Los Angeles

[Zeke]

I've had more than usual dealings with people from the huge city north of me recently. Mostly medical. What I've noticed is the lies and ineptitude. They aren't phased one iota about decency, honestly or integrity. I'm talking about staff, not MD's.

Normally I drive an equal distance way into Orange County, south of me to find people with competence. I find Irvine and around and about Hoag Hospital to be a whole 'nother experience. But OC is not L.A. L.A. County is the highest in the entire US for population at 10M. OC has 3M

There are some world class hospitals in Los Angeles but run by slackers that will tell you anything to move you to the next person.

The point of this post is don't go to L.A. for medical treatment unless you like being run over by a steamroller. If you're anywhere within a hour of Hoag in Newport Beach, go there. A 2nd choice is Memorial Medical Center in Long Beach but they are on the opposite side of the spectrum. Shortage of docs. So depending on your needs, you may not be able to get help in Long Beach. We are just short of .5M in 50 sq mi.

We seem to have more donut shops than doctors.

[varmint]

Really depends.

A friend was driving down the 405 when he started having gastric symptoms identical to a heart attack. He looked over and saw a sign that said “king drew hospital next exit”. He floored it and drove another 15 minutes to cedar Sinai.

[strupgolf]

What gets me are all the ad's on our TV. They all say great things about their hospitals, but if you have a severe problem, you don't have say to where you go. You go to the hospital the ambulance is contracted with. So why all the wasted money on ads.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by varmint

Really depends.

A friend was driving down the 405 when he started having gastric symptoms identical to a heart attack. He looked over and saw a sign that said “king drew hospital next exit”. He floored it and drove another 15 minutes to cedar Sinai.

Exactly where I was today getting one runaround after another and having made all the necessary appt's in advance. Apparently appt's are a general guideline and limiting factor for the individual doctor's offices. I fill out all the online forms ahead of the appts and they don't have any of it when I arrive.

Oh wait, someone in a back room somewhere has seen it but failed to log it so others can access it. I'm told to do it all over again on a clipboard in a waiting room trying my best to come down with COVID.

If it wasn't for a staph infection that has invaded my shoulder prothesis 20 months after the fact, I wouldn't be anywhere near this den of aggravation. Doctor's offices I've been to in the last 5 weeks have undressed the pus oozing wound with bare hands and touching the computer in the exam room seconds later.

I can't stand it. Way to go. No wonder there is staph everywhere. I won't even touch my self w/o washing my hands thoroughly and immediately.

And then there's that clipboard. No mags to read because of germ transfer but give me that GD clipboard just after some sickass has had in their lap for 10 minutes.

We are a long way from kicking COVID to the curb. I've seen a total of 5 docs in 5 weeks, 9 appts in all, on this and in one office no one wears a mask behind the window, only in the halls and exam rooms. How do I know where the fkuc they've been in the lsst 72 hours? Some leave the room gloves on and return with same gloves on. Great. I really just want to take a blow torch to the door handle. Not to mention the door handle to the waiting room, both to the inner and outside corridors.

Oh yeah, hand me that business card with your germs on it. I do keep a sanitizing tissue in one hand from the time I leave the car to the time I get back in where I do everything but throw my shirt out the window. I take it home and launder it.

We're fooking doomed.

[look 171]

Those are the idiots that work behind the counters. As the time wear on, more and more people are out and about and have gotten careless with keeping themselves clean. My sister is a charge nurse at Keck Med Center. They take that siht seriously because they have patients that are on life line. She tells me that staff is diligent about virus, all viruses not just COVID. When my kid broke his hand couple months, I drove him to Huntington Memorial in Pasadena, that's our go to hospital, 10-15 from the house, and found some of the staff were a tiny bit careless. The ER patients had to wait outside and the few chairs that were available were shared by many without anyone to "wipe it down". I took a bottle of wipes with me to make sure we keep ourselves clean. Once inside the ER in the treatment room, then I notice the step up in keeping things clean and safe.

I always get a kick out of watching the people that are sanitizing tables hand railing, and shopping carts. The spray bottle is more then 2' away, half of the chemical barely bearly gets on the surface. That rag, that goddamn rag is full of siht and reused again and again all day even though I know its soak full of gem killing chemicals, but still, that handle is not clean or sanitized by any means.

Milt, I have said this, its the gene pool they pull from. Take Home Depot for example. TAke any HD from LA and compare the staff to an OC or any of the foothill stores. The people are much more helpful, they smile and not piss off like the one in the heart of LA. Their demeanor are all rough around the edges. Its just sihtty people, that's all.

[3rd_gear_Ted]

You want good medical treatment
Go to Palm Springs, home of billionaires & ex-presidents. Every really good doctor in the SW has hospital residency there. They fly into an International airport.

[varmint]

King drew is legendary. At one point they had orderlies roaming the halls selling bootleg dvds and loose cigarettes. Last I heard they’d had their teaching accreditation revoked. If you care about your health you’ll find another place.

There are some excellent hospitals in southern cal.

[Evans, Marv]

Milt. Sounds like you are going through some trying things. I hope you come out one the up side. I was in H.D. today & bought a small wand that emits UV for my wife. It says it sterilizes surfaces quickly & efficiently. Only cost around $20. Maybe something like that would work out OK - maybe more thorough than wipes if it works as advertised. Take care of yourself.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by varmint

King drew is legendary. At one point they had orderlies roaming the halls selling bootleg dvds and loose cigarettes. Last I heard they’d had their teaching accreditation revoked. If you care about your health you’ll find another place.

There are some excellent hospitals in southern cal.

I thought it was closed down for more then 8-10 years?

Oh yeah, there are many great hospitals here including county Medical Center. Most people don't think so only because they are so crowded with all the illegals, and all who can't pay a dime to get treatment elsewhere, they go right there. I am told the doctors are top notch there. Like everything else, the jus tkeep taking and taking until there no more to take then down hill it goes. Sad

[Rot 911]

Damn Milt, I’m no doctor, but it sounds like you need to be on an IV of antibiotics.

[speeder]

I am sorry to hear about these medical issues, doesn't sound fun. I have to say that I've always received excellent care in Los Angeles, however. From minor stuff like dermatology to some seriously life threatening episodes.

I was getting treated for some respiratory issues when the pandemic started here, a lot of it was just allergy related but still my lungs were not working great. I was going to quite a few medical appointments, almost all in the same building connected to Hollywood Presbyterian hospital. Typical high-rise full of doctors' offices. When the very first cases of Covid landed in the U.S., I canceled all remaining appointments and haven't been there since. It's a massive column of sick people riding in elevators together. No way, Jose'.

I also left town for rural Wisconsin for most of 2020, for health reasons but it turned out to be one of the best years of my life. There is still a lot that is not completely known about Covid and how it spreads but they know a lot more than even 6 months ago. I was extremely concerned about surfaces when this started, not so much now. It just never seemed to pan out, people getting sick from door knobs or gas pumps. Believe me, I was Mr. rubbing alcohol when this started, disposable gloves, etc. Now I just wash my hands frequently and don't give it a second thought. YMMV, of course.

I've read about a zillion stories of Covid cases and probable transmission routes, they all seem to involve close contact w an infected person for extended lengths of time, such as weddings and family gatherings, etc. That's what needs to be avoided.

Hope you get good care and heal from your issue.

[craigster59]

Hope you get everything taken care of Milt. I had some hardware in my ankle that I should have had taken out. It turned into a staph infection years later after a few days of skiing.

They injected me with some gelatinous antibiotic that felt like I got kicked in the ass by a mule. A few days later after the infection subsided they removed the hardware.

Hang in there man, hope you find some relief and recovery.

[tabs]

If you want to die go to a MD in LV. I would swear that they are Auto Mechanic school dropouts who decided to practice medicine in LV as it would be easier. They are worthless.

[GH85Carrera]

Just remember one point of math, 50% of all doctors graduated in the bottom half of their class. We all want the top doctors like the TV shows. Often we get docs that cheated to get through school, and made it through residency with charm. That holds true for most all professionals.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

Just remember one point of math, 50% of all doctors graduated in the bottom half of their class. We all want the top doctors like the TV shows. Often we get docs that cheated to get through school, and made it through residency with charm. That holds true for most all professionals.

While that has to be factually true, it would seem doctors in a partnership or on staff would be vetted.

HOWEVER. AND I CLEARLY STATED, I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT DOCTORS HERE.

Read, folks.

[Fly Mach .86]

Originally Posted by varmint

King drew is legendary. At one point they had orderlies roaming the halls selling bootleg dvds and loose cigarettes. Last I heard they’d had their teaching accreditation revoked. If you care about your health you’ll find another place.

There are some excellent hospitals in southern cal.

There used to be a standing order (maybe still is) among some LAPD officers that if they were ever hurt/wounded on the job that they NOT be transported to King Drew.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by Evans, Marv

Milt. Sounds like you are going through some trying things. I hope you come out one the up side. I was in H.D. today & bought a small wand that emits UV for my wife. It says it sterilizes surfaces quickly & efficiently. Only cost around $20. Maybe something like that would work out OK - maybe more thorough than wipes if it works as advertised. Take care of yourself.

On one local TV station, they bought one of those and and a "box" sanitizer.

They followed the directions for both (10 seconds or so with the wand) and leaving keys in the box for 5 or 10 minutes.

They swabbed the items before and after and had bacterial cultures grown

The $20 wand WORKED. Surprised the TV anchor. The box did not and it was more expensive.

Of course, we are talking bacteria, not virus. But the things do work.

[varmint]

this could go parf fast.

if i remember, the hospital was allowed to spiral downwards because it had political protection from scrutiny.


the local, only, hospital around here has things called dedicated patient advocates that walk you through the bureaucracy from beginning to end.