Thread: AZ: Woman Left in CT Scanner for Hours After Clinic Closes

Woman Left in CT Scanner for Hours After Clinic Closes
Friday , September 28, 2007

TUCSON, Ariz. —

A cancer patient who was left alone in a CT scanner for hours after a technician apparently forget about her finally crawled out of the device, only to find herself locked in the closed clinic.

Elvira Tellez of Tucson said she called her son in a panic, and he told her to call 911.

Pima County sheriff's deputies arriving at the oncology office had her unlock the office door to let them in, said Deputy Dawn Hanke, a department spokeswoman. The deputies contacted the office manager, who was not aware of the situation.

Tellez was taken to a hospital as a precaution, then released early the next day.

Tellez said she's had trouble sleeping since last week's incident. She and her family said they want an explanation from the medical office, Arizona Oncology Associates, but have yet to receive one. She said the technician who apparently forgot about her and went home did call to apologize the next day.

"I don't know what to think," Tellez said in Spanish. "I think and think and think, but I can't understand it."

The executive director of Arizona Oncology Associates, Sonya Hohm, was in a meeting Friday morning and not immediately available for comment, her assistant said. She said no one else at the statewide medical practice was authorized to comment.

Diagnosed with bone cancer, the 67-year-old Tellez had been sent to the clinic for tests to see if her cancer had spread.

A technician placed her inside the large machine at about 4 p.m. on Sept. 19, dimmed the lights so she could relax and told her not to move during the 25-minute procedure.

"At some point, my mom lost track of time and felt like too much time had passed, but she couldn't look at a clock or anything because it was dark," her son Ariel Tellez said.

After calling out, then screaming for help, she spent several hours trying to free herself from the machine. Finally, she wiggled out from under a heavy blanket and out of the machine. By the time deputies found her, it had been five hours since she was placed inside.

A physician who works at the practice and knew of the incident said it's not the first time such a thing has happened.

"People have been left in the office after hours, when something like that happens — it's the same sort of thing," said Dr. Steven Ketchel. "My guess is she was lying on the table, waiting and waiting and nobody told her she could go home."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,298537,00.html

Sounds like an upcoming illegal lawsuit to me.

A physician who works at the practice and knew of the incident said it's not the first time such a thing has happened.

This is the most outrageous aspect of this article.

Let me see, she had the ability to go for a CT Scan by herself but now she is very helpless. If her family had taken her to the clinic, wouldn't they have been in the waiting room wondering where she was?

My 67 year old mother would not have been locked in a clinic for one second because I would not have left her there. If she went on her own, then she needs more supervision.

Dixie

Sadly, there are many seniors who do not have family to assist them. We were at a local hospital recently when a 'code' was called. A 93 year old woman was having a colonoscopy and her colon was punctured. It was an out-patient procedure and there was a lady in the waiting room who had accompanied her to the hospital. The staff came to tell her what had happened and to get permission for emergency surgery. It turned out she was simply a person who had been hired to drive the patient for the procedure and knew nothing about her next-of-kin, etc. Our procedure was completed and we left the hosptial without learning the outcome.

"I don't know what to think," Tellez said in Spanish. "I think and think and think, but I can't understand it."

I admit that each day that I read these articles I realize that I am taking on the characteristics of a rabid pit bull . . . . . but what she should think is why didn't I stay my sorry *** in my own homeland and start fighting for dignity, healthcare and civil rights 50+ years ago. At least I'd be with my family, since I don't speak English instead of illegally invading a country, expecting freebies not knowing a word of ENGLISH IN A COUNTRY WHERE ENGLISH IS THE NATIVE LANGUAGE.

Originally Posted by Nouveauxpoor

Pima County sheriff's deputies arriving at the oncology office had her unlock the office door to let them in, said Deputy Dawn Hanke, a department spokeswoman. The deputies contacted the office manager, who was not aware of the situation.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,298537,00.html

Am I reading this correctly? The "patient" unlocked the door for the Sheriffs? If this is correct, then she could have unlocked the door and walked out. There wouldn't have been a need for a 911 call.

My 64 yeard old mother would have opened the door, jumped in her Saturn, and driven home. Then again, I would have taken her, waited, and driven her home.

Originally Posted by Nouveauxpoor

A physician who works at the practice and knew of the incident said it's not the first time such a thing has happened.

This is the most outrageous aspect of this article.

I agree, Nouveauxpoor! Sounds like they need to to a little house-cleaning at that clinic!