ZAKIA HANIF
5025 BROADWAY, APT#5G
NEW YORK, NY 10034-1637
May 20, 2020
MOUNT SINAI URGENT CARE INWOOD
NEW YORK, NY 10075
MY EXPERIENCE AT MOUNT SINAI URGENT CARE INWOOD
Dear Dennis Connors,
I am compelled to write this complaint letter. My name is Zakia Hanif, and I am 3 months pregnant. In week 8 of the pregnancy, I suffered from severe nausea and vomiting. The vomiting was 10 to 12 times a day, and this got me so dehydrated. I got worried and called the nearest ED, and I was directed to visit the facility, and I did. The facility’s management instructed me to wait at the regular ED waiting lounge where COVID-19 patients were also waiting. I felt unsafe sitting in that place and decided to go to Mount Sinai Urgent Care facility in Inwood.
On reaching Mount Sinai Urgent Care, the receptionist checked me in. A doctor sought to know general details about my situation and if it is related to COVID-19. In response, I narrated my condition to the doctor. The doctor carried out an immediate check on me and recorded severe dehydration. He recommended and administered IV rehydration fluid immediately. However, the process of IV cannulation was unsuccessful after three attempts. Instead, I developed severe bleeding over the place. Surprisingly, the doctor did not take any action to stop the bleeding. The whole process left me with a big bruise on my right hand.
The doctor prescribed alternative oral fluid medication to take for four days as he discharged me. My condition worsened, prompting me to visit an OBGYN who supported prescription for an IV fluid. At this time, I became hesitant to allow the OBGYN to proceed with the process due to my first experience at the facility. However, the OBGYN explained that he is trained for the process.
The doctor immediately attempted to carry out the IV cannulation process without success. After the unsuccessful attempt, a female doctor introduced herself to me as a specialist in Emergency Medicine. She stated that the medical guidelines do not allow them to give the IV fluid at the facility. She pointed out that the doctor was not trained for an emergency.
The experience i had at the facility left me with questions that begged for answers:
- Why did the doctor try to administer IV fluid on me, if they do not have permission to do so at the facility, and if they are not trained for the process?
- What is the purpose of the urgent care unit if they cannot handle urgent cases of patients like me?
- Is the facility only concerned about following rules and not the patient’s condition?
- Regardless of my severe dehydration levels, why did the doctors show less concern?
I believe that the Urgent Care unit in the community should minimize the suffering of patients, especially those who need urgent care and attention. However, from my experience, it was never the case. Existing rules and policies failed to ensure patient convenience. I hope you will take measures to guarantee that other patients will not have the same experience as I did.
Best regards,
Zakia Hanif