<p>That was a screw-up. They’re investigating.</p>
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Why wd a doctor order a test for ebola if s/he didn’t know the patient just arrived from western africa?</p>
<p>It definitely was a screwup. I’m guessing that their lawyers have told them not to speak of it. </p>
<p>BTW, I have never sued anyone, although once I was told that I had an excellent case (not a medical matter). I decided that it would consume my life for a very long time, and declined. But just so you know, I’m not someone who sues at the drop of a hat. </p>
<p>OTOH, I have observed that sometimes lawsuits can get the attention of American corporations when nothing else can. </p>
<p><a href=“Domino's Ends Fast-Pizza Pledge After Big Award to Crash Victim - The New York Times”>http://www.nytimes.com/1993/12/22/business/domino-s-ends-fast-pizza-pledge-after-big-award-to-crash-victim.html</a></p>
<p>Wow, not sure I want to comment on this thread especially now that I am 3 weeks out from my medical mission travel to West Africa. We as a nation missed the boat when the first Ebola patient died on December 6, 2013. These countries need money, and lots of it to provide the care, facilities, and people to treat and isolate those affected by Ebola. I think Americans were too busy with ISIS, politics, FoxNews, CNN and MSNBC’s daily political spin to pay attention to this infectious threat. Banning flights from these countries will guarantee a global pandemic as it would limit the transportation of medical supplies, money and medical personnel to the affected areas.</p>
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<p>They did know; at least the intake nurse knew. The big question is why this critical piece of information wasn’t communicated to the doctors in a way that got their attention.</p>
<p>frugaldoctor, I’m afraid you’re right about the western world missing the boat. Ebola is out of control in parts of West Africa now, and will rage there until it has run its course. </p>
<p>Bless you for being willing to go there and be part of the solution. May you save many lives. Be careful.</p>
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<p>My DH felt he had to sue a guy over a business situation. He was so clearly in the right (and eventually won), but it REALLY, really took a lot out of him. He will do anything to avoid that in the future.</p>
<p>Thank you for your participation in EWB, frugaldoctor.</p>
<p>Ugh, just filing a case in small claims court, after a woman plowed into me on a ski slope and injured me, was horrible. I don’t know if $1,300 was worth it.</p>
<p>Sorry for your injury, ML. Just curious, what are you claiming for? I am guessing she was a fellow skier who lost control on the slope?</p>
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No , thats an inflammatory spin. The question is how do we keep the disease from spreading? This is no different than past challenges with infection control of potential pandemic disease. </p>
<p>And if there is “word” that Thomas Frieden is spouting “nonsense”, please cite reliable sources. Otherwise its just hyperbole.</p>
<p>Didn’t he say quarantine won’t do any good? The only argument against it I heard so far is because of difficulties it imposes on medical personnel and supplies. How many are there? Isn’t it something we can solve by having a special daily/weekly flights?</p>
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<p>They messed up. My question is, Was that gross negligence or a simple mistake? Do you punish people every time they make a mistake? This was the first case. It wasn’t expected and it didn’t register in the nurse’s mind. </p>
<p>Good luck @frugaldoctor . God bless you and keep you safe.</p>
<p><a href=“http://blogs.cdc.gov/cdcdirector/”>http://blogs.cdc.gov/cdcdirector/</a> Here’s the CDC director’s commentary (it is a blog- hope its ok to post)</p>
<p>“I have Ebola, you are all screwed”
<a href=“http://www.businessinsider.my/man-says-he-has-ebola-on-us-airways-flight-to-dominican-republic-2014-10/#.VDfUd2e1fQI”>http://www.businessinsider.my/man-says-he-has-ebola-on-us-airways-flight-to-dominican-republic-2014-10/#.VDfUd2e1fQI</a>
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<p>You have to watch this video to believe that anyone can be this stupid. I hope the airline & all the passengers sue his sorry a$$.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/the-ominous-math-of-the-ebola-epidemic/2014/10/09/3cad9e76-4fb2-11e4-8c24-487e92bc997b_story.html”>http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/the-ominous-math-of-the-ebola-epidemic/2014/10/09/3cad9e76-4fb2-11e4-8c24-487e92bc997b_story.html</a></p>
<p>Aid and medical personnel can go in military or chartered flights. Quarantine is the only way to stop the epidemic from spreading massively out of Africa. </p>
<p>I don’t know if this is current. Doctors Without Borders says on its website that it has 239 international volunteers. If all of them travel everyday, it will be one plane load. I assume most of them stay put. If they rotate every three months, it’s about 2.5 passengers a day each way. Designating one military plane will easily accomodate it. Or donate a private jet. It’s not that expensive. Paying for overtime to check the temperature of arriving passengers may cost more and we know that is just window dressing.</p>
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<p>Something to worry about. From cases I read, one little oversight like touching your face with contaminated hands can get you infected. Americans aren’t anal enough to prevent the disease spreading further once it’s here.</p>
<p>Sometimes infection is spread by touching one’s eye or mouth or inside of their nose.</p>
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<p>I’m pretty sure that if it was your loved one who died when he or she didn’t have to, you’d be taking some sort of action to make sure it doesn’t happen again.</p>
<p>I can understand small community hospitals in rural areas not having protocols for training staff in how to look for global health issues (even though they should). I would think a hospital in Dallas that by its own admission treats a diverse population from all over the world would be more on top of this.</p>
<p>Some of you are focusing only on the behavior of Thomas Duncan and his family (saying he withheld information, saying they lack gratitude). ALL of us in the U.S. would be safer now if the hospital had asked the right questions upon his initial intake. I don’t even live in Dallas and it makes me angry.</p>