Five More Lakeland Hospital Monumental Travesties

From Joyce Carter: My sister had a baby and during the birth, the doctor broke the baby's neck and arm. Lakeland released the dead baby to Pathology after keeping her in OB for a week. My sister has the medical and autopsy reports stating the placenta couldn't be found. Lakeland is covering up the death. My sister has made several complaints to no avail.

One husband, overwhelmed by the pressuring of the staff to move his wife into a Lakeland facility, asked for help. I was not shocked by what I heard since I had heard it many times in the past. When he was not persuaded by all the medical phrases such as your wife needs this medically, the doctor has ordered this, or we are only trying to do what is best for your wife medically, the discharger planner turned to another pressure tactic: financial reasons. She began to tell him Medicare would not pay for the medical services needed without being an inpatient at Berrien Center. As she started to list all the services that Medicare would pay for, I would simply say that is not true. It is time the patients have a choice, not just Lakeland's choice.

From anonymous: My baby died at Lakeland. The hospital claims he had a bad heart, yet no doctor ever stated this. The service was generally always bad. We do not have the resources to fight Lakeland. My baby is gone and if I had known what I know now, I would have taken him to Kalamazoo. I will never go to Lakeland again.

From Kea: I took my 7 month old baby to the emergency room in 2010 where he was misdiagnosed. Both the nurse and doctor were horribly rude. They forced fluid down his throat so he would vomit. The nurse made us keep giving him fluids. He was diagnosed with an ear infection which he didn't have. The pharmecist told us the prescribed medication was too strong for a baby. I had to rush him to Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo where he stayed for 10 days and almost died.

From Dee: I am still dealing with the mistreatment I received while in the emergency room. I made formal complaints on three different occasions, talked with a Ms. Dew about the "service," but it's only gotten worse.