ED Docs: South Florida Hospital `Most Dangerous`

MIAMI --

A current emergency room physician at Jackson North Medical Center is making serious accusations about the hospital.

"This is one of the most dangerous hospitals in the United States. This is a very dangerous hospital and emergency room for a patient to be in," that physician told Local 10's Rob Schmitt Monday.

Today, the doctor, along with one of his peers, Doctor Garrett Trance, another E.R. physician who worked at Jackson North for two years, spoke to Local 10.

The doctors described a hospital emergency room that is not providing patient care and is responsible for patient deaths.

"I can say there are other cases like this, there's bad cases... people dying who probably shouldn't have died," Trance said.

Trance was released by Jackson North last week after signing a sworn affidavit saying he believes the hospital is responsible for the death of 46-year-old Judy Medina. Medina went to Jackson North with chest pains last September. Her family said she waited more than four hours for a doctor and went into cardiac arrest before one was called to see her.

Medina's family is suing Jackson North alleging the hospital is responsible for Medina's death.

Trance and his former co-worker both said there are other cases like Medina and they've been happening over the last several years. The doctors said they and other doctors have complained to the hospital administration about not being given the proper resources to give good medical care, and are ignored.

"Over the last couple years I've written emails, went up and spoken to the administration about the problem, and 2 years later its still business as usual," Trance said.

"If patient care was their No. 1 priority, they would properly staff the ER to safely practice medicine and they don't," said Trance's former co-worker.

"I think it's a poor excuse for a hospital," Trance said.

Today Jackson North released this statement to Local 10: "At Jackson Health System our top priority is the well-being of our patients. Whenever a patient presents at one of our emergency departments every effort is made to treat and stabilize them as quickly as possible. Based on our documentation, within 14 minutes of Judy Medina’s arrival at Jackson North Medical Center, she was seen by ER staff and subsequent appropriate diagnostic tests were performed based on her initial evaluation and history of complex medical issues. Ms. Medina was provided with appropriate medical care and was continuously and closely monitored by our ER staff for the duration of her stay. Garrett Trance, M.D. (who was not involved in Medina’s treatment) is contracted by an outside company which provides ER physicians at Jackson North Medical Center and he is no longer providing services at Jackson North. Questions about his status should be referred to Hospital Physician Partners. It’s unfortunate that he or any other physician would make public comments not reflective of the care offered at Jackson North."

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