I was happy when St. Mary’s decided to build a facility in Ironton. I want to spend money to support Ironton businesses. I had good experiences there, but this ended in November 2014. I had life-threatening symptoms and was taken directly into the ER. I was hooked to machines and was left alone for several hours.

The door was closed and I didn’t have a nurse button. I had to scream, “Help” to get the staff’s attention. They wanted to send me to a hospital for observation. I was told OLBH had to accept me and this could take several hours. I asked to speak to Dr. Daria Davis. She said my tests were fine, but felt I should be held for observation.

I said that it would’ve been easier for me to just go to OLBH. I left, went there and was admitted.

In July 2015, seven months after the ER visit, I received a bill from Healthcare Financial Services, LLC., of Akron. I was told the St. Mary’s doctor was not in my network and I had to pay nearly $1,000. Later, I found that St. Mary’s contracts doctors out and they have no control over them.

St. Mary’s is in network, but not the doctor. How was I expected to ask this in a life-threatening situation? St. Mary’s does not care and has done nothing to help me. If a person goes to an in network ER and is not able to ask if the doctor is in network, the patient should not be forced to pay out of network costs.

I am appealing this and this physicians’ group is harassing me. They are aware of the appeal. I will never go St. Mary’s ER in Ironton again. I will take my business to OLBH or KDMC I’ve never had this happen to me at these hospitals. I told St. Mary’s I would be writing a letter to The Tribune and they absolutely did not care. Ironton and Lawrence County residents, be warned before choosing this facility for your health care needs.

 

Cindy Neal
Ironton