ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS TO PRESS CHARGES
MedStar Health, a non-profit regional system in the Maryland/D.C. area, which includes various hospitals (like MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, MedStar Washington Hospital Center) and care sites, with the capital "S" always capitalized in their formal branding has the best defenders in the world. No, I'm not talking about the all powerful "K Street" attorneys in Washington, DC. Public perception often associates K Street attorneys with significant political and corporate influence due to their work in lobbying and legal representation within the nation's capital. These perceptions can lead to generalizations about their motivations, wealth, and connections. K Street (Big Law) attorneys in DC make significantly more than the average, with senior associates potentially earning $300K+, while partners bill clients at very high hourly rates, like $2,225/hour for specialized work, reflecting huge compensation potential based on firm, practice, and experience, with junior associates starting high but major earnings in partner track. I'm talking about my wife, my family, my friends, the churches, the media and my neighbors that know I suffered patient abuse but will not call the police on my behalf to report this crime. I am more angry with DC Metropolitan Police whom I've tried to notify, since April 2025, of the patient abuse by email. I have been without a personal phone since my stay at MedStar. No, response by DC MPD. However, the retiring Police Chief, Pamela A. Smith had time to tell the world "F You!" It's never the wrongdoing, it's always being caught that pisses you off. In a City of victims, she went out with a bang! Hey, Pam, Jesus Christ wants his Crucifixion back! You didn't represent him well. Hope he doesn't forgive you as you have forgiven your "Haters"!
Why are we more concerned about the culture and national debt, things we can't directly control, than visiting the sick, clothing the poor, raising our children morally, things we can directly control. People don't get involved due to a mix of practical barriers (time, burnout, cost), psychological factors (fear, anxiety, low self-worth, past negative experiences, not being asked), and a lack of perceived value or clarity about the impact, often compounded by poor communication or complex processes from organizations. They might feel overwhelmed, unsure of their contribution, or simply not see the personal benefit. John-Paul Flintoff in the Guardian's "Eight reasons people don't get involved" wrote, "Another expert I interviewed was Alasdair McIntosh, a Scottish campaigner and author of Soil and Soul. In his book, McIntosh – who comes from a strongly Christian tradition – talks a great deal about the idea of loving your neighbour. I was curious why he put so much stress on this. “Because you can stand in the street with your megaphone campaigning,” he said, “but why should anybody listen to you if you are not a good neighbour?”" Jesus said in Matthew 2540-45:
"40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or a thirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me."
Solve the problems at home then conquer the world!
Notice this was instruction to the individual not the state. By the way, stranger does not mean illegal alien. Stranger is The Blue Letter Bible Lexicon :: Strong's G3581 - xenos meaning "one who receives and entertains another hospitably". How many of you Radical Leftists have individually hosted an illegal alien? It's ok for the state but not the individual. The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) estimated that in 2023, the net cost to U.S. taxpayers was approximately $150.7 billion. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has cited this same figure for 2023, accounting for roughly 2% of the total U.S. budget. What be the cost if you hosted an illegal "foreigner" individually?
But Ken, how can you write this? You will offend!
I say if your writing doesn't offend then, you're not doing it eight!
As I celebrate my 27th Wedding Anniversary and Christmas, this matter has put such a fatal divide between my wife and me.
But Ken, you might lose your wife, your family, your friends, your neighbors, and the world.
Trust me, I've counted up the costs. People have intimate relationships for deep-seated human needs: to combat loneliness, find emotional security, share vulnerability, and experience belonging, love, and support, leading to better mental and physical health, personal growth, and fulfillment, often driven by both biological instincts for connection and a desire for companionship and shared life experiences. In the Bible, Jesus famously calls Judas Iscariot "friend" during his betrayal in Matthew 26:50, using the term to acknowledge Judas's role in fulfilling prophecy, even though it's a complex, painful use of the word for a companion fulfilling a dark purpose. He also calls his disciples "friends" in John 15:15 ("You are my friends if you do what I command you") and refers to Lazarus as "our friend" (John 11:11). Jesus called a friend someone who would lay down their life, as stated in John 15:13, meaning the greatest love is sacrificing for friends, a principle exemplified by Jesus' own sacrifice on the cross for humanity, challenging believers to show sacrificial love in daily acts of service, time, and forgiveness, treating even enemies as lost friends to reconcile with. Life is a two-way street but you could lose it all on the highway of disingenuosness.
I have been on a hospital floor where Medicaid patients are grouped for treatment. I know what it means to be the least of these. I understand being alone and broken in the dark.
Patient abuse is a widespread but significantly underreported issue, particularly affecting vulnerable populations in institutional and long-term care (LTC) settings. Recent data from 2025 emphasizes that the risk is highest for those with cognitive impairments and those in nursing homes. National and local reports from 2025 highlight significant ongoing concerns regarding patient safety and mistreatment in Washington, D.C. hospitals, particularly within psychiatric facilities. A July 2025 federal report found that nationwide, hospitals failed to capture roughly 50% of patient harm events. In some cases, hospitals reported only 5 out of 15 identified harm events to external regulators. According to Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade in 2025, the top five states for percentage of A hospitals are Utah, Virginia, New Jersey, Connecticut and North Carolina. Iowa, North Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming have no A hospitals. MedStar Washington Hospital Center is a B. Sibley Memorial Hospital is the only A. Howard University Hospital is a D. You're not Black enough because you don't go to Howard! Rather a living Black at Sibley than a dying Black at Howard. I would rather be Black enough and live than be Black enough and die. Power to the People!
Howard University Hospital (HUH) faces criticism for systemic issues like high medical malpractice rates, financial instability, and staffing problems, stemming from a heavy reliance on Medicaid/Medicare, leadership instability, and regulatory violations, leading to concerns about patient safety, long ER waits, and poor care experiences, despite ongoing efforts to improve and plans for a new facility. Investigations revealed a high rate of wrongful death claims per bed compared to other D.C. hospitals, with significant payouts and numerous cited violations for health/safety rules, lax oversight, and faulty ER equipment. Reports highlight instability in leadership, difficulty retaining doctors, and issues with staffing, leading to nurse strikes and concerns about working conditions and patient care. Patients have reported long wait times, perceived medical ineptitude, misdiagnoses, and negative interactions with staff, with some describing rudeness and lack of proper attention. Miller and Zois, Attorneys at Law, report: "A brutal 2017 article in the Washington Post revealed that Howard University Hospital may be coming apart at the seams. According to the Post story, HUH has been plagued by financial problems, accreditation troubles, empty beds, and a mass exodus of doctors and hospital administrators. To make matters even worse, the Post found that Howard University Hospital has been nearly overrun by a wave of medical malpractice lawsuits and payouts over the last decade.
The Post examined almost 700 medical malpractice lawsuits filed against all of the major D.C. hospitals. This review found that Howard University Hospital had a higher rate of wrongful death claims per-bed than any other hospital in the city. From 2007 to 2017, Howard University Hospital was named as a defendant in 82 medical malpractice/wrongful death cases. 22 of those cases resulted in public settlements with the hospital resulting in total payouts of $27 million. Any settlements in the 60 other cases remained confidential.
Aside from medical malpractice, Howard University Hospital has been frequently cited by regulators for violations of various health and safety rules. A former medical director of DC Fire and EMS reported that the hospital has a history of "bad care and long waits in the emergency room"."
Historically, Black individuals chose or established Black-owned hospitals as a direct response to systemic exclusion and racial discrimination in the medical field. Today, the preference for Black-serving institutions often stems from a desire for better health outcomes and a more dignified patient experience. These hospitals often provide a sense of "feeling at home" and pride. Many Black patients report a deep distrust of the broader medical system due to historical abuses and ongoing biases, making Black-centered care a safer choice. Patients often seek out these hospitals to ensure they are treated with dignity and to avoid the "nonchalant" or discriminatory attitudes sometimes encountered at other institutions. Don't worry, Howard is building a new hospital to replace the old. Yes, changing a building significantly impacts service outcomes by altering efficiency, cost, functionality, and user experience, though the specific improvements (like better patient satisfaction or operational savings) depend heavily on the type of changes—new construction, renovation, or retrofitting—and the building's original state, with design features, technology, and location playing key roles. While better design often boosts satisfaction (e.g., more comfortable patient rooms), core clinical outcomes like readmission rates might see less change, highlighting that how services are delivered matters as much as the building itself, says this study published in the NCBI database.. However, I believe it to be putting lopstick on a pig! "Putting lipstick on a pig" is an idiom meaning to make superficial, cosmetic changes to something to disguise its inherent flaws, but the fundamental, unattractive nature remains unchanged; it's a futile attempt to make a bad thing look good, like repainting a junk car or rebranding a failing product without fixing its core issues. It's not the color of your skin but the content of the service delivered.
Dignity in medicine is the core principle of treating patients as whole, valuable persons, recognizing their inherent worth beyond their illness, and is upheld through compassionate care, respect for autonomy, privacy, and meeting physical/emotional needs, especially crucial in vulnerable states like end-of-life, involving both professional actions (extrinsic) and patient's inner sense of self (intrinsic). Preserving dignity enhances outcomes, satisfaction, and ensures ethical, person-centered care, moving beyond mere medical treatment to affirm a patient's personhood.
Doctors and nurses are not gods or perfect. They make mistakes and their mistahes can be costly. Doctors and nurses are dedicated, highly skilled humans, not divine beings, who work within limits, make mistakes, and rely on science and teamwork, even though societal perceptions and media sometimes portray them with god-like power, leading to high expectations and the reality of burnout and fallibility in stressful healthcare environments. They are crucial healers, but ultimately, healing involves many factors, and their role is to serve, heal, and console, not to possess infinite power. Shahia Siddiqui, MD of KevinMD.com in "Doctors are not God. Even if some patients want them to be." writes, "We are human, and our expertise is limited; we use it to reach a cure with the help of modern technology. There is no room for doctor as God, and our purposes are more humble: “To cure sometimes, to heal often, to console always.”" Too many of we, the pagans, bow down and worship at the feet of medicine and science, saying, "God didn't save your life, the doctors and nurses did." "O what grievous sins we bear" is a line from a Christian hymn, often translated from German, expressing human sinfulness and the need for Christ's atonement, reflecting broader religious themes about our failings, with "grievous sins" generally encompassing acts like lying, pride, injustice, and spiritual apathy, which deeply wound our relationship with God and others, requiring repentance and turning towards faith for healing. Matthew 9:10-12, get acquainted.
I began to wonder why everyone knew my medical history better than me? And why there rememberance of my assault at the hospital were so different? I inquired of my great, new neurologist, Matthew A. Edwardson, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology and
Would a hospital be willing to report patient abuse if they knew they would get sued?
Would a doctor or nurse be willing to report patient abuse if they knew they would get sued?
Yes, doctors and nurses are often legally required (mandated reporters) to report patient abuse (especially for children, elders, & disabled adults), and they can face legal action (like losing their license or being sued) for failing to report, creating a situation where they are often "damned if they do, damned if they don't," though patient safety and public good usually outweigh fear of being sued by the abuser. While they might fear lawsuits from abusers or complications with confidentiality, their primary ethical and legal duty is to protect vulnerable patients, making reporting essential, with HIPAA and state laws carving out exceptions for such situations.
Can hospitals manipulte records?
Altering medical records is not only illegal, it is one of the most damaging acts a healthcare provider can commit in litigation. It can transform the outcome of a case, either by handing a jury proof of dishonesty or by depriving the patient of the very evidence needed to hold the provider accountable. Hospitals and staff manipulate records primarily for financial gain, to hide malpractice/errors, meet regulatory metrics, or boost performance scores, often involving backdating entries or altering timestamps (like for ER wait times) to show compliance or better quality of care for payment/accreditation, while individual staff might falsify data for promotions or bonuses, creating serious ethical and legal issues. Levin and Perconti, Attornrys at Law, in "Emerging Issue: Manipulation of Electronic Health Records" write, "Medical records are perhaps the most important piece of evidence in most Illinois medical malpractice cases. A plaintiff in the case is required to show that the medical provider acted negligently by a preponderance of the evidence. That usually is accomplished by examining the medical records to show what care was provided, when it was provided, and how it was provided. That is then compared with reasonable standards–usually explained by an expert witness."
Has MedStar ever been sued for patient abuse?
Yes, MedStar Health has faced numerous lawsuits, including some alleging patient mistreatment, negligence, and discrimination, leading to settlements and federal actions, such as recent DOJ cases regarding disability access and past settlements for kickbacks, showing a history of legal issues beyond simple malpractice. While not always explicitly termed "patient abuse," these lawsuits cover serious claims like denying support people to disabled patients (ADA violations), financial fraud (Anti-Kickback Act), and general medical negligence resulting in harm.
Have nurses and doctors ever colluded to hide patient abuse?
Yes, doctors and nurses have been found to collude, intentionally or unintentionally, to hide patient abuse, often due to professional hierarchies, fear of retaliation, institutional pressure, or a desire to protect colleagues, leading to 'conspiracies of silence' where abuses are covered up through suppressed documentation, downplayed incidents, or dismissal of patient/staff complaints, as seen in cases from nursing homes to hospitals.
What are the patient abuse statutes in the District of Columbia?
DC patient abuse statutes cover various forms of harm, including sexual abuse (D.C. Code § 22-3015), criminal abuse/neglect of vulnerable adults (Chapter 9A, § 22-933, 934), and unlawful restraints/seclusion (D.C. Code § 21-563), with specific laws defining prohibited acts like physical pain, harassment, unreasonable confinement, financial exploitation, and deprivation of care, carrying penalties from fines to significant prison time depending on severity and if it involves vulnerable populations or staff-patient relationships. Attorney David Benowitz in "DC Abuse Laws" writes, "The penalties for criminal abuse of a vulnerable adult may change depending on the result of the abuse.
As a base, the penalties for a person who committed criminal abuse of a vulnerable person is a fine of up to $1,000, up to 180 days in jail, or both.
However, if the vulnerable person was caused serious bodily injury or severe mental distress, the penalties jump to a felony conviction with up to $25,000 in fines, up to 10 years in prison, or both.
Lastly, if the vulnerable person was caused permanent bodily harm or death, the perpetrator faces a felony conviction with up to $75,000 in fines, up to 20 years in prison, or both. Section 22-3571.01."
What is the difference between minor and major strokes?
A "minor stroke" (TIA) involves a temporary blood flow blockage to the brain, causing brief symptoms (minutes to hours) that resolve without permanent damage, but it's a major warning for a future major stroke, while a "major stroke" is a prolonged blockage leading to lasting brain damage or disability because blood flow isn't restored quickly enough, causing permanent cell death. Both share the same sudden symptoms (face drooping, weakness, speech trouble), but the key difference is duration and outcome—TIAs are warnings, full strokes are emergencies with lasting effects.
Can a stroke cause gradual loss of fine motor function?
Yes, a stroke can absolutely cause a gradual loss or decline in fine motor function, often appearing as persistent difficulty with tasks like writing, buttoning, or using utensils, sometimes due to lasting motor control issues or even behaviors like "learned nonuse" where people avoid using the affected limb, leading to further deterioration over time, making rehabilitation crucial for improvement.
Can an assault cause a stroke?
Yes, an assault can absolutely cause a stroke, either immediately or later, through direct physical injury to neck/head blood vessels (Traumatic Cerebrovascular Injury), causing clots or tears, or due to extreme emotional stress/trauma, leading to blood pressure spikes and vessel changes that trigger clot formation (ischemic) or bleeding (hemorrhagic). Strangulation and head trauma are specific mechanisms that can directly lead to stroke.
What is patient abuse?
Patient abuse is any action or inaction by a caregiver causing unreasonable suffering or harm, including physical/sexual assault, emotional abuse (insults, isolation), neglect (withholding care, hygiene issues), or financial exploitation (unexplained withdrawals), often affecting vulnerable seniors but happening in any setting like hospitals or homes, and requires reporting suspected cases to authorities like Adult Protective Services or law enforcement. Signs include unexplained injuries, poor hygiene, malnutrition, withdrawn behavior, or sudden financial issues, with reporting crucial to protect victims and hold perpetrators accountable. Patient abuse in D.C. involves various forms like physical harm, sexual misconduct (illegal under D.C. Code), neglect (especially of seniors/vulnerable adults), and financial exploitation, with reporting mechanisms through DC Health for professionals/facilities, DACL's Adult Protective Services for vulnerable adults, or contacting MPD for criminal acts, with specific laws targeting abuse of patients and vulnerable persons.
National and local reports from 2025 highlight significant ongoing concerns regarding patient safety and mistreatment in Washington, D.C. hospitals, particularly within psychiatric facilities. While patient-on-staff violence is frequently cited, the American Hospital Association (AHA) notes that workplace violence remains a critical safety issue that disrupts care delivery for all patients. I was abused and I want to report and sue. As the nurse and two medical technicians will enjoy Christmas. some traveling and some at home enjoying family and a warm fire in the fireplace. I will have my diaper changed by a nurse and tubes running through my body, laying on a bed. I will always have "F You" to warm myself. Thanks, Pam!
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