2020 through the eye of a patient

OPINION:

I must admit that there were several examples where I felt someone I didn't know cared about me, that my life mattered. The healthcare professionals that assisted me with my hip replacement and rehab were awesome. The ones that helped my husband recover from three medical procedures were equally awesome. 

But in the middle of COVID-19, I have to call out the doctors and staff at Marietta Eye Clinic who, in the last week of 2020, showed a total disregard for my welfare and bid me to claim the entire risk of contracting a deadly disease during a pandemic just in order to get a refill on my eye medication. I contend that my life did not matter to them.

Maybe it started with Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signing Senate Bill 356 in August (https://www.jacksonlewis.com/publication/georgia-enacts-covid-19-legal-immunity-healthcare-providers-businesses) which leaves healthcare facilities off the hook if a patient contracts COVID-19 while in their place of business. This protects businesses, not the individual who is not responsible for sanitation in buildings, wipe down of equipment, or medical protocols.

Getting back to what happened to me, I had a recurrence of an eye infection that I was treated for in December 2019 and January 2020. I understand that getting a hordeolum occurs frequently in some people and is treated by Zylet or Neomycin. 

When I called my pharmacy to refill my prescription, they sent in a request to my doctor on December 28. The pharmacist informed me that the doctor never responded. So I called Marietta Eye Clinic myself and was told that they could not refill my prescription, even though I have asthma and feared catching COVID-19, had a dry cough and headache - but I was told I had to come in and be seen to get the medicine I needed.

I told them if they could treat me, I would come in after I got my vaccine. They said they didn't have an email for me to send them a picure. When I arrived at their East Cobb facility and was bid to take a seat, I asked them, "Aren't you gonna take my temperature?" They had forgotten to do that. After waiting in my car to be seen, I waited almost 30 minutes in the exam room for the doctor. 

During the exam, I had to place my forehead and chin on a machine. And guess what? I was diagnosed with the same problem and given Neomycin. Go figure! The doctor also told me to use an eye scrub but didn't forward it electonically to the pharmacy. I called from the pharmacy at 12:53 and got a recording that Marietta Eye Clinic was closed due to it being New Year's Eve. It was supposed to be open until 1p.m. So I'm out of luck until Monday. 

Anyways, the problem is that they could have listened to the patient, cared about the risk of a person with pre-existing conditions catching a deadly disease, and given me my freakin' refill. But they didn't because they were protected by Georgia law and probably needed the office visit money from the insurance company. 

No, my life didn't matter to Marietta Eye Clinic, I contend. Hopefully, things will change in 2021.