Kaiser Permanente Leaving Me Hanging

[hipnhop]

I have a Kaiser HMO plan.  I am 46, highly active and in good health. I had a cortisone shot in my right hip five weeks ago that caused infection and major cartilage and tissue damage. Prior to the shot I could walk normally with very little pain. Now I can't stand without crutches. To make a long story short, despite five visits to Kaiser docs in the days after receiving the shot, not one caught the sign of infection. My xrays from the 1st week post Cortisone to 5 weeks post Cortisone show so much damage that you would think you are looking at two different hips. Kaiser doctors are now ready to do regular Hip Replacement.   I asked for Resurfacing but they informed me that no one in the Kaiser HMO network does resurfacing and that they don't approve outside of network procedures. I feel that they should do whatever it takes to correct the ill effects on the Cortisone shot that they administered. Any advice?

[Lopsided]

I feel that they should do whatever it takes to correct the ill effects on the Cortisone shot that they administered. Any advice?

Whatever it takes might be getting resurfaced by a good surgeon and paying for it yourself.

[Merkley5]

Hi - I do not know where you are or if Kaiser allows one to go to another state for surgery, but I do know that there is a Kaiser Dr. who has a good reputation with HR in Roseville/Sacramento, CA area.  I believe his name is Dr. Klug.  Good luck.  I am so sorry to hear of your situation.  I had 2 cortisone shots and was informed at the time that infection is a risk with the shot.  The Dr.s should have investigated this when you had such difficulty.
Debbie

[Cutter3]

Don't give up - Dr Klug just preformed a resurfacing on me in September.   Kaiser Roseville (Northern California - east of Sacramento).

His information line is 916-784-5051.  His assistants may be able to get you on the right path...

[hipnhop]

Thanks, Kaiser doc just got trained on HR and advised me that she will be accompanied by a more experienced HR surgeon (300plus HR) to guide her through the process. Sounds like a deal to me. I hope to see more Doc trained in this procedure in the future.

Thanks everyone.  I can't wait to get Hippy!!!

[trumpetman]

Hi Ed,
that is really scary that your first Dr. didn't know or bother to search for an in-plan dr. that could do a HR. My GP just fired up the computer next to us and did a quick search to find two dr.s near us in the SF Bay Area.  Dr. Klug you have heard is in Roseville, but there is also Dr. Barber in Oakland, CA.  Bother are very good and have 300+ BHRs under their belt.

sorry to hear about the Cortisone shot, normally it does give relief and can postpone the time before your operation. 

I'm 47 and planning on getting my HR soon here at Kaiser. Not sure which Doc yet.

stephen

[andybc]

I'm sure you're doing the right thing going for resurfacing. I was in exactly the same postion, with infection after cortisone injection.
I was advised to have thr which was the only option available locally. Surgeon very good, but my logic for going elsewhere for resurfacing is that, if one was unluckky enought to get an infection, it's much easier to revise to a thr. Revising an infected thr is a different ball game altogether.
I'm sure your surgeon will have antibiotic cover organised but I had peroperative teicoplanin which was continued intravenously for 5 days, then flucloxacillin orally for 4 weeks. Also, important to have biopsies sent from tissue obtained at operation for microscopy and culture to check for any residual infection. That's what I had and to my mind it was perfect and so far so good.
I soldiered on in extreme pain, post cortisone, for about 8 months and, as a result, I think my healing has been a bit on the slow side. Providing your infection seems to have settled, the sooner you can get it done, the better - although opinion may be divided on how quickly that should be.
Don't want to throw a spanner in the works, but because of my infection, I opted to go to a very experienced surgeon. Just maybe you're not the ideal candidate for someone who hasn't done a great many resurfacings.
Very best of luck. Keep us informed as to your progress. Do you have a date yet?
Andy BC

[hipnhop]

I am sorry about your experience.  A= least my Kaiser Ortho Surgeon listen3ed to m3e and advocated for me. She even went tob the extent of lettin.g her supervisor know she was uncomfortable with doing the procedure because3 of the complexity of my case.

As I understand they had to go to the kaise4r top leadership to get approvval for the assistance of a more experi3enced surgeaon. It took 5 months but it worked. I am in hospital now, surgery was just a few hours ago.

I would suggest asking for a xfer to another hr surgeon.  If you send me your email address I will send you a copy of my 5 page letter.

imy complaint is that it took bso long but the concern, professionlism and honesty was there.  My kaiser or surgeaom even went as far tob go to the hospital of the more exp surgeon to make sure she had a staff familiar with the hr process.  Let me know how I can help.