I'm leaving my OB practice after they abandonded me during labor and deliery

charmcitygirl

I was in the hospital from Thursday at midnight until 10pm last night and I never saw any of the 7 doctors from my OB practice.  Can you believe that?

Thursday night the on-call OB was not at the hospital and was giving instructions to my nurse over the phone.  When I walked over to L & D on Friday morning, I saw one of the doctors from my practice (the one who was on call the night before) in street clothes leaving the hospital.

While I was in Iabor, I saw the house doctor who was covering for this doctor who had just left.  The nurse assumed that he was only covering for a short amount of time.  Well, it turns out that he was covering for my entire practice until Saturday evening.

I felt like the house OB was great.  He was attentive, caring and I had a great delivery.  He checked on me on Saturday and before he left, he discharged me.  Then on Sunday, I never saw an OB - not another house doctor or someone from my practice.

I talked to my maternal health nurse about it and she said that it was not at all in good practice to not see a patient at all when she is in the hospital.  She didn't think it was terrible that the house doctor was covering for part of the weekend, but the fact that on Friday - a normal work day when there would have been more than 1 doctor in the office - no one came to see me was just wrong.  And did I mention that the office for my OB is attached to the hospital?!

I am LIVID.  I cannot even tell you how abandonded and unsupported I felt by my doctors all weekend.  This week, I plan to contact them and tell them exactly what I think of their care.  I will probably go to see them for my 6 week appt because I guess I want to follow through with this whole pregnancy.

And then I'm leaving them.  And I will bad talk them to whoever will listen!  And believe me...they will know why I'm leaving.

ladychicago

That is terrible!!!   There are only 4 doctors in my practice, and even if my primary isn't on call, he will at least call me while I am in the hospital.    Even when one of the other practice doctors has seen me.    I am so sorry!

grazy

WhaT!?! That is terrible- I am so sorry. I love my OB so, so much. I am so sorry you didn't have a good experience. 

Congrats! 

OrangeSmoke

That is complete and utter BS in my book.  You are handling this exactly how I would. 

Not acceptable.

 

EmilyAnne

My jaw is on my desk.  That is AWFUL!  Just awful.  I especially cannot believe you didn't see a single doctor Sunday.

You have every right to leave the practice.  If I were you, I wouldn't even go back for my 6wk PP check up.

Is this even legal, to not be seen by a doctor for 24 hours while in the hospital?  IDK, it just seems wrong on so many levels.

LVBlvd

That is terrible.  I'd be very upset as well.

Assembly_Reqd

Oh Noes! Please don't tell me it was CapWC at St. Joe's!

I love them, but agree they def have a time management problem.....

 

ETA: nevermind! I see you moved to SS. I thought you were still in Balto....

laura1

That really is terrible!  Especially since you were induced - someone really should have seen you for your induction!  I know at my practice, my ob will schedule the induction for a day she is going to be on call, unless it is an emergency.  How could no one from the practice see you from Thursday to Sunday - that is ridiculous, and probably not even legal!  I think they are required to see you on admission and write an admit note...

nicolita14w

Good for you for letting them know that they screwed up. It it totally unacceptable.

TPmom

i see you live in silver spring. so do i. out of curosity, are you with capitol women's group at holy cross?

Mrs.Babbsy

omg, they can not think that is okay!!!! I would be very pissed!!!

 

MBandBud

UGH!  This is why I left my original practice...I got passed around from dr to dr and they treated me like a number.  I left them at 6 months pg. 

IMHO I wouldn't bother going back -  I would use your 6 wk follow up as a way to start off with a new OB and write a letter to the old practice. 

 

Germanwife2b

I would be disappointed and angry too. Maybe you can find a practice of midwives for your future care- I have some recommendations.  I go to Birthcare in Old Town and have been their patient for over 12 years now.  They don't just do pregnancy :-)  I know you have completed your family, so perhaps you would like to just go to a nice quiet midwifery practice for your pap smears and other women's health visits.  Just a thought.  It sucks to leave your childbirth experience with a bad taste in your mouth!

charmcitygirl

TPmom:

i see you live in silver spring. so do i. out of curosity, are you with capitol women's group at holy cross?

I go to Capitol Women's Care at Holy Cross. I don't know if there is a different one called Capitol Women's Group. Totally dropped the ball this weekend!

soccerwife

That's awful and completely unprofessional. ZThe fact that the practice is attached to the hospital only makes their behavior and lack of consideration even more unacceptable. 

Good for you for not accepting that crap. I'd leave them too, and not before making it known to the practice. I'm sure there are plenty of wonderful, caring OBs in your area. 

dana316

I'm curious as to how that billing will work.  I'd watch my insurance EOBs very carefully, and make sure they aren't billing for ZERO work.

I can't imagine not being seen by any of my OBs.  My OB was there every day to see me...and so were the pediatricians.  That's crazy...I'd leave too!!

 

firsttogo

That makes me so sad. I know at our hosptial, if a patient is in past midnight, they HAVE to been seen by a doc before leaving. I hope you address this with them when it comes to billing as well. We have a 'maternity package' billing, I would not want them to get $$ for the delivery.  

qtpa2t

That's awful!  My OB practice had five doctors, and during my four night stay at the hospital, not only did an OB from the practice perform the delivery, I saw one of the doctors every.  single.  morning.  That's horrific service from a practice with SEVEN doctors!

huskerchica

That is horrible!  so sorry you had to experience that!!

kgs0505

Make sure you contact their medical group as well.  That will elevate the issue and make sure someone else besides the specific practice sees it.  You can also post on healthgrades or something like that as well.

SunMoon&Stars

That's atrocious, and I'm so sorry. Will the house OB see you for your six-week check? Personally I'd want it done by whoever delivered.

 Also, did you know you can review doctors on Angie's List? Just sayin'

steveandkim2

I'm sorry...that's an awful way to treat a patient!

Yellow_Daisy

kgs0505:

Make sure you contact their medical group as well.  That will elevate the issue and make sure someone else besides the specific practice sees it.  You can also post on healthgrades or something like that as well.

Ditto this!

That is just terrible.  I would definitely leave and I wouldn't bother with the 6 week pp either.

thiswillbe

How awful!! Glad you got a good house OB. And what a precious little kiddo!

sweetpea18

Totally unacceptable.  My dr was sick as a dog and she still came to see me, wearing a mask.  I didn't see a dr the day I discharged, but it was my decision to leave before the on call dr could get to the hospital (it was my dr's day off).

Mr.&MrsS

Wow, that is terrible!! I would do the same as you!

madhatter2003

That is awful. My doc made sure to deliver me even though he was off that day, AND came by early Saturday before I was discharged while on the way to his kid's sporting event just to make sure he saw me before I left that day (I was being discharged by the on call doc).  I would be LIVID to not see ANYONE for that long.

ohiostategal

That is just crazy!  How can you get discharged without seeing a dr that day?  Glad you had a good experience with the dr there but I would definitely being letting that OB practice know exactly how unacceptable their actions were. 

nikisnow

That is terrible!  I would definitely complain as high up as you can go.  Unfortunately, this doesn't surprise me at all about CWC.  

preheatedoven

I would be so pissed! My OB came to see me every day of my 4 weeks of bedrest (over the holidays, no less) and every day after I delivered. I know I was spoiled, but to never come at all? Completely unacceptable!

Dragonfly1226

That is just ridiculous, and I would be just as upset as you are! I hope you give them a piece of your mind!

mikeandangie

I would be livid too. Absolutely give them a piece of your mind before you leave the practice. I would also put a little review on ra.temd or similar website, but I am just mean like that. 

Love your new siggy:) 

ardilla

That is AWFUL. I saw one of the OBs or NPs from my OB's office every single day while I was on bedrest in the hospital on bedrest for 7 weeks. I also saw one of the MFMs every day! Then after I delivered I saw my OB once or twice a day (and was in the hospital for 4 days). I would leave in a heartbeat with that kind of treatment!

alchris

I agree -- that's miserable.  After birth I never got much personally (OB very quickly after Kira, just a nurse from the practice after Elena), but *during* L&D too and then never coming by to apologize or even check in in the days following?  I'd feel the same way.  I'm thankful that you had great care during L&D with the house OB, but that doesn't excuse your practice one bit.  I'm so sorry!

newsbaby

Wow. That is TERRIBLE! I never heard of such a thing. I certainly don't blame you for leaving. I'm glad the house OBs were good to you though.

crystalgirl

Wow. This is shocking to me. The fact that you had a planned induction makes it even more shocking. IMO, that should have only been planned for a day/time when your OB was able to be there.

In my first pregnancy, I (of course) went into labor when my OB was out of town on vacation. One of the other OBs from the practice did my delivery, and my OB came in to see me the next day. With my second, I had an unplanned induction and was admitted (again, of course) on the day my OB is not in the office. I spent a lot of time with another OB from the practice that first day and decided it would be reasonable to wait until morning (it was around 5pm at that point) to start the induction. So then my OB was able to come in the next day to do it. And she saw me the next day, too. (In WA you're only in the hospital 24 hours unless there are complications.)

Go as high as you can go. They are clearly not in it for the long haul here. The delivery is what you've been working up to this whole time...It's the big finale of their care (other than PP). I just find this completely absurd that they would pass you off to the hospital's house doctor. You have every right to be livid.

hclavalley

Same thing happened to me. 

An OB from my practice showed up only twice for the birth, once to break my water and then they nearly missed the birth, I had Liam about 3 minutes after the OB entered the delivery room. I had Liam at 12:47am Saturday, I was told by a nurse that since I had him after midnight then I'm not checked by an OB for 24 hours which I find ridiculous. Then I decided to go home on Sunday since I was feeling ok. It took forever to locate an OB, who sauntered in, handed me discharge paperwork and left. They never even checked me. 

Then, I had mastitis twice and was brushed off just basically handed antibiotics so that I would leave. When the OB was stitching me up from my 1st degree tear, something that only required 1 stick, she decided to get creative with the stitching, and now I have a tiny pocket that never closed.....

I haven't been back since they released me at 8 weeks.   

JillRock96

My practice was the same way.  It was a huge practice, and yet not a single one of their doctors was there when I had Ava or the twins.  I almost switched after Ava, but I felt that their prenatal care was outstanding, and with the twins, I didn't want to switch to a new practice that I knew nothing about.  I loved the doctors that delivered me both times, and they were great in the hospital after the births, too.  But, I kept wondering why they made me rotate through all the doctors in the practice if not a single one would be there.  My RE actually came to visit me after both deliveries, though -- that was so sweet. 

Sorry you had such an experience -- but so glad that Daniel is here safe and sound!

Ali212

I'm sorry -- what a horrible experience with your OB's practice.  Personally, I might leave before my 6-week check-in just to move on but I also get wanting to see it through.

dusk42

I would write a nasty letter and leave now and find a new OB for your 6 week appt.  I would also contact your insurance company (our global fee includes the delivery and 6 week pp visit).  That's ridiculous.  

futrkingsley

dana316:

I'm curious as to how that billing will work.  I'd watch my insurance EOBs very carefully, and make sure they aren't billing for ZERO work.

I can't imagine not being seen by any of my OBs.  My OB was there every day to see me...and so were the pediatricians.  That's crazy...I'd leave too!!

 

It's likely that if it is a group practice in network that they billed your insurance for a global maternity/delivery fee and were already paid.  If it were me, I'd be so pissed about the lack of care AND getting paid for doing nothing that I'd put it on my to do list to straighten out when you feel up to it. 

I changed OBs mid-pregnancy due to a lack of care from an OB group and that group had already billed and been paid for a set amount of care, which they then didn't have to provide.  My other OB was awesome and saw me several times a day every day for my entire 4 day induction and 4 day stay after my cesarean.  He performed the surgery himself and was just awesome.