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Tuesday, July 17, 2012

What Lessons Can Be Learned From Rory Staunton’s Last Days?

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The New York Times recently reported on 12-year-old Rory Staunton of New York, who died this year from sepsis. He died three days after being sent home from the emergency room with the diagnosis of a stomach bug and dehydration.

Rory got sick after falling in the school gym and reopening an old cut. His parents took him to see his pediatrician. He then went to the ER. He was released. But wound up back in the hospital. By then, it was too late. The story has resulted in a lot of online conversation about Rory’s death.

Guest:

  • Jim Dwyer, reporter for yhe New York Times
Other stories from Tuesday's show

We welcome comments from all of our listeners. Post below. Please stay on topic and be civil. Comments may be moderated by us, but you are solely responsible for the content of your comments.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003000884786 Navin R Johnson

     There was no discussion of the role of the insurance company in this child’s death and I haven’t read it anywhere else, but the fact is, physicians power to admit patients has been greatly diminished.  Physicians used to have the final say whether a patient was admitted or discharged.  Sadly, this is no longer true.

    This are similarities in this situation to the earlier story about the lifeguard.  You have people in the business world creating admission criteria for patients which are becoming impossible for physicians to overcome. 

    However, with the new Medicare rules regarding “bounce back” admissions this problem is only going to get worse.

  • yijianlian162

    tinyurl.com/cyk9xz2

  • Jim Sugar

    My son was going into sepsis from an infection related to Crohn’s disease. The triage nurse had a nonchalant air after hearing me tell him his signs and symptoms. Even after finding a temp. of 105° he continued to have a hohum attitude. Luckily the Edoc recognized the  seriousness and he headed for surgery. I don’t know why health care professionals get to that point. I know if I don’t give my machine my attention allday long, I easily could ruin a $250,000 machine. Isn’t a persons life precious more than money?

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