Kaiser wins awards for quality care but not surpri...

Kaiser wins awards for quality care but not surprisingly, they do so by keeping some patients off the books and under-reporting complications.

I had diabetes for over 20 months, shown on a laboratory test, yet I wasn't diagnosed or offered treatment. I had a history of classic symptoms that were significantly worsening. Yet, I was only incidentally diagnosed in ER, where I went 2 days in a row. At the first visit, the doctor didn't even tell me I had severe hyperglycemia, with blood sugar of 348. The 2nd day, I went back feeling even worse and the doctor attempted discharge without running labs. With a lot of begging and pleading he agreed to do some tests. My blood sugar had risen to 488. I was quite sick but nearly walked out without any sort of treatment and into a bigger crisis.

My doctors, however, never entered my diagnosis or the complications I suffered from late diagnosing into my 'problem list' -- that information stayed tucked away inside clinical notes where no one would ever even know I had diabetes unless they culled through individual reports. How scary is that?

Further, they never told me what type of diabetes I have.They didn't check my insulin or run any other tests. It took getting out of Kaiser to learn I have autoimmune diabetes.

The DMHC confirmed my case is definitely one that did not get counted when tabulating results for awards. I have no doubt there are many more patients like me.

They also refused to image a severe hamstring avulsion for over 3 months, which will impact the function of my leg for the rest of my life. Because a hamstring avulsion needs surgical repair in the first 4 weeks for optimal outcome, and they missed that window, they initially misrepresented the severity of the injury and didn't come right out and tell me I had an avulsion. There is now scar tissue all over my sciatic nerve and the muscle and tendon are seriously retracted down my thigh.

And, beware if you complain. First off, their grievance department will lie to you in a heartbeat ----- after all, you might fall for it and go away. Secondly, when you complain about a doctor, they will all start to work together to cover up any errors. You become 'the bad guy' instead. They never apologize for their negligence. They're too arrogant. Camaraderie is far more important than patient safety and when you peel back the layers, you find their culture is nothing short of psychosocial.

Healthcare is a mess -- the incentives are all wrong. There is no incentive to cure disease. Kaiser doctors are incentivized to save money. In contrast, outside of integrative care doctors are incentivized to spend more. Either way the patient is only a commodity.

Kaiser employees have told me their regional managers are synonymous with fire breathing dragons. If you catch your doctor at the wrong time, when their numbers are too high, you'll pay the price by not getting what you need so your doctor can stay on their bonus track and not have the dragon breathe fire down their back.

The good news? No matter how sick you are, everyone thrives at Kaiser, at least on paper.