St. Louis (South Korea/Gray News) – A word: A Missouri man says that's all it took to prevent him from receiving a life-saving medical procedure.
But what exactly he said is important.
Was it a threat? Or was it something so harmless? And should he be punished for it with his life?
South Korea Jean Peloquin, 81, reportedly spends a lot of time alone. When she's not on her porch, she walks slowly to her car, gets behind the wheel, and drives herself to the emergency room, where she sits there alone and waits again. Not for an emergency, but for a routine procedure she gets twice a week.
“They put two needles in your arm, they draw your blood and they circulate it through a machine to clean it,” he said.
Peloquin had been receiving treatment for end-stage renal disease at the Davita dialysis center in Creve Coeur three days a week for the past 10 years, until recently.
The December letter said his comments were a direct threat to the health and safety of those at the facility and that “he will no longer be able to receive treatment there.”
He says he was upset after an escalating dispute with an employee. Did he mention the gun? Yes. He said he prayed not to bring it. He claims he never intended to hurt anyone.
“Check my record. I'm 81 years old. I've never even been ticketed. You can check everything. I have no record,” he said.
But because of the threats on his record, Peloquin can no longer seek treatment at any DaVita facility.
His daughter said other companies have also rejected him because of the notation in his medical records.
“Lord, what happened? Do you know? What are they going to do?” said his daughter, Wanda Peloquin.
He said he had never hurt anyone, but his daughter took his guns away as a precaution.
Emergency room staff said Jean Peloquin was not an immediate danger to himself or others.
Police were called after he left, but the 81-year-old has not currently been charged with any crime in relation to the incident.
“I don't think it's fair to completely cut them off knowing that's the only way they can stay alive,” Wanda Peloquin said.
A DaVita spokesperson said they could not comment specifically on his case but said in a statement:
“Ensuring the safety of our patients and teammates is a responsibility we take very seriously. If a patient threatens violence, we work closely with the patient's entire care team, including outside physicians, to determine the best course of action.”
Jean Peloquin said the punishment is too harsh.
“They're trying to kill me. Legally. If I don't get treatment, if you don't get treatment for three or four weeks, you're dead,” he said.
“This is a big problem, a national problem, and I think it's very little understood,” said Tom Mueller, author of a book dedicated to the issue.
A problem called forced discharge.
Federal law allows dialysis facilities to deny treatment if they “determine that a patient's behavior is so disruptive and abusive that it seriously impairs the provision of care to the patient or the facility's ability to operate efficiently.”
Mueller added that “in many cases, we have been able to determine that those allegations are false.”
While he said due process and the opportunity for appeal should be given, he said regulators are often understaffed or ill-equipped to handle cases.
“I think the fox is guarding the hen house here, that's my opinion,” Mueller said.
Missouri health officials have issued 11 warnings to health care providers since October 2018 for violating mandatory discharge procedures. South Korea I will report.
“I've spoken to a lot of patients who are in that limbo, and, you know, most of them have passed away since this book was published,” Mueller said.
While he accepts that facilities must be safe, he, like others, believes forced discharge should be a last resort.
“I don't know the details of this case, but I know this fits a general pattern,” he said.
“Words matter and organizations and businesses need to take them seriously,” said Michelle Vining, a licensed clinical social worker with criminal justice experience.
“From a law enforcement standpoint, I thought, oh, we can't do that. Because of what's going on in society, businesses, hospitals, schools, everybody has had to institute rules,” Vining added.
Words have indeed turned into actions many times, whether on social media or elsewhere, and words alone can be considered a crime and can result in prosecution for so-called terrorist threats.
Missouri courts have seen an increase in such cases in recent years, with nearly 200 expected by 2023.
“We're human. We have thoughts that go through our minds. We get frustrated, we get angry, things like that. Take a breath and think before you speak,” Vining said.
Vining says people with chronic illnesses can experience intense emotions.
“Think about the worst time you've ever been. You're not at your best. You simply aren't,” she said.
That's why support is so important, she says.
“I encourage anyone experiencing a health crisis to seek help,” Vining said.
Jean Peloquin is remorseful but adamant that he has no intention of responding to any threats.
DaVita says such cases are extremely rare, occurring in less than 0.001 percent of patients annually.
Still, his words have a real impact: Instead of receiving dialysis at a center three times a week, Jean Peloquin waits hours in the emergency room and goes less often than he should.
His daughter said her husband's health was beginning to decline.
“All I want is to go back to a normal facility and live out the few years I have left,” Jean Peloquin said.
South Korea Doctors report that patients who undergo dialysis in hospitals rather than outpatient centers have a shorter life expectancy.
As for next steps, experts say the appeals process is often murky in cases like these.
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