O2. ROTECH ADVISED PURCHASING A WATER-BASED SALVE TO PUT UNDER THE NOSE, AND STATED THEY COULD NOT COME DURING THE WEEKEND BUT SAID THEY WOULD LET THE AREA REP KNOW ABOUT THE MISSING HUMIDIFIED AIR. BY THE 3RD NIGHT THE DISCHARGED PT. COMPLAINED OF BURNING SENSATION DOWN THE BACK OF HER THROAT, REMOVED THE MASK AND WAS NOT ABLE TO USE THE MACHINE. THE ROTECH REP THAT CAME OUT SET-UP THE 'BIPAP' WITH NEW HUMIDIFICATION EQUIPMENT COMPRISED OF A HOT PLATE, NEW HOSE, AND CANNISTER FOR WATER. THE USER MANUAL, REVIEWED AFTER THE REP LEFT, SHOWS THE NEW EQUIPMENT IS AN RX ONLY FISHER & PAYKEL HEALTHCARE HC150 SYSTEM DESIGNED FOR USE ONLY WITH THE SPECIFIED LISTED EQUIPMENT. THE 'BIPAP,' IS NOT IN THAT LIST, AND IS ACTUALLY BREAS MEDICAL VIVO 45 LS "LIFE SUPPORT" VENTILATOR PROGRAMMABLE FOR VARIOUS 'TREATMENT MODE' SETTINGS. NEITHER THE DISCHARGED PT. OR THE CONCERNED FAMILY WERE AWARE OF ANY OF THIS UNTIL FURTHER REVIEW OF PUBLIC INFO AFTER LAST USAGE AND CONTACTING BREAS MEDICAL NUMBER LISTED IN THE FDA'S RECALL. DURING THE LAST USAGE ATTEMPTS, THE VENTILATOR AIR PRESSURE SEEMED TO HIGH; THE ELDERLY FEMALE'S CHEEKS WERE BLOWING LIKE A DOGS WITH ITS HEAD OUT A WINDOW & THE HUMIDIFIED AIR COMMENCED TO BLOWING HOT HUMID AIR STRAIGHT INTO THE MASK OF A SICK ELDERLY WOMAN'S FACE. AND NOW SHE IS IN ICU IN ANOTHER HOSPITAL WITH FURTHER COMPLICATIONS. THE FAMILY IS CONCERNED FOR PUBLIC HEALTH WITH LINGERING QUESTIONS OVER THIS REFERRED DME PROVIDER, THAT REQUESTED SIGNATURE FOR A $(B)(6) BILL IN THE DISCHARGED PT'S HOME, WHO ALSO HAPPENS TO BE A MEDICARE RECIPIENT THAT WAS PRESSURED BY THE ONLY COMPANY WORKING IN THE HOSPITAL, ONE THEY CONTRACT WITH, TO SIGN ONTO THEIR PALLIATIVE CARE PROGRAM. THIS OCCURRED DAYS BEFORE THE HOSPITAL PROVIDERS WERE ABLE TO PROCESS TEST AFTER 3 ATTEMPTS AT A DECENT URINE CATCH SAMPLE, TWO OF WHICH WERE CHUNKED FROM BEING COLLECTED OUT OF BEDSIDE COMMODE PLASTIC BAGS. THE PRESSURE TO SIGN ONTO PALLIATIVE/HOSPICE UMBRELLA WAS RELENTLESS DESPITE THEIR PATIENT AND A FAMILY MEMBER ADVOCATE REPEATEDLY EXPRESSING THEIR PATIENT'S - NO. LASTLY THEIR DISCHARGED PT. WAS ILLEGALLY CODED UNDER A DNR(DO NOT RESUSCITATE), AFTER HOSPITAL'S RENDITION OF 'LIFE SAVING' MEASURE FROM A BAD SPO2(OXYGEN SATURATION) READING OF 46 WHEN THEY SLAPPED THEIR 'BIPAP' MASK ONTO A BREATHING HUMAN ABLE TO VOCALIZE PAIN FROM MISSED ARTERIAL PUNCTURES THROUGH THE MASK AND - TRAUMA. THEIR DISCHARGED PT. EXPRESSED WANTING TO LIVE TWICE TO THE PA THAT KNEELED TO ASK DURING THIS FIASCO. PLEASE CONTACT FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS AS THE FAMILY IS GLAD TO GIVE IT, INCLUDING VIDEO FOOTAGE. SMALL IMAGE SHAPED LIKE A BUILDING SILHOUETTE AND ADJACENT TO THIS DATE: (B)(6) 2024. "WHICH TIME? DME". IN ICU(INTENSIVE CARE UNIT) RIGHT NOW.