By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    healthcare cybersecurity
    4 Helpful Tips on How to Protect Your Medical Practice Against Cyber Attacks
    October 24, 2021
    Health Check Diagnosis Medical Condition Analysis Concept
    6 Health Woes With Online Remedies
    January 19, 2022
    Eight Things Men Should Know About the Male Menopause
    Eight Things Men Should Know About the Male Menopause
    April 24, 2022
    Latest News
    5 Self-Care Habits to Help You Live an A+ Life
    September 21, 2023
    Keep Employees Safe & Healthy By Reducing Warehouse Injuries
    September 20, 2023
    What is Pneumonia? Causes, Treatment, and Care
    September 19, 2023
    Navigating Through the Essentials: Medical Billing Training for Beginners
    September 12, 2023
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Signs that online therapy is probably the best option for you
    November 16, 2018
    CMS Announces Meaningful Use Final Rules & Stage 3 Implementation
    October 22, 2015
    Important Health And Safety Precautions For Businesses
    February 16, 2021
    Latest News
    Job Seekers with Disabilities Should at Health Insurance Benefits
    September 12, 2023
    Reasons That Drug Prices Are Rising to Unsustainable Levels
    September 12, 2023
    How Revenue Lifecycle Management Helps Healthcare Providers to Optimize Business Operations
    September 6, 2023
    The Hidden Benefits of Practice Exams for Medical Professionals
    September 6, 2023
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: A wakeup call from the nanny state
Share
Sign In
Notification Show More
Aa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Aa
Search
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > A wakeup call from the nanny state
Policy & Law

A wakeup call from the nanny state

DavidEWilliams
Last updated: 2015/10/20 at 6:38 PM
DavidEWilliams
Share
4 Min Read
SHARE
Amber alert alert

Amber alert alert

Amber alert alert

Amber alert alert

More Read

trust ligitation end of life

Understanding Trust Litigation When Dealing with Health Issues

The Journey to Healing: Navigating the Aftermath of Wrongful Death Claims 
Navigating Immigrant Police Encounters When Getting Healthcare
How Personal Injury Law Supports Your Wellbeing
7 Tips for Improving Reproducibility and Efficiency in the Lab

My cellphone was off Friday night so I was lucky enough to miss the Amber Alert that was sent out at 1:45 am when a mom decided to drive home from Pennsylvania to have her son treated at Boston Children’s Hospital. I heard about it Saturday night from some friends who couldn’t believe this had occurred and were annoyed at being awoken.  From where I sit, the only good thing about it is that it’s literally a wake-up call to the whole community about how the system treats vulnerable people.

It’s hard to say exactly what happened. But from what’s been written, it goes something like this:

  • A nurse practitioner in Wilkes-Barre, PA told a mom to take her 2-month old to a nearby emergency room for treatment of severe dehydration
  • Mom felt she had gotten “the runaround” from the Pennsylvania clinic and decided to drive to Boston Children’s Hospital to have her son treated there. She is from Boston and apparently has a relationship with a doctor there
  • On the way back she dropped off her older son with a niece in Waltham so she could focus on the infant
  • Somewhere along the way, someone in PA decided to issue an Amber Alert –meant to be used when a child is abducted and “believed to be in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury”
  • The Amber Alert went out, waking everyone up
  • Infant made it to Children’s, where he’s been admitted and is improving –but now in custody of DCF (protective services)
  • Other child was also taken by DCF
  • Mom was arrested in MA as a fugitive from justice in PA. Judge listened to her story and released her on a token $250 bail

As I mentioned I don’t know exactly what happened. But I tend to give the mom the benefit of the doubt. In particular:

  • Who knows the quality of care and clarity of instructions the woman received at the clinic in PA?
  • A general ED is no place for a 2-month old. Many are still totally unprepared for kids, never mind babies
  • Boston Children’s is rated the #1 pediatric hospital in the country and she may have relationships there already. Depending on the kid’s condition, who wouldn’t at least consider making the drive?
  • It’s hard to drag a toddler all over the place during an emergency, so why not drop them off at a relative’s house along the way?

The mom apparently has some moving violations and a charge for prostitution. I wouldn’t be too quick to judge her for those things.

It’s hard to know what to do when your kid is sick and you’re trying to navigate the healthcare system. That’s true even for a well resourced, well educated dad like me who works in healthcare. Without those privileges it appears all too easy to end up with Amber Alerts, arrested moms, and kids taken by the state when a mom tries to do what’s best.

I don’t like it.

Image courtesy of mrpuen at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

—

By healthcare business consultant David E. Williams, president of Health Business Group.

Sign Up For Daily Newsletter

Be keep up! Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.
By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
DavidEWilliams October 20, 2015
Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Copy Link Print
Share
Previous Article When Is External Peer Review The Right Choice For Hospitals?
Next Article MD Connect Drives 250,000th Digital Referral In Vein Market

Stay Connected

1.5k Followers Like
4.5k Followers Follow
2.8k Followers Pin
136k Subscribers Subscribe

Latest News

abdominal pain
The Impact of Abdominal Pain on Female Health
Women Health September 20, 2023
5 Self-Care Habits to Help You Live an A+ Life
Health September 20, 2023
warehouse worker health and safety
Keep Employees Safe & Healthy By Reducing Warehouse Injuries
Health September 20, 2023
self-care tips for nurses
Self-Care is Critical for NICU Nurses, Here’s Why
Nursing September 19, 2023

You Might also Like

health insurance disability
Policy & Law

Job Seekers with Disabilities Should at Health Insurance Benefits

September 12, 2023
rising drug costs
Pharmaceuticals

Reasons That Drug Prices Are Rising to Unsustainable Levels

September 8, 2023
healthcare providers
Hospital Administration

How Revenue Lifecycle Management Helps Healthcare Providers to Optimize Business Operations

September 6, 2023
Medical Professionals exams
Medicare

The Hidden Benefits of Practice Exams for Medical Professionals

September 6, 2023
Subscribe

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

Follow US
© 2008-2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?