[COMMUNICATED] Just several weeks ago, Moshe (not his real name), a young father, was admitted to a small New York hospital with an injury. After all the scans were done, the doctors were stunned to discover that he was suffering from an advanced cancer. The disease was so severe, they said, that they could not discharge him from the hospital until he initiated chemotherapy treatment. The oncologist on the floor prescribed one chemo drug and pressured the patient to sign off on the treatment plan.
Family members panicked and immediately contacted the RCCS office. RCCS questioned the prescribed treatment plan and insisted that a competent second opinion must be consulted before treatment can begin. Our staff, in consultation with physicians, agreed that time was very much of the essence to begin treatment, yet they were not confident in the tests done and treatment plan given. They concluded that the wiser path would be to delay treatment until the transfer to another facility could take place and a better physician could be consulted, but only if all this would happen within a few hours.
RCCS did not waste a minute. They assisted the family in their difficult battle with the hospital to allow the discharge and together with the family, arranged a speedy transfer via ambulette to the prestigious Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan. Upon arrival at Mount Sinai, Moshe was immediately seen by a top oncologist, who was shocked to learn that the original hospital had not even provided a full work up and was basing the treatment plan on insufficient testing. The doctor immediately ordered a battery of tests, which revealed a more accurate diagnosis. The physician then prescribed a treatment regimen far more effective and sophisticated than the plan that the physician at the previous facility had insisted upon.
Thankfully, Moshe has already seen significant positive progress on his journey to healing. His body has responded well, and he is regaining his strength at a prestigious rehabilitation facility. He is expected to undergo additional rounds of treatment, and we are all praying that they should be successful. At the same time, we are confident that as a result of RCCS’s professionalism and quick action, b’siyatta dishmayah (with G-d’s help), Moshe is receiving the highest quality care available.
