Every patient needs an advocate in the Health Care Industry.

              When we walked into North York General Hospital our initial  impression was it looked bright and cheerful. The lobby was dressed up really nicely and it had a really impressive gift shop.  My daughter's partner had been admitted two days earlier and had emergency surgery for a bowel obstruction.    I spoke to my daughter (a nurse) the night before and she informed me he was doing well and was already being walked around.  (Seemed a bit early to me, but what would an antiquated old gp know? )
              By the time we got up to the surgical ward the surroundings looked a little less luxurious, in fact one might say a little on the seedy side and the patient was sitting up in bed, cold and clammy,looking rather 'shocky'.  (as though he was about to faint.)  We laid him down flat and called the harassed nurse who was busy trying to get another patient en route to the operating room.    Meanwhile my daughter put a hand on his abdomen and called me over to do the same.  His bowel was grossly distended and he had been given some sort of suppository to accomplish God knows what.   The gastric suction did not appear to be functioning adequately.  Following all of this and I must emphasize that we were pleasant, polite and understanding, we were starting to attract just a little bit of notice.  Unfortunately, that sometimes seems to be necessary to make things happen. My daughter wanted to talk to the doctor or resident and shortly thereafter a bowel x-ray was being arranged.  She cancelled other plans she had and decided that she better stick around and look  after him.
              Now,I am not blaming any of the care givers, but there is something seriously wrong with a system that could allow a post surgery patient to slip into shock in an acute care hospital.
               Not every patient has an advocate in the health care professions, but every seriously ill patient needs an advocate with the patient's welfare at heart,especially when the patient is too ill do so so for himself.    Not to tell the health professionals what to do, but to show  there is someone who cares for the patient as a human being and to provide the care that the often overworked and harassed members of that profession can no longer look after in the Health Care Industry.
              Tell me if you think your family member would need a medical advocate.