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April 30, 2018
Re: HCS-18-05-000517
Dear sir or madam,
I am writing to register and reiterate a formal complaint and to request remediation and response regarding case # HCS-18-05-000517. I am concerned about the lack of professionalism and risk to public safety based on the actions my wife and I experienced on February 17 and March 3, 2018.
Duncannon EMS refused to take my wife to the hospital on February 17, 2018. She was critically ill and in a delirious state. I was told that she signed a document stating she had waived her right to be transported by ambulance to the hospital. I believe they lied about her signing such a document and request a copy be produced and shared with her and me. When EMS arrived, my wife was semi-conscious and delusional and I doubt she was capable of marking an x. They may have forced her to do something. She does not remember signing anything and we have no record of such a thing. Nobody told me about any such signing as I was trying desperately to get them to take her fearing for her life.
It was obvious to anyone that she needed to get to the hospital by ambulance. Why would someone refuse to take a critically ill person to the hospital? I repeatedly asked them to take her. Their actions, decisions and negligence nearly killed her. I was forced to take her in my personal vehicle to the hospital, while also ill myself and both of us are mobility impaired, and she suffered further from lack of oxygen during this trip, as well as additional complications.
Following her nine-day hospital stay, an unknown individual came by our home at night asking to pick up the oxygen tank EMS left with us. He did not call in advance. He knocked on the door after dark unexpectedly. Both my wife and I were recovering from illness and were readied for bed. We were undressed. He came to the window, looked in and started banging on the window asking us to return the oxygen tank. We would gladly have returned the tank during normal business hours and had we been advised by telephone of the pick-up time. Given the approach we experienced, we were highly uncomfortable with his lack of professionalism, in particular as we are elderly, were in poor health and he lacked the professionalism to contact us in advance. I do not have the name of this individual, but would also hope for remedial action related to this situation as well.
Thank you for your attention. I look forward to your response and update about the actions taken. I will continue to escalate this complaint until I have confirmation regarding corrective action so the privacy, health and well being and potentially even the lives of others are not again compromised.
Jim Crownover
P O box 111
Duncannon Pa. 17020
717-834-6096
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