Dr Karen O'Neill's Medical Fund
Donation protected
Dr Karen O'Neill's Unexpected Surgery...
Normally, there would not be a GoFundMe for a physician because they have the resources to take care of an unexpected surgery or other adverse event.
However, Dr O'Neill was unexpectedly fired from Norton Sound Regional Hospital after almost 40 years of service as Staff physician, Director of ER, Director of Medevac Services, Director of Nome Ambulance Services and Director of the Community Health Aide Training. She has not been paid since October 3, 2016 when she was placed on leave without pay by Hospital Administrator and CEO Angie Gorn, and the Hospital Board. Her pay was not reinstated even after the Med Staff voted unanimously for her to be paid while she was being "investigated" for her pain medication prescribing practices. The investigation was started because some local patients of Dr O'Neill made copies of their pain medicine prescriptions and had them filled at pharmacies outside of Nome. The fault then lies on those who committed the crimes, and the pharmacies who filled non-local narcotic prescriptions without verifying with Dr O'Neill.
Two physicians went through all of Dr O'Neill's charts and found she was taking care of 80% of the chronic pain patients of the region - which was why it seemed she was overprescribing pain medications. It was also found there was no investigation into Dr O'Neill by the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency), the State Troopers, or the District Attorney's office.
The response from Administration after getting the report and finding her medical license was renewed without a problem in December (when all physicians have to renew their licenses in Alaska) was to fire her in February 2017 for not having a contract.
When Dr O'Neill realized she wasn't going to be allowed to present her case to the Hospital Board - she hired attorneys to get her back pay from October. They seemed to charge an inordinate amount of money for not much work, and of course, got delaying tactics from the Hospital Corporation lawyers which in turn lead to more attorney charges (over $7000 so far! Maybe we should have gone to Law School...)
While all of this was going on - Dr O'Neill started having severe low back pain that became almost unbearable. She had an appointment in Anchorage with a spine doctor, but she collapsed at the Nome Airport when her leg went numb and she couldn't move it at all. She was emergently transported by Medevac to Anchorage where they found a mass putting pressure on her spine. She had surgery right away, and thankfully, the mass was a cyst, and not cancer. She has been recovering slowly in Valdez where she went for rehab since Norton Sound Hospital did not have a bed for her. She has progressed from a wheelchair to a walker to two canes. She is currently staying with her daughter's family until she is strong enough to go back home to Nome.
Luckily, Dr O'Neill has health insurance, but Medevacs are very expensive and insurance will not pay for everything. Since Dr O'Neill had not planned on retiring yet or having to hire attorneys or having emergency surgery - she has had to dip into her retirement funds early. She is very concerned about this fact, as well as the forthcoming Medevac and hospital bills.
Dr Karen O'Neill has given much to Norton Sound Hospital and the Region it serves over the years. She has delivered and taken care of many of the people selflessly and compassionately. She has stood up for patients, Health Aides, and staff when she has felt they were not being treated fairly. It is time we stood up for her by showing our support. If everyone would donate just a few dollars - we would reach and surpass our goal. I have no idea what her medical bills will end up being, so I had to estimate an amount. I will update as we get more information. What I think is even more important is we would let her know she has not been forgotten by all the people she has loved, cared for and worked with over the last 40 years.
For those of you who are afraid of losing your job or getting reprimanded for donating - there is a box to check that will hide your name and comment. They will not get any information from me at all - this I promise. Also, you can leave a comment for Dr O'Neill even if you are not able to donate money - you can give her support from your heart which will mean a lot to her!
Please share with as many people as possible. Consider this like her going away party that was never allowed.
Thank you for reading and for your support, Dr Carolyn McDougald.
Normally, there would not be a GoFundMe for a physician because they have the resources to take care of an unexpected surgery or other adverse event.
However, Dr O'Neill was unexpectedly fired from Norton Sound Regional Hospital after almost 40 years of service as Staff physician, Director of ER, Director of Medevac Services, Director of Nome Ambulance Services and Director of the Community Health Aide Training. She has not been paid since October 3, 2016 when she was placed on leave without pay by Hospital Administrator and CEO Angie Gorn, and the Hospital Board. Her pay was not reinstated even after the Med Staff voted unanimously for her to be paid while she was being "investigated" for her pain medication prescribing practices. The investigation was started because some local patients of Dr O'Neill made copies of their pain medicine prescriptions and had them filled at pharmacies outside of Nome. The fault then lies on those who committed the crimes, and the pharmacies who filled non-local narcotic prescriptions without verifying with Dr O'Neill.
Two physicians went through all of Dr O'Neill's charts and found she was taking care of 80% of the chronic pain patients of the region - which was why it seemed she was overprescribing pain medications. It was also found there was no investigation into Dr O'Neill by the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency), the State Troopers, or the District Attorney's office.
The response from Administration after getting the report and finding her medical license was renewed without a problem in December (when all physicians have to renew their licenses in Alaska) was to fire her in February 2017 for not having a contract.
When Dr O'Neill realized she wasn't going to be allowed to present her case to the Hospital Board - she hired attorneys to get her back pay from October. They seemed to charge an inordinate amount of money for not much work, and of course, got delaying tactics from the Hospital Corporation lawyers which in turn lead to more attorney charges (over $7000 so far! Maybe we should have gone to Law School...)
While all of this was going on - Dr O'Neill started having severe low back pain that became almost unbearable. She had an appointment in Anchorage with a spine doctor, but she collapsed at the Nome Airport when her leg went numb and she couldn't move it at all. She was emergently transported by Medevac to Anchorage where they found a mass putting pressure on her spine. She had surgery right away, and thankfully, the mass was a cyst, and not cancer. She has been recovering slowly in Valdez where she went for rehab since Norton Sound Hospital did not have a bed for her. She has progressed from a wheelchair to a walker to two canes. She is currently staying with her daughter's family until she is strong enough to go back home to Nome.
Luckily, Dr O'Neill has health insurance, but Medevacs are very expensive and insurance will not pay for everything. Since Dr O'Neill had not planned on retiring yet or having to hire attorneys or having emergency surgery - she has had to dip into her retirement funds early. She is very concerned about this fact, as well as the forthcoming Medevac and hospital bills.
Dr Karen O'Neill has given much to Norton Sound Hospital and the Region it serves over the years. She has delivered and taken care of many of the people selflessly and compassionately. She has stood up for patients, Health Aides, and staff when she has felt they were not being treated fairly. It is time we stood up for her by showing our support. If everyone would donate just a few dollars - we would reach and surpass our goal. I have no idea what her medical bills will end up being, so I had to estimate an amount. I will update as we get more information. What I think is even more important is we would let her know she has not been forgotten by all the people she has loved, cared for and worked with over the last 40 years.
For those of you who are afraid of losing your job or getting reprimanded for donating - there is a box to check that will hide your name and comment. They will not get any information from me at all - this I promise. Also, you can leave a comment for Dr O'Neill even if you are not able to donate money - you can give her support from your heart which will mean a lot to her!
Please share with as many people as possible. Consider this like her going away party that was never allowed.
Thank you for reading and for your support, Dr Carolyn McDougald.
Organizer and beneficiary
Carolyn McDougald
Organizer
Nome, AK
Karen O'Neill
Beneficiary
