STATE OF NC MEDICAL BOARD

January 30, 2009

The Honorable Governor Perdue
116 West Jones Street
Raleigh, NC 27603

Dear Honorable Governor Perdue:

This letter is to request an inquiry into the January 26, 2009, impertinent medical visit that I had at Southern Regional Area Health Education Center (Southern Regional AHEC). On this visit, I was accompanied by my sister, Mrs. Lori Anderson; whose husband is a SSGT in the army stationed at Ft. Bragg, NC. I am an A.I.D.S. (CD-4 @ 233), Hepatitis-C, and Epileptic patient.
Specifically, this letter is a response to the January 27, 2009 letter that I received by Howard H. Laughlin, MD, Medical Director, Specialty Medicine Center, of Southern Regional AHEC due to the concerns that I raised to him pertaining to the insolence by his staff, in particular, Yvonne Early, Case Manager. Previously, I was a Human Resource Employee Specialist and an Administrative Support 3 at Alaska Native Medical Center, located in Anchorage, Alaska and am well informed of daily duties of medical employees and am very understanding of having patients and being “delayed” per Dr. Laughlin’s statement, yet realize that professionalism and respect is an imperative, especially when Southern Regional AHEC’s Mission Statement reads as follows: “The Mission of the Specialty Medicine Center is to provide both excellent specialized medical care and health education in response to the needs of patients, trainees, and practitioners in the region.”
Here are the concerns of the visit:
1. On paragraph 1 from Dr. Laughlin, Dr. Chima’s “full attention” lasted 5 minutes. I understand that he was “running late” and never made any complaint.
2. On paragraph 2 from Dr. Loughlin, I made the appointment 6 weeks earlier, signed medical releases for all parties for the most up-to-date medical records contrary to Dr. Laughlin’s misstatement to the contrary in his letter, called Southern Regional AHEC to confirm receipt of this time sensitive documents, and it was orally confirmed to me by the medical receptionists (Janet) that the nurses’ verified receipt of the most up-to-date documents before my scheduled appointment. Additionally, I checked with Alaska and California and never received any copies from Alaska, my Native American/Indian Tribe hospital. Nevertheless, they did provide copies of outdated medical records from 2001-2005 from California: (L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center, Jeffrey Goodman Center).
3. On paragraph 3, I did everything, even numerous calls from my sister Lori’s house to ensure that the medical records were sent. Being an Administrative Support 3 at a major “free” hospital, it was our professional responsibility to check the date on the time sensitive documents, not reading the federally protected H.I.P.A.A. information in order for everything to be in place before the patient’s scheduled appointment and if there were any problems, to promptly call the patient. Contrary to Dr. Loughlin’s inaccurate statement that I needed to be “specific about the dates of the records that were needed”, research and records even from his office and the others easily verify that to be true including my sister listening in to and recorded conversations to my conversations will confirm what I have stated. After this appointment, I called my nurse in Alaska, Health & Human Services, employee Thor Brendtro (907.729.4955), to personally re-fax the up-to-date documents, and according to Dr. Loughlin, he acknowledged receipt.
4. On paragraph 4, Ms. Early’s insolence, incompetence, and unprofessional attitude is displayed by her comments in front of their employees Art and the receptionist (Janet) when she was upset that my sister Lori Anderson was complaining to Dr. Loughlin in his office. Ms. Early stated that “your complaining is too much trouble for our busy office and it is free, so you have an option to go somewhere else.” When I replied that it is not “free” as they receive State of North Carolina and Federal funds”, she followed me screaming to where I sat and yelled that she was “discharging me as a patient due to me being more trouble than I am worth.” I was not aware that she is empowered to arbitrarily do this and asked this question to Dr. Loughlin, who refused to answer.
This is not the “first class care in a very supportive environment” that Dr. Loghlin next writes and his addendum that: “If you remain less than pleased, we will, upon receipt of your written request, transfer your records to the provider of your choice” indicates the unprofessional presumptuousness of any response by me to his written comments that I had yet to receive. Also, his final statement that I should address any concern to the “physician and staff member involved” is deceitful and duplicitous since that is exactly what and my sister, Lori Anderson, and I promptly did.
Please document and/or investigate Dr. Loughlin and his staff’s churlish and dilatoriness, lack of in-depth investigation and disregard for the principle of the Hippocratic Oath.
Thank You,

Gerry Lindgren
Mrs. SSgt. Mark Anderson, USA Army