A Needless Death

We just received word that one of our patients died. Here is her story, or at least the part of it that I know. She was homeless – sometimes living with relatives, other times in a hotel room. She was probably illiterate – or at least minimally educated. She was seen at the clinic for a non-healing wound on her foot – it continued to not heal and we sent her emergently to Hillsdale Community Health Center, where her toe was amputated. She had no insurance, so the cost was born by the hospital, and ultimately, all of us. The foot improved some, but her health didn’t. She had a massive heart attack, and was on life support at one of the hospitals in Kalamazoo. But, she lived. She came back to the clinic one last time – she had finally qualified for Medicaid. We provided her with the medications she needed until she could get in to to see her provider. And, a few weeks later, she was dead.

It is my belief that, had she had access to healthcare earlier, she would not have died. She might not have ever had to lose her toe.