Hospital should not refuse travel notes
It’s sad when a hospital places it’s bottom line above the welfare of its patients and the community.
I was recently treated at Morris Hospital for swine flu symptoms. During my visit I asked a physician’s assistant if she would write me a travel note so that I could change my plane reservations, so not to spread this virus any further.
To my surprise she refused and became agitated stating “there is no reason for you not to travel” she further stated that if she writes a note then “everyone will come to the ER for a travel note.” I hate to break it to her, but most people would not spend $300 on an emergency room visit to avoid a $75 re-booking fee!
I then contacted Morris Hospital customer relations and asked her if it was hospital policy to encourage sick people to board airplanes and get more people sick. I received no response so I called again the next day and once again received no response. I also contacted the hospital through their internet comment form and received no response there either.
Most hospitals would respond with an immediate “of course that is not our policy.”
The fact that Morris has offered no response is quite telling. It appears that the strategy is to encourage patients to go out and get as many people sick as possible because after all a sick person is a potential patient.
This is probably why area schools are so infested with swine flu; patients are told that there is no reason for them to stay home. Clearly Morris Hospital has forgotten its ethical responsibility to stop the spread of illness whenever possible.
