Haitian Family Questions OSF

Haitian “Family” Questions OSF
Posted December 30, 2006 Comments(0)
The Journal Star published a forum article today written by Maxime Petion’s host family in the Peoria area.

Maxime is a young Haitian man who was operated at OSF in 2002. I examined him here in Haiti in October. He has a serious cardiac condition that requires more workup and possibly more surgery for him to stay alive. I placed him on medications from Peoria purchased by Haitian Hearts and put him near us in Port-au-Prince.

Maxime needed to return to OSF. However he was denied care by OSF. Doug Marshall, OSF attorney, was the bearer of the bad news.

Then Cleveland Clinic came through again.

Haitian Hearts has had five patients accepted at Cleveland Clinic over the years and they gave Maxime a great gift and accepted him. Cleveland Clinic has been rated the number one cardiac center in the United States. We were able to obtain a travel visa for Maxime and put him on the plane last week. He is hospitalized at Cleveland Clinic currently.

In today’s forum article, Maxime’s former host family in the Peoria area is asking a simple question: How could OSF allow their disagreement with me influence their Mission Statements and refuse Maxime and other Haitian children at OSF? Jackson Jean-Baptiste was refused care at OSF last year and died.

The answer is OSF feels very challenged and has dug itself into a hole.

I questioned OSF regarding their lack of bed capacity which helped to exacerbate long and dangerous patient waiting times in the Emergency Room. I have questioned OSF and the monopoly of ambulance care in the city of Peoria. I have questioned OSF for delaying Haitian surgery (while the child was sick and in Peoria), and have questioned OSF for attempting to obtain funds that were specifically designated for Haitian Hearts, not for OSF. I have also questioned OSF for showing a lack of respect for the Sisters Mission Statements and disregard for the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services.

Mr. Marshall writes about cooperation and respect. OSF definitely needs to show cooperation and respect for the pre hospital patients in central Illinois and for the very ill Haitian Hearts children trapped here in Haiti.

John A. Carroll. M.D.
www.peoriasmedicalmafia.com