Consultant Targets Broward Health ER Screwup
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Dan Lewis is a lot of things:
- A political strategist whose motives at times are so vaporous that he earned the nickname “The Grey Man.”
- A much-feared adversary with a long memory.
- A campaign consultant with renowned serpentine skills and a win-loss record that would make him a Hall of Famer if he were competing in baseball rather than politics.
- A community activist with the tenacity of a bulldog.
But most of all, Dan is a father.
Catlin and Dan Lewis
Lewis’ latest target is Broward Health. He disclosed the reasons behind his concern about our taxpayer-assisted public hospital system in a recent post on his sterling Broward Health Blog.
Lewis didn’t think much about Broward Health until 2011 when the youngest of four children, Catlin Lewis, a 19-year-old model, ended up in Broward Health Medical Center’s (also known as Broward General) emergency room.
After she was misdiagnosed and almost died, Lewis vowed not to sue. He vowed to reform the system.
I hope to help him when I can. Because like Lewis, I believe the Broward taxpayers deserve a better public health system for their tax money.
The link to Dan and Catlin’s personal story is below. It is a rare peek at the private life of Dan Lewis, who has had a great influence on Broward’s public life for a generation.
March 25th, 2015 at 11:18 am
“I chose not to sue” = I had no case.
March 25th, 2015 at 12:23 pm
I am sorry for mr lewis’ n his family’s sufferings n believe every word of it. The health system is broken in Broward. I personally observed a case on my block. A physically I’ll young man took drugs n went nuts, running around naked attacking people. The police took him to the mental ward. Next day he was back in his place with pills, but that night he attacked a neighbor n trashed his n his neighbors house. The medical staff n mental specialists were useless . No relative or friend or business or scholarly associate would ever use the Broward health system.
FROM BUDDY:
There are two public health systems in Broward. The North Broward Hospital District, which does business under the name Broward Health, covers the northern two-thirds of the county (Roughly from Griffin Road, north to the Palm Beach County line.). This system has long been mired in controversy.
The South Broward Hospital District, doing business as the Memorial Healthcare System, covers the south end of the county (Roughly from Griffin Road south to the boundary of Miami-Dade.). This system has not had the negative political reputation that the North system has had for years.
March 25th, 2015 at 12:53 pm
Dan Lewis is a mensch who keeps his “nice” side hidden.
March 25th, 2015 at 6:02 pm
Dan is taking a stand we should all support
March 25th, 2015 at 8:25 pm
I can tell you a personal success story regarding the emergency room at Broward Health.
Believe me, good things happen there. I am sure there are others who have not had a good experience.
It seems that Dan Lewis should celebrate the fact his daughter is in the 3% of survivors of her condition. Must have been something right going on in the hospital.
That being said, yes, it is important to provide quality health care to all people who end up in the hospital. Unbiased assistance in achieving that goal should be welcomed.
March 25th, 2015 at 9:25 pm
I unfortunately had to go to the ER and the bedside manor was actually hostile. It was the worst experience of my life.
At least if something goes wrong at HCA you CAN sue. Dan w tue right choice, the district is protected by sovereign immunity.
March 26th, 2015 at 1:04 am
Dan was a great Commissioner in my city an did his best to fix what was and is wrong with our city that we all love. He helped us immensely with our law suit against Lennar Corporation and is a good man who cares about his family and personal reputation and has no problem taking on a monster like Broward Health privatise it and then it sueable for all their mistakes…amazing they cant change a light bulb abd south broward has zero defects amazing!!!!
FROM BUDDY:
The city being discussed is Miramar.
March 26th, 2015 at 2:23 am
The incident I observed happened in ft Lauderdale so I assume from mr nevins elucidation involved Broward health in north broward
March 26th, 2015 at 10:02 am
Interesting that the Broward Health blog has been up for a couple of years but now we are hearing about it.
Maybe Dan can address the rumors that he recently lost an RFP to contract with Broward Health for services? Has he attempted to do deals with Broward Health and they have not materialized?
March 28th, 2015 at 5:31 pm
I went to Broward General’s emergency room this week for back pain. I live close to the hospital and it was the pits. Without going into great detail it was bad from the prejudice person at the front counter to the woman DR. that would not touch me to see where the pain was, everyone else in between was just as bad. I wanted to run out of the place and go to Memorial in Hollywood. I took my wife to Broward General a few years ago and all I can say is it was worse than last time and that was bad. There will not ever be a third visit unless I am on a stretcher and I don’t have a choice. That Hospital has some serious issues. When I told my wife that I was at Broward General emergency room she said what are you nuts, I guess I was in pain and not thinking straight.