Here is the body of the letter I’m sending to both the hospital administration and to the insurance company.
On May 8, 2013 I went to your facility to have a colonoscopy. I came home with two, two inch wounds on my abdomen in the creases between my legs and my abdomen. I took photos of the wounds which looked like rope burns, and documented it with my doctor, Dr ____ (his address), both by phone and then later in his office during the follow up appointment.They were not bloody, they were not infected, and they were not an allergic reaction. The top layer of skin was removed, and they just oozed a clear liquid until they scabbed over.
Dr.____ said he called your facility to speak to someone about it, but your people denied anything could have possibly happened. We know something did.
Here is what we think happened. While I was waiting for the procedure, I remember stuffing my gown between my legs because I hate the feeling of sweaty skin on skin. The colonoscopy was done at a place where endoscopies are normally done. I am wondering if it is possible that the tech was either not familiar, maybe not aware, or forgot that when you pull a gown out from between an unconscious person’s legs that you need to spread their legs apart first. Otherwise the patient could get the equivalent of burns such as I received.
At this point the wounds have healed, and with no lasting scars. My concern at this point is to say that if this had happened to a very frail person with thin skin or possibly a child, they would have been ripped wide open, and a real and unnecessary tragedy would have occurred.
I never had any intention of filing a lawsuit, but I found this experience to be very troubling. Nobody at the hospital returned my call, and I would like to know that this situation has been properly addressed. That is why I am sending this same letter to my insurance company, because at least it’s been documented with someone besides my doctor, and maybe they will follow through with you as well.