This is Care Opinion [siteRegion]. Did you want Care Opinion [usersRegionBasedOnIP]?
Care Opinion

Delays and frustration in diagnosis and care

Posted By vegadg85

"Delays and frustration in diagnosis and care"

About: Karratha Health Campus / Emergency Department

(as a parent/guardian),

Our child presented to the Emergency Department several months ago and after two more presentations, two weeks post-injury was finally diagnosed with a foot fracture. They then attended two telehealth appointments with the orthopaedic trauma team. According to the very helpful RPH telehealth personnel, my child’s Webpas record has been updated with an appointment for an MRI and follow-up appointment in Perth (we still have had no communication or letter to advise this).

The most frustrating aspect of this delay is the lack of communication over four weeks after the appointment and being told by the RPH orthopaedic clinic on two separate occasions that there is no record of the appointment or the discussed MRI being arranged in their file. As the parent of a fit, athletic, young person who has since missed out on state selection trials due to the injury this is a frustrating outcome and an unacceptable time-frame to wait for a diagnosis.

More about:
Do you have a similar story to tell? Tell your story & make a difference ››

Responses

Response from Matthew Ravenscroft, Operations Manager, West Pilbara, WA Country Health Service (WACHS) Pilbara 4 years ago
Matthew Ravenscroft
Operations Manager, West Pilbara,
WA Country Health Service (WACHS) Pilbara

Submitted on 31/10/2019 at 7:48 PM
Published on Care Opinion on 1/11/2019 at 10:09 AM

Dear vegadg85,

I was very concerned to read your story about the care your child received at Karratha Health Campus (KHC) recently and I am sorry that you felt frustrated. This care is not reflective of the standard of care we aim to provide to people or the WACHS values of compassion and quality.

I agree that neither undue delay in diagnosis nor lack of communication is acceptable and would like the opportunity to look into this matter further. I can be contacted via email on WACHS-Pilbara.Feedback@health.wa.gov.au or on telephone number 9144 7630. Your child’s details will also allow my team to progress any follow-up appointments.

Notwithstanding this, we are also looking into the way that Telehealth appointments are facilitated within KHC, and in conjunction with external specialists such as those in RPH, to identify improvements so that patients and their carers are not left without information post-appointment.

Thank you again for taking the time to provide feedback and I look forward to resolving this matter for you.

Matt Ravenscroft

Operations Manager West and Inland Pilbara

WACHS Pilbara

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful
Opinions
Next Response j
Previous Response k