St. Thomas Hospital

To whom it concerns,

The amount charged is outrageous. The service provided was basically an hour-long wait on the bottom floor of an old building with stained carpets and a somewhat surly nurse who simply read me post-op instructions. The operating room was a cubicle with a chair, where Dr. W performed the 2-minute procedure by himself.

I have nothing but respect for Dr. W, and have been a patient of his and also St. Thomas for the past 15 years. I paid his bill immediately. Again, the complaint here is the ridiculous charge on behalf of the facility. To make matters worse, St. Thomas allowed no discount at all, whereas Dr. W's fee was negotiated down by over half.

In light of this insubstantial service on the part of St. Thomas, the fact that the facility fee is nearly $1,400 ($600 more than the surgeon's) is absurd.

This is a prime example of why consumers/patients need to get more directly involved in the costs of their medical coverage, in order to match services with expenses more properly. In this instance, I would suggest a reduction of the Facility Fee to at least the surgeon's fee ($800), along with a substantial discount as was applied to his bill.

I would prefer to come to an agreement with St. Thomas directly, without having to resort to a 3rd party, airing my discontent publicly, etc. I only want what I perceive to be fair, but am completely dissatisfied with the situation as it stands and will pursue it until it is corrected.

In about 1991 I was sent to St Thomas for a follow up for two pacemaker operations done at Crossville Medical Center, Peformed by Dr Fayez Haidi. These devices eroded out to the surface of the skin six times with one having a faulty battrey after only a few months. None of these devices stayed in place.

I ran a low grade fever for seven years, Severe soreness of the chest, Severe depression,Anziety attacts.

I became fully awake during two fo these sugrys . For about eight years I was unabel to work because of constant dizziness chills due to fevers from infections, Due to these pacemakers eroding out of place.

Dr Petracek was about to install no 8 , when a Dr Clarance entered my room the night before the sugry and asked if he could give me some advice I said sure. He thought due to all the infections I was sure to die, He suggested removal. I suggested this to Dr Petracek. It was done, I had so much infection in the pacemaker aera the wound was left open to heal from the in sideout, It was terrible.

The economic damage was i could not work I lost a FHA home, My son and daughter went to bed hungry several times. It caused sever emotional damage to me. I still have not recovered from depression anxiety attacks Due to constant fear of death from a heart condition, that was never corrected.

I am not an educated man. In my terms it would be like a mechanic telling you need a transmission in your car. And after seven transmissions were bought and changed and you were charged and out of your car for seven years, Then were told there were nothing wrong with the orginal one and put it back in and it worked fine,