Lenny Saladino

Review of North Cypress Medical Center

Today, June 19, 2018 my 68 year old mentally disab...

Today, June 19, 2018 my 68 year old mentally disabled sister was scheduled for a routine colonoscopy. She has had several colonoscopies at North Cypress Medival Center in the past years. I brought my sister and was checking her in. I presented her Medicare card, secondary insurance, social security card and was told she needed a picture ID. I explained she had no drivers license, no passport, never held a job,and that as in the past my mother presented her picture ID as in the past procedures. I was told that after a 2 day special prep for the colonoscopy that my disabled sister could not have her procedure because she had no picture ID! I talked to the hospital director Kirk Jones and he very rudely told me the policy was no pic iD no procedure.. I explained that I had power of attorney over my sister, that the preparation for a disabled person was very difficult, that we were not aware of this requirement and that the doctor knew who my sister was since he had done the procedure on her multiple times. The entire outpatient office was in an uproar trying to get this approved; including Dr. Tolands office personnel, and Dr. Toland himself talked with me several times between surgeries trying to appeal to Kirk Jones. Alll of our attempts to follow through with the colonoscopy were to no avail since it was obvious Mr, Jones and hospital attorney were trying to prove a point and use my disabled sister as an example for their photo policy.
I'm appalled that she had every credential needed; especially the ones that paid for the procedure, was a prior patient, my husband is a personal and professional lifelong friend of the gastro doctor and that a technicality , no drivers license pic since she has never driven was the reason she was denied service.
My sister is still living with my 91 year old mother who spent 3 days feeding her a special diet and prepping her for this procedure. None of this mattered to the hospital repsentative, Mr. Kirk Jones. I am beyond appalled, disappointed, and convinced that my sister who has enough hurdles in life was treated as a person who didn't matter since she had no photo ID and myself as her guardian and power of attorney was not allowed to verify her identity. She has no desire to prepare for another test anytime soon.
My husband and I are considering contacting the local news agencies Channel2, Channel 11, Channel 13, and Fox26. about this disservice to my sister Venita Mehrkam today.