My Mother went in on 8/31 to discuss new technology (i.e., hearing aids, phones, etc.) available for her hearing issue. (She had been going her for many years.) She was told to use DeBrox to help soften her ear wax. They then couldn't work her in for a follow up visit until 10/21 (almost 2 months later). We accepted this delay as she could still hear with the aids she had.
Two treatments with the DeBrox later, she could not hear at all. Her primary care thought the issue was significant enough that her office called Wellspan ENT and got her an emergency appointment the next day. We stressed that they needed to call a family member (on file with them) as she could not hear the phone anymore to be able to respond. WellSpan ENT then proceeded to call my mother's phone to cancel the appointment the morning of the appointment. Unfortunately, nobody was aware, so everyone's schedule was wasted with a trip to the appointment that nobody bothered to call a family member to cancel. You would think somebody would have looked up the fact that she was coming in because of sudded deafness! When asked for another appointment, they told us that they did "NOT consider the situation an emergency ".
Now here is a long term, elderly patient of theirs who still lives independently and still drives, who now can't hear the phone or use the phone if there is an emergency, she can't hear any smoke alarm in her home, or sirens coming up on her if she drives (and so she could not drive being deaf). Their lack of concern to help her left her isolated in her home with no way to communicate if she needed anything. They did not care, offer any alternatives, and were content to leave her like this for another month!
We took her to dr. Belser in Lancaster who got her in within 3 days after hearing our story, Within 7 days (2 visits), he had her hearing back. She, nor anyone we knew, was a patient of his but he stepped up to the plate when her own provider would not even when requested multiple times. Nice to know someone took their Hippocratic oath to heart! Wellspan ENT needs to reread and actually practice theirs! read more