FARGO, N.D. (Valley Information Stay) – (Replace 9:01 p.m.) – Essentia Well being is reversing course after our Whistleblower story aired.
The hospital informed Rachel Safer her household may go to her father 52-year-old Cory Refshaw Thursday night time after he underwent emergency surgical procedure for stage 4 colon most cancers.
Safar stated that Essentia’s president referred to as her mother saying one individual at a time can go to Refshaw. They will offered her household with N95 masks.
Refshaw is on the Fargo hospital recovering from the process, which he had Thursday afternoon.
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(Unique 6:30 p.m.) – A Minnesota household is difficult a Fargo hospital’s coverage towards permitting guests for sufferers.
Rachel Safar contacted our Whistleblower Hotline saying her father 52-year-old Corey Refshaw underwent emergency surgical procedure Thursday after being identified this week with stage 4 colon most cancers.
“I’ve by no means, ever seen my dad cry earlier than, and that was the worst day of my life, was watching him cry over Zoom and never having the ability to maintain his hand,” Safar stated.
Safar stated her father is an lively man. He’s a farmer in Mahnomen and tends to maintain busy.
“My dad has at all times been so wholesome and only a rock inside our household. I by no means ever anticipated this,” Safar stated.
They observed one thing was up with Refshaw when he started dropping loads of weight with out making an attempt and experiencing physique paints.
It wasn’t till a current go to to a clinic, nevertheless, that his household acquired grim information.
“They discovered that he had a big tumor in his colon,” Safar stated. “Tumors on his liver and spots on his kidneys, lymph nodes, and stomach.”
His spouse dropped him off Monday at Essentia’s emergency room. After parking her car, his spouse was informed she couldn’t go inside as a consequence of a coverage barring guests
The analysis of stage 4 colon most cancers was a devastating blow for the household.
“He is a really sturdy man. He is a fighter. He is making an attempt to remain constructive however he is very scared,” Safar stated.
For the reason that begin of the coronavirus pandemic, Essentia Well being has applied a coverage prohibiting guests from its hospitals.
Sanford Hospital had an analogous rule up until late May when it began allowing one visitor per patient during business hours.
The household held indicators in entrance of Essentia Wednesday and Thursday wanting to come back inside and go to their beloved one. Safar stated Essentia ought to do what Sanford did.
“Psychological well being is essential in combating illness and also you want your loved ones with you,” Safar stated.
In a press release, Essentia stated it may possibly’t touch upon particular circumstances due affected person privateness. But, they’re coverage is in place to scale back the transmission of COVID-19.
The hospital additionally said it’s regularly reviewing its customer coverage.
In accordance with well being consultants, stage 4 colon most cancers is lethal with a brief life expectancy.
“We don’t need anyone else on this state of affairs to undergo, what we’re going by proper now. We wish different individuals to have the ability to see their members of the family,” Safar stated.
Safar added that her father at all times wished to be a grandpa, and late final 12 months, she was capable of ship him a granddaughter.
She hopes he’s round long-enough to look at her daughter develop.
Refshaw’s surgical procedure was profitable on Thursday afternoon, based on Safar. He had his colon eliminated and should bear chemotherapy.
Under is Essentia’s full assertion.
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Our dedication to affected person privateness prevents us from sharing any particular data. Our prime precedence is the security and well-being of all of our sufferers, employees and the communities we’re privileged to serve. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Essentia Well being has made the tough resolution to limit guests at our hospitals and clinics. That is being executed to scale back the chance of COVID-19 transmission. We acknowledge how tough restrictions on visitation will be for our sufferers and their households.
We’re regularly reviewing our customer coverage with cautious consideration for preserving our sufferers and employees secure and contemplating the emotional well-being of our sufferers.
Workers perceive how exhausting that is and do all they’ll to encourage and help members of the family utilizing different strategies of communication with sufferers, similar to telephone calls, Facetime, Skype or different digital channels.