Reason for grievance: Malevolent Negligence and Inappropriate Behavior

As human beings and prospective patients with or without health insurance, there should be a measurable
“standard code of ethics” for medical staff to treat people with respect and make every effort to accurately diagnose
health problems! Because of the blatant lack of respect for my health by Dr. Khorrami and some members of the
hospital staff, I have filed two formal grievances, one with the Chino Valley Medical Center where he works, and the
other with my HMO where he is contracted; both citing malevolent neglect and inappropriate behavior.
Understandably, before treatment by any physician today, usually the initialing and signing of required paperwork
hinders patient’s rights to “mediation” first…as a way to settle disputes. However, my actions are not for monetary
gain. I am seeking additional regulations that will protect patients against non-caring doctors who do not follow
routine protocol to hold them astutely accountable…ultimately saving lives! Since my horrific encounter with an inept
person(s) who put on white coats with a name badges, blue scrubs, and have a “god” complex, I have chose to step-up
beyond the muck and mire and fight for what is right!

As an insight to what happen with my encounter with Dr. S. Khorrami are as follows:

Due to severe fatigue, dizziness, and body aches, I went to the emergency room around 4:30 p.m. at the
Chino Valley Medical Center on 9/23/10. After several blood tests the ER physician said, “Besides a slight red
ear and throat (which will be treated with antibiotics through your IV), he could not find anything wrong.”
This doctor seemed to really care because he said that he was concerned about my symptoms and wanted to admit
me into the hospital for further testing…my husband immediately said “that sounds like a good plan.”

The next morning 9/24/10, around 12:00 p.m., a small statured doctor came in the room and introduced
himself and proceeded to ask we what was wrong. At first I was caught off guard because he reached over me and
grabbed the TV remote and turned it down…before I could say anything! I thought that was a little rude and in my
space. However, I told him in detail about my symptoms and asked him to run tests on my thyroid because I
had been looking at a program called “Mystery Diagnosis” and how this woman went undetected for a
pituitary and thyroid condition for 5 years and a lot of her symptoms I am experiencing!” He retorted,
“What makes you think you have a problem with your thyroid…just from the TV show?” and I quickly said,
“Yeah…I believe God has a way of showing us in the nick of time things like this to save our lives, plus my
sister was diagnosed with thyroid cancer last year and my mom has thyroid problems!” He responded,
“Okay, I will run the tests as well as some other tests because there is a long list of other things that your
symptoms could be from…is there anything else?” By then, I discerned his spirit wasn’t right, so I said, “No,
I just feel really awful and want to start feeling better.” His last remark as he stood up from sitting on the
window ledge, “Let’s see what we can do about that.” I immediately asked God to cover me because I was
dealing with a doctor who had “god” complex!

After having my arms drained of blood it seemed like, the next day 9/25/10, a little before noon, I asked the
nurse about the results of my blood tests, so she quickly went to the computer and said that my thyroid levels were
very high and my cholesterol. I asked her what my thyroid levels were and quickly looked up the standard
range levels and symptoms on my Blackberry, and there it was…all of my symptoms in a nutshell for
hypothyroidism! Tears started to roll down my face because of how God answered my prayer through a TV show!
The doctor came around 1:15 p.m. and quickly went around to the window ledge and folded his arms across
his chest and stated, “Mrs. Tyler, I don’t know how to tell you this, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with
you, the results show that you’re not sick and you’re not dizzy. What may be going on with you might be
viral!” I quietly stated, “But I asked the nurse to check my test results around noon and she said that my
thyroid levels were very high…why would she tell me that?” I was dumbfounded by his response, “I don’t
know why she told you that, ask her…your levels are not high!” Before I could retort with an answer, I

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believe he got an epiphany to check my results, so he quickly left the room. I couldn’t believe what he just
said and the way he said it, so I called my husband but the answering machine came on, so as I hung up the
phone as he came marching back in the room with his head down saying, “Well Mrs. Tyler, your thyroid
levels are a “little elevated, so I’m….” Before he could finish his sentence, I yelled, “Get out of my face…you
didn’t have the decency to check over my results before seeing me…get out!” He said, “Okay, I will
discharge you!” Not even a half a minute went by; three people came into my room trying to smooth things over,
the nurse that told me about my thyroid practically begged me not to say anything because she would get into
trouble for telling me my results. I told her that she did her job, but he failed to do his job. I told her that I had 16
years of being an HR Director and if she was fired…she should file a lawsuit! I really felt awful for her that she felt
like she was going to be fired for telling me something that was my right to receive!

I asked repeatedly to see another doctor, which the nurses said that the doctor had already discharged me. I
told them I am not discharged officially until I sign the paperwork! So the next thing I knew, I called the House
Supervisor, Deanna, to my room to request to see another doctor and for a grievance form…I was furious, but
devoid of using foul language! She told me that the doctor had already discharged me and I again told her that I
know hospital protocol and that I was not officially discharged until I signed all of the paperwork and that I was
illegal to deny me to see another doctor. She went and got another doctor who was an assistant to the chief of staff,
Dr. Robert Adams, and he stated that he couldn’t treat me because he was not in my network, but if I went through
the emergency room again they could help me! Then I said, “So find a doctor in my network”, and he said “The
hospital will not all him to do that.” I’m thinking…what kind of Red Tap lie is that…these people must think I’m
stupid? Bottom line, I was denied seeing another doctor which is negligence! I did not trust what the doctor had
to say because of his negligence and inappropriate behavior – I wanted so see another doctor because of a trust issue
with Dr. Khorrami! I asked for a copy of my blood tests and final diagnosis. In the end, the doctor had diagnosed
me with mild hypothyroidism (4.73 is not MILD according to endocrinologists), and prescribed medication that I
refused! One of nurses was under the impression that he diagnosed me with the medical term for dizziness (forgot
the name), but she changed her story when I asked for a copy of the diagnosis! I deliberately stated to the nurses,
House Supervisor and Dr. Adams, after refusing the prescription, “Why would a licensed medical doctor in your
hospital prescribe medication after informing a patient there was nothing wrong? I was so furious and still
didn’t feel well; I filled out the grievance form plus added a page, but held on to it. I wanted to speak to the Chief of
Staff and review it. Furthermore, I had to endure speaking with 2 other incompetent people prior to refusing to no
longer speak to anyone else but the person who was in charge! Heather Robison, who took all of the details down
via phone conversation 9/27/10 and said that Linda Ruggio would call me back at the end of the day, however, I had
to call Linda Ruggio back 10/1/10 who felt my situation wasn’t important enough to call me back! During our
conversation, she lied and said that Heather told me that I was going to mail in my grievance before she was to call
me back. I told her that was not true because she wrote my complaint down and we never discussed mailing it in, so
I asked if Heather could get on the speaker phone…I could tell Heather did her job but Linda dropped the ball and
my tone increased and she hung up on me. I received a phone call from the Chief of Staff on Monday 10/4/10!

However, If it wasn’t for me asking about my test results, I would have left that hospital without any
knowledge of my thyroid…that’s NEGLIGENCE on his part, and his total behavior was inappropriate from
the time he leaned over me and turned down the remote control without asking me to the time of my
discharge! He should have read over my lab results instead assuming that there was nothing wrong with me!
I saw an Endocrinologist on 10/5/10 and she was the only one that examined my neck area and I have a
nodule in my throat! Dr. Khorrami never examined my neck area, even after I asked him to test my
thyroid…again NEGLIGENCE! I will be getting a biopsy on 11/1/10! The Endocrinologist told me that she
was glad that I did not fill the prescription (Levogthyroxine 50 mcg) he wrote because it would have not been
the best choice to work with my cholesterol medication! Again, NEGLEGENCE! When admitted, I stated
that I was on Zetia for my cholesterol, plus on the discharge form, he stated to follow-up with my primary

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physician within 2-4 weeks! That was too long before consulting with a doctor of any kind and having
delicate situation as with the thyroid!

Still not feeling well, I left the hospital around 2:30 p.m., however, at 3:00 a.m. the next morning 9/26/10, I
went to another emergency room at the San Antonio Community Hospital that was in my HMO plan, the other
hospital was not. However, the doctor was just as incompetent as the last one! After having blood drawn, the
doctor stated, “Well I can’t find anything wrong with you,” so I asked him for a copy of my blood tests and
wanted to know how my thyroid levels could be high and low within 24 hours? He said, “I don’t know,
maybe because of the different labs.” I told him that something was wrong and that the blood test is being
read incorrectly because I felt worse. He told me, “I’m sorry, but there is nothing wrong, you should call
your primary doctor on Monday!” He did not examine me at ALL! Again, I could not believe what I was
going through!

Later that night I called my sister, who was diagnosed with thyroid cancer a year ago, told me to only see a
specialist because they are trained to read thyroid test results. The next day on Monday 9/27/10, I called my
primary doctor and told her nurse what had been happening and that I wanted to get a referral to see an
endocrinologist. Customarily it takes a week or two to get a referral approved, but with much perseverance and
prayer, it took less than a week. However, in the interim, I still was feeling worse. I went back to the emergency
room at the Chino Valley Medical Center around 4:00 a.m. on 9/29/10, because they had all of my history and I
liked the previous emergency room physician who admitted me originally on 9/23/10. After examining me, this
proved to be another caring doctor, he said, “You have strep throat and he gave me a prescription for Cipro-
antibiotic which worked! I was amazed how the strep throat was missed!

Once I got the approval to see the endocrinologist, I was able to get an appoint within a couple of days on
10/5/10! I thanked God for moving so swiftly and for Dr. Reddy properly examining me, documenting my
symptoms, and authorizing specific blood tests. Also, while examining my neck area where the thyroid is located,
she found a nodule that will be biopsied on 11/1/10. She saw the anxiety and passion in my eyes and said in the
most calming voice, “I’m so glad you were persistent in getting to see a specialist…problems with the thyroid
is sometimes difficult to detect.” She agreed with me that there might be an issue with my liver due to the test
results, but she wanted to run her own tests and request for a referral if the levels were still high (sometimes
cholesterol medication can increase levels). She assured me that she would get my thyroid under control so that I
could start feeling better. I now have a peace of mind and a doctor who respects my concerns and intuition to pursue
a specialist!

In a addition, I spoke to the Chief of Staff, Dr. Lally on 10/4/10 and he advised me that I needed to file the
grievance with my HMO because that is where he is contracted. I called in my complaint to Healthnet on 10/8/10
and gave details, but not relayed properly, so I received a phone call from Sandy at Healthnet and an email on
10/12/10. Because I have not been feeling well, I am just now emailing my grievance. The hospital should be
somewhat accountable too for refusing me to see another doctor after Dr. Khorrami! I have insurance…what
happened? The following is an action plan to have my voice heard about doctors who refuse to follow protocol and
in danger people’s lives:

1. File both grievances

2. Get responses in writing as to a Resolution from Hospital and HMO
3. File an on-line compliant with the White House Complaint Board – this problem will only get worse when the
Healthcare Reform Bill is enacted!
4. Report Issue to News 7 – “What’s Bugging You” – Carlos Granda investigates well documented incidents
5. Send documented incident to local politicians
6. If I am not satisfied with the HMO “Mediation” results – I will seek legal representation

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 Finally, Dr. Khorrami should learn some humility when it comes to treating patients and he needs to follow
protocol which includes accurately reviewing lab results! I am emotionally devastated and hurt because he put my
life in danger, if I would not have asked someone else about my results. This situation should be used as a
precedent for all doctors to respect their patient’s lives by giving consistent quality care and follow protocol!
After all I have been through: 1 hospital stay, denied by hospital staff to see another doctor, and 3 emergency
room visits…That is ridiculous! I compared all of my labs tests, and the results for my Red blood count,
Hematocrit, Glucose, AST ALT for liver functions, and TSH were all OUT of Range! Why didn’t someone
pay attention to the lab results or better–properly interpret them! I will petition to not pay co-pays!

Thank you for your immediate attention and consideration.

Monée Tyler
10/14, 2010

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