November 25, 2025 • 28 mins
A Black patient is raising serious concerns about his recent hospitalization at Hackensack Meridian Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank, New Jersey, alleging that he experienced inadequate care, premature discharge, poor communication, and treatment that left him feeling marginalized and medically unsafe.
The patient, admitted after collapsing on a tennis court, reports that in six days of hospitalization, he was never examined by a physician. Instead, he interacted solely with nurses and physician assistants. During this period, he says he continued to suffer the same symptoms—dizziness, fainting episodes, chest heaviness, and weakness—that initially led to his emergency admission.
According to his account, diagnostic tests were performed without explanation, and results were either withheld or presented with incomplete or conflicting narratives. He states that medical staff attempted to discharge him despite persistent symptoms and without providing a follow-up discussion regarding an echocardiogram that revealed a bicuspid aortic valve—a congenital defect that can affect blood flow.
He also reports that his dietary restrictions were ignored, with meals containing red meat and cheese despite repeated requests.
One of the most troubling events he describes occurred during an attempted discharge: hospital staff reportedly instructed him to walk off the unit despite ongoing dizziness. While waiting at the pharmacy, he collapsed and had to be readmitted. He alleges that a nurse immediately went into “defensive mode” rather than assessing his condition, and that the emergency department doctor’s system review revealed that he was still listed as an admitted patient, raising questions about the legitimacy of the initial discharge.
The patient further states that a psychiatrist was sent to his room, though he had reported no psychiatric symptoms. He interprets this as part of a broader pattern in which Black patients’ physical complaints are reframed as psychological, leading to delays in proper medical evaluation.
On the day of his final discharge, an occupational therapist conducted orthostatic testing—a check for blood pressure changes with movement—and found significant fluctuations, along with visible unsteadiness in his gait. The therapist reportedly advised that he should not be discharged and recommended additional medical evaluation, including a head CT. However, the patient says no physician ever followed up, and the discharge proceeded despite these findings.
When he requested to speak with hospital leadership about his concerns, he was met with a nurse manager and a nurse practitioner—neither of whom, he reports, addressed the outstanding medical issues or explained the decisions surrounding his care.
The patient ultimately left the hospital still dizzy and weak, stating he did not feel he had received adequate care or clear medical guidance.
His experience raises pressing questions about medical equity, communication, discharge protocols, and the treatment of Black and Brown patients in clinical settings.
Hackensack Meridian Health at Riverview has not provided comment on these allegations. But we did speak with a Representative from Patient Experience about the issues and the Experience, we recorded the conversation and it’s available on The Neoliberal Round Podcast season 15 Episode 1.
Submitted by Rev. Renaldo McKenzie, Creator and Host and President of The Neoliberal.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:03):
This is the new Liberal around podcast and I did call somebody
to from the hospital to see if Icould reach corporate but they
would not give me corporate number.
But there are allegations of racial disparities and neglected
Hacking SAC Meridian Riverview hospital.
A Black patient is raising serious concerns about his
recent hospitalization at Hacking SAC Meridian Riverview
(00:26):
Medical Center in Red Bank, NJ, alleging that he experienced
inadequate care, premature discharge, poor communication
and treatment that left him feeling marginalized and
medically unsafe. The patient, admitted after
collapsing on a tennis court reports that in six days of
(00:47):
hospitalization, he has never exam.
He was never examined by a physician.
Instead, he interacted solely with nurses and physician
assistant. During this period, he says he
continued to suffer the same symptoms, dizziness, fainting
episodes, chest heaviness and weakness that initially led to
(01:10):
his emergency admission. According to his account,
diagnostic tests were performed without explanation and results
were either withheld or presented with incomplete or
conflicting narratives. He states that medical staff
attempted to discharge him despite persistent symptoms and
(01:32):
without providing a follow up discussion regarding an
echocardiogram that revealed A biscopic erotic valve, a
congenital defect that can affect blood flow.
He also reports that his dietaryrestrictions were ignored, with
meals containing red meat and cheese despite repeated
(01:53):
requests. Now, one of the most troubling
events he describes occurred during an attempted discharge.
Hospital staff reportedly instructed him to walk off the
unit despite ongoing dizziness. While waiting at the pharmacy,
he collapsed and had to be readmitted.
(02:14):
He alleges that the nurse immediately went into defensive
mode rather than assessing his condition and that the emergency
department's doctor system review revealed that he was
still listed as an admitted patient, raising questions about
the legitimacy of the initial discharge.
Because they said that there he has to leave because and cannot
(02:36):
stay because they had already discharged him.
Now the patient further states that the psychiatrist, a
psychiatrist was sent to his room following because he was
readmitted was sent to his room though he had reported no
psychiatric symptoms. He interpreted this as part of a
broader pattern in which black patients physical complaints are
(02:59):
reframed as psychological, leading to delays in proper
medical evaluation. On the day of his final
discharge, which is today, an occupational therapist conducted
orthostatic testing, a check forblood pressure changes with
movement and found significant fluctuations along with visible
(03:23):
unsteadiness in his gait. The therapist reportedly advised
that he should not be dischargedand recommended additional
medical evaluation, including a head CT.
However, the patient says no physician ever followed up and
the discharge proceeded. Despite these findings, when he
requested to speak with hospitalleadership about his concerns,
(03:45):
he was met with a nurse manager and the nurse practitioner,
neither of whom he reports addressed the outstanding
medical issues or explained the decision surrounding his care.
The patient ultimately left the hospital still dizzy and weak,
stating I mean, sorry, the patient's still dizzy and weak,
(04:06):
stating he did not feel he had received adequate care or clear
medical guidance. He did a heart stress test
yesterday. The cardiologist or the doctor
never spoke with him about the findings, but he was being
discharged. His experience raises pressing
questions about medical equity, communication, discharge
(04:27):
protocols and the treatment of Black and Brown patients in
clinical settings. He reported that he stayed in
two rooms and his two rooms had patients that had over 3 or 4
doctors visits visiting him, visiting the other persons in
(04:47):
the other side of the room but never him.
So I want to find out what is going on at your hospital is.
This Mr. McKenzie, the patient, Are you speaking on behalf of
Mr. McKenzie? This is Mr. McKenzie.
I'm a writer. Thank you.
And I am. That is what I am, right?
(05:09):
I'm writing that what I just read to you is what I will
publish today. Understood, I just wanted to
make sure. I do apologize for any confusion
'cause he was speaking in the third.
Person I know and that's why I'ma writer.
I'm a I'm a author. I'm a author.
And just so you know, I all, I went and, and just so you know,
(05:32):
I spoke with a patient experienced Rep Eileen today,
OK, yesterday and the day beforeyesterday about this with more
detail, OK? A lot more happened because a
lot more happened because they draw blood from me AD they took
D dimer AD dimer and I was pressuring them to, to check my,
(05:53):
my liver because of I was feeling sorry my, my lungs or to
do or to do a chest X-ray. They didn't, but they drew the
blood and they found that it waspositive.
OK, But none of the some of these tests were not represented
on the discharge paperwork. OK.
And I believe that there are, they are there.
(06:13):
The narratives are misleading and there is a level of
dishonesty because this morning when I spoke with Jeff, the
nurse practitioner who is coordinating my care, said to
me, he it's the hard stress testthat I did.
It looks like it came back as being normal.
(06:33):
And I said to him, yes, except that the ejection fraction shows
that I'm outside the borderline,OK.
And he said, and I wanted to have a discussion with the
cardiologist about the test. He said he's waiting on
cardiology to come up and have adiscussion with me and they will
sign off on the. They never did that.
Not once did anybody come and talk with me from cardiology,
(06:56):
not once. So sorry.
And today I was wobbling and fainting and, and my orthostatic
was through was erratic, but yetstill no.
And the occupational therapist spoke with me left and then they
just quickly came with the discharge paperwork and
(07:18):
medication and ready for and ready for me to go and.
It was a pre empted discharge. You were not ready for
discharge. No, I was absolutely not ready
because if you see what and I don't know if they had if they
put they indicated the occupation of Melanie Madeline,
(07:38):
Madeline Madeline occupational, right.
I don't have the include and I noticed that they are
deliberately hiding reports thatdeliberately they did.
I don't see them putting the positive for the D dimer that
they took in the paperwork. OK, Now they did a CAT scan
after that, but who looked at it?
Did a doctor look at it or it was a nurse?
(08:01):
The nurse and the X-ray people look at it, but never a doctor.
OK, I'm telling you that. The third thing is that they did
the echocardiogram. The echocardiogram.
Connie, the assistant to the cardiologist never spoke with me
about the car, the echocardiogram until I was going
to be released the first time. The first time they were going
(08:23):
to release me on Tuesday, which I was discharged in a sense they
were discharging me on Tuesday and I said I haven't met with
the cardiologist or talk with anybody about the echocardiogram
and they were still discharged me.
Everything is fine. Then they had me walking the
rounds. I was walking the round, walking
(08:45):
the floor just before they discharged me.
And then they realized, no, a nurse run and grabbed me and
said he's in. No, They put me in a chair and
said wow, no, no, you're unsafe.They put me back in the room,
Connie, fine. And that's when Connie finally
came and said to me, the echocardiogram shows that
there's a defect with my heart valve, OK?
It's it's going down. It's flapping down into the
(09:07):
flapping up one and two. It's showing that.
And Jeff said that my the Aries valve, one of the nurse
packages, the Aries valve, I have two.
Well, Connie said that 2 insteadof three, which can affect blood
flow. OK, all right, but yet they are.
(09:28):
But what did they do? Then Antoinette, the nurse came
up and said I went to lie down abit because I was fainty weak.
So Antoinette came up and said why are you still laying down?
You're discharged. I'm like, oh, Connie came up and
said that she saw something on my echocardiogram left to go
downstairs and she's going to beright back.
(09:49):
She will talk with me in a minute and all of a sudden
you're and then you're telling me she's like, why are you not
ready? First of all, I still have, I
still have all of the IV stuff in my hand.
I still, I'm still hooked up to the heart monitor or, but she's
coming. She came upstairs and said, why
are you still dressed? I'm like, oh, I thought that
they had they were going to change.
But I and then I called my doctor at the same time at
(10:11):
Thomas Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia.
I called my doctor, the doctor, Nina Mindrone, to let, to let
them know what's going on. And they said, tell them that
you are not ready to leave. You don't feel comfortable.
They're not supposed to discharge.
Now when I said that to Antoinette, the nurse, she said,
oh, no, we already discharged you.
That was a lie because when I walked downstairs to the
pharmacy to pick up my medication to leave and I
(10:35):
fainted and we and I collapsed in, in the area, she went into
defense. I mean, well she she went into
defense mode and said, oh, I wastrying to get him a chair.
She never came to say, OK, that's what and the other
pharmacy run up and the rapid response came.
They came and attended to me andthen they and then they were
(10:56):
trying to put me into the emergency room system.
But guess what? They couldn't, you know why I
was already, I was not discharged out of the system.
So that was a lie. OK, I don't take kindly to
liars. That was a lie.
And there had been several missteps.
(11:18):
So, OK. And and then they diagnosed me
as having a syncope fall and so on.
And they put me back in in the room and on Wednesday.
And I was there from Wednesday to today and on during this time
with the positive D dimer, with the echocardiogram showing that
constant fainting and so on. You're telling me there's not
(11:41):
nothing going on? Not once, am I No doc.
I only saw the Ed doctor. And I said to the Ed doctor,
you're the 1st when I got there on Saturday, on Saturday night,
Sunday morning, sorry Saturday, I got this Saturday night.
But Sunday morning Doctor Vlahosat the cardiologist, he did, he
(12:03):
came and spoke with me just for one minute and left.
And I think, OK. And I think he was the one that
put in for the echocardiogram. That's it.
And the only reason why they putin for the echocardiogram was
when I was pressuring them to doa low dose CT scan on my left.
(12:23):
I'm sorry, on my lungs and they didn't and I was pressing them.
I said no, you got to do it. There's something going on and
it's fine. We'll take blood.
And when they took the blood, itwas positive.
So they did the CAT scan and they did the echocardiogram now.
And of course after that they released me because although the
echocardiogram shows that I don't know what why they are
(12:46):
releasing me, never saw a doctor.
The doctor never talked with me about the echocardiogram.
You see what I'm so now on Wednesday when I got readmitted
into the hospital Wednesday night, Thursday, I didn't see a
doctor. Friday they sent me a
psychiatrist. Now I have a problem with that
because the way hope I work, I'mAI, Do I do my PhD?
(13:08):
I'm doing afrocology at Temple. OK, I'm a writer, I'm a author.
I'm also a professor. I also work with Public Health
Management Corporation. OK, I'm so I am familiar with
public health and the systems now not they sent me a
psychiatrist. They sent me a psychiatrist.
(13:30):
I'm like I don't need a psychiatrist as if I'm put on
the board Xanax and I said that is how they make people addicted
to drugs. I am black and my problem must
be psychiatric and then I'm prescribing me with Xanax
anyways. I never saw a psychiatrist.
(13:50):
I, they were going to release meyesterday or day before
yesterday, I think because they just do it.
They were just going to hold me over for observation.
But then they realized I was still fainting, dizzy, weak.
And so they ordered a hot. They were going to do A and they
noticed that my author static attime was rare.
It was, it was just, it was built above 2020.
(14:14):
So I, what I did was to, so theysaid we're going to do a.
They said they're going to do A and they changed a lot.
They said they were going to do a catheterization.
One of my friends was having thesame symptoms, fitting dizziness
and not only that with the Ariesvalve and so on.
We already know what's going on.So they never needed to do a
heart stress test. If you do a echocardiogram, the
(14:38):
next step is to do a catheterization.
You do a stress test, which is astep down.
Usually you do the stress test and then the echocardiogram.
OK, so they were going to do a catheterization.
I that day they decided to do the stress test instead.
I could barely do the stress test the way they wanted it to
because I could not run on the elliptical machine.
I was weak. OK, every time I continue to
(15:02):
have this, the pain and the pressure in my chest.
There is a massive pressure in my chest.
It's been going on for two weeks.
I already went to Temple University in Philadelphia for
it and while visiting here in fit in with my family.
All my family live here. I had the problem again a major
hit in the chest and to the where I collapsed.
(15:23):
Now they did the stress test andthe the stress test they said
was normal no major issue. However, it's a yellow flag
because the it's the stress testshows that my heart is not is
not beating as strong as it could be.
It is OK. In other words, it's the normal
weight is between 50 to 70%, butit's at 46%.
(15:48):
I, they did the health stress test, send me back up and they
didn't give me the results. The, I know the results because
I have my chart. I have my chart.
I, I'm a patient at Thomas Jefferson.
I go to the doctor every three to six months.
So I'm always there. So I have my chart.
(16:09):
And so I connected my, my, my chart and I saw everything.
I copied it, sent it to my doctor and I also put it into my
research portal and it generateda response and that's why I was
able to see what was going on with the heart stress test.
And based on the heart stress test, it was saying that I still
(16:31):
the pipes are good, but they still have the need to go do a
deeper dive to look at the mechanics.
Plus because I'm constantly fainting weak and it shows that
my valve is is moving in a weirdway so they would need to do an
even closer check. And although the stress test was
necessary, wasn't a failure. It shows that my heart is
(16:51):
relatively OK is there's no block arteries.
However it is not beating as soundly as it could.
It is outside of the normal range.
They never, I only know that from the, from what I was able
to read and send it to my doctorand so on and so forth.
So yes, the, the cardiologist never came back all day
(17:16):
yesterday. I'm waiting for the yesterday
Friday because I did it and I did it when I did the high
stress test on was it yesterday I did it, I think it was, yeah.
Yesterday I did the stress test and I did it about 12:00.
They never came to me after the test.
And then today, all day, nobody came until I was ready to be to
be released. And you know, and then you had
(17:37):
the. Episode.
Yes, and I had the episode with and so on.
And you know, it's, it's I am, it's I'm disheartened by what
I'm hearing. And the second thing I have a
problem with your hospital is that why is it that nurses are
wearing white coats, which givesa false impression that they are
medical doctors. And it's not just the nurses
(17:59):
after they're wearing it. Case managers are wearing white
coat page. I mean I noticed that is that is
that allowed case managers I. Don't know.
I know certain departments were different colors, but I don't
know the criteria to wear white there.
Were there were in white as if they are doctors.
That is a, that is a, it confuses the patient because at
(18:21):
first I saw, I thought Jeff was a doctor.
And later, two days after I realized he's a nurse
practitioner, the persons who are coordinating my care were
Glenn and Jeff, never Doctor Ahmad, but they put his name on
the on the board. But they, I, they never
consulted with him, ma'am. And you?
(18:43):
Never saw him I. Never saw him but yet still they
put him on the paper. This is a malpractice and I
intend to report this to the NewJersey Department of Health and
OK, and to also report this to the public because the public
needs to know what is going on with Hackensack Meridian Health
(19:07):
where they have a preponderance of nurses coordinating care for
patients who are with serious who go to the hospital with
serious medical issue. Not only that, Jeff is not a
cardiologist. How is he talking to me about
the, the cardiology test? And I said I want to speak with
(19:31):
the cardio and they still did. They refused.
I you know, and in a sense I feel as though I should
challenge the the discharge paperwork and my bill and also
take it up with my insurance. But this is a major issue and I
(19:52):
will never going to let it go until someone from it is
addressed and they provide an answer.
Not only that and fix the issue.My mom died in December of 2011.
But just so you know, before shedied, she was a patient with
Hacking sack Meridian Health. A cancer patient at Hope Towers.
(20:14):
Almost every one of my family members who live in Jersey is
either a patient or connected with Meridian.
And I was treated like this or at because the Riverview and
they were saying, oh, you shouldhave gone to, you know, until
you know, So I'm not, I live in Philadelphia.
You know what one of my family members said to me, You should
have gone to Jersey Shore. Riverview is for wealthy white
(20:37):
people. I said, wait, hold up.
This is Jersey. Jersey is a liberal state.
They are like that. Riverview is different.
That is the impression. And one of your employees, a
Porter, saw me and he's and I explained what was happening to
me. And he said, no, put your foot
down. Put your foot down, Sir.
(20:57):
The same thing happened to my brother.
He came to the hospital here andthey sent him home give almost a
pill for for for for ulcers or not a pill for so and he died.
And when he saw me getting the heart stress, then I say good,
good. They're finally taking some
concern about that. This is concerning and I just
(21:22):
Frank Pallone Junior is a is a friend of my family and he was
on Facebook the other day talking about about Mammoth
Hospital and so on. We need Monmouth Hospital.
If this people can get the care from Riverview, please open up
Monmouth Hospital. And of course, I will be meeting
with Frank Pallone Junior to talk about this.
(21:43):
People don't know who they're treating when they go OK,
Everybody should be treated the same way, OK.
And that's that's all I have to say for now.
McKenzie, I am sensitive to yourconcerns.
Trust me, I am, I did listen to this intensely and I, I
(22:04):
sincerely apologize for this experience.
I, I promise you I'm going to escalate your concerns.
I'm also going to address that the ambassador, Eileen spoke
with you for three days and it was felt that nothing was done
and the bias treatment that you you experienced and as well as
never seeing Doctor Ahmad, I am so sorry.
(22:27):
Yeah. And one of my family members,
he's a nurse, a nurse RN more up.
Three of them are nurses. RN in Georgia show here.
OK. I don't know if they're connect.
I don't think they're connected with you guys anymore.
But and they are saying, and shesaid to me, you never saw a
doctor. So how who wrote the
(22:48):
prescriptions and stuff? I mean, who ordered these tests
and such? I don't know.
Some there is a lapse in judgment.
There is something going on there, OK.
And not only that, there is dishonesty.
If you look at my medical chart,tell me if you see the the I
(23:09):
want you to look at my medical chart, the D dimer.
I don't have access. You don't have access to it.
OK, that's fine. That's OK.
You got. The Mackenzie, I apologize.
That's fine access to. Your clinical chart.
I'm sorry, I don't. OK.
Well, you said you had a PhD, soyes, I can call your doctor.
Yes. Well, I'm in.
I'm almost finished. Yes, it's I'm, I should be
getting it anytime now, but I'm a reverend.
(23:31):
I'm Reverend Ronaldo McKenzie aswell.
McKenzie. Yes, but yeah, I asked of.
You to give give us a chance. I'm going to put this in and it
is going to be heard. Thank you.
Give us the. Chance to address this and to
reach out to you if you you willpermit that, please.
(23:52):
OK, I will give you guys one daybefore I release this article.
OK, it's the weekend. I know that's not an excuse.
I I I'm sorry for putting it in this way, but can you please
give us till Monday? OK, I will try but you
understand that I'm very but I. Know, let me.
(24:14):
Tell you they bill I'm quite sure they're going to bill my
insurance to the pulp. I was there for three days and
then another three days. That's six days altogether OK
not only that it has affected myability to work.
I have been they have dragged their feet dragged and and what
(24:34):
I mean two days nothing happened.
They just had me sleeping in thebed, nothing waiting.
This. I hope, ma'am, that you are able
to help me to fix what is wrong with this hospital so that
people in this area can get the service they deserve.
And not just the people here, but people from all walks of
(24:58):
life, whether they're black or brown, whether they are rich or
poor. My, I wrote a book.
It's entitled Neoliberalism, Globalization, Income
inequality, Poverty and Resistance.
I write about poverty and I write about income inequality OK
and just so you know, did I tellyou that the people next I did
(25:19):
say that the people next to me in the rooms like, you know, the
rooms are split in half that areseparated by curtains both all
the time that I stayed those guys who were with me, they had
doctors visiting them. They.
You mentioned they saw doctors and they walked by you and you
did not see a physician. Yes.
(25:40):
So yes, he's gonna, I'm gonna feel discriminated against.
You're. Gonna.
Question, yes, you know, thanks.So if they can, pastor.
Mackenzie. Yeah, that's fine.
And my number is. No, you can just say Ronaldo,
that's fine. Ronaldo is fine.
(26:01):
Just Ronaldo. Yeah, man, Ronaldo is OK and my
number is four. No, I did call him a 267 number.
That's my work cell. But my personal cell is.
I can give him my personal cell if you would like that.
Yes, please. It's 4454452609198. 9198 and
(26:24):
miss and Ronaldo, I'm sorry, your date of birth.
June 14th we can track. You in sure June?
14th, 1979. 1479 OK, all right. No worries.
You can keep this number for consumer services for follow up.
OK. Or for any.
Future concerns or if there's something you forgot to mention,
(26:45):
you can call back and we can addit, OK?
Thank you. Of course, of course, Ronaldo,
and thank you for bringing this to our attention because without
these concerns we cannot improveand I thank you.
You're welcome. I appreciate your you.
You spend you spending the time to listen carefully about my
concerns. Thank you, of course.
(27:08):
I am sensitive to your concerns right now though, and I don't
want this to happen to someone or to a family member as well.
Thank you. Well, have a good day.
I'm looking forward to the call back and have a great day.
Absolutely. You as well.
Thank you. Bye.
Bye. This is the neoliberal around
(27:30):
podcast and the neoliberal YouTube chat, the Neoliberal
around YouTube channel and also the and and we are part of and
the neoliberal round and YouTubeis the neoliberal YouTube
channel is part of the neoliberal corporation.
Please support us at supporters,subscribe, share the show with
your friends, donate to us Ronaldo McKenzie, donate to us
(27:55):
so that we can improve. And please visit
ourstorepage@store.theneilliberal.com.Visit our website at the
neilliberal.com and ronaldocmckenzie.com.
We are all about serving the world today to solve tomorrow's
challenges by making popular with the monopoly.
This is the new Liberal around podcast and I did call somebody
to from the hospital to see if Icould reach corporate but they
would not give me corporate number.
But there are allegations of racial disparities and neglected
Hacking SAC Meridian Riverview hospital.
A Black patient is raising serious concerns about his
recent hospitalization at Hacking SAC Meridian Riverview
(00:26):
Medical Center in Red Bank, NJ, alleging that he experienced
inadequate care, premature discharge, poor communication
and treatment that left him feeling marginalized and
medically unsafe. The patient, admitted after
collapsing on a tennis court reports that in six days of
(00:47):
hospitalization, he has never exam.
He was never examined by a physician.
Instead, he interacted solely with nurses and physician
assistant. During this period, he says he
continued to suffer the same symptoms, dizziness, fainting
episodes, chest heaviness and weakness that initially led to
(01:10):
his emergency admission. According to his account,
diagnostic tests were performed without explanation and results
were either withheld or presented with incomplete or
conflicting narratives. He states that medical staff
attempted to discharge him despite persistent symptoms and
(01:32):
without providing a follow up discussion regarding an
echocardiogram that revealed A biscopic erotic valve, a
congenital defect that can affect blood flow.
He also reports that his dietaryrestrictions were ignored, with
meals containing red meat and cheese despite repeated
(01:53):
requests. Now, one of the most troubling
events he describes occurred during an attempted discharge.
Hospital staff reportedly instructed him to walk off the
unit despite ongoing dizziness. While waiting at the pharmacy,
he collapsed and had to be readmitted.
(02:14):
He alleges that the nurse immediately went into defensive
mode rather than assessing his condition and that the emergency
department's doctor system review revealed that he was
still listed as an admitted patient, raising questions about
the legitimacy of the initial discharge.
Because they said that there he has to leave because and cannot
(02:36):
stay because they had already discharged him.
Now the patient further states that the psychiatrist, a
psychiatrist was sent to his room following because he was
readmitted was sent to his room though he had reported no
psychiatric symptoms. He interpreted this as part of a
broader pattern in which black patients physical complaints are
(02:59):
reframed as psychological, leading to delays in proper
medical evaluation. On the day of his final
discharge, which is today, an occupational therapist conducted
orthostatic testing, a check forblood pressure changes with
movement and found significant fluctuations along with visible
(03:23):
unsteadiness in his gait. The therapist reportedly advised
that he should not be dischargedand recommended additional
medical evaluation, including a head CT.
However, the patient says no physician ever followed up and
the discharge proceeded. Despite these findings, when he
requested to speak with hospitalleadership about his concerns,
(03:45):
he was met with a nurse manager and the nurse practitioner,
neither of whom he reports addressed the outstanding
medical issues or explained the decision surrounding his care.
The patient ultimately left the hospital still dizzy and weak,
stating I mean, sorry, the patient's still dizzy and weak,
(04:06):
stating he did not feel he had received adequate care or clear
medical guidance. He did a heart stress test
yesterday. The cardiologist or the doctor
never spoke with him about the findings, but he was being
discharged. His experience raises pressing
questions about medical equity, communication, discharge
(04:27):
protocols and the treatment of Black and Brown patients in
clinical settings. He reported that he stayed in
two rooms and his two rooms had patients that had over 3 or 4
doctors visits visiting him, visiting the other persons in
(04:47):
the other side of the room but never him.
So I want to find out what is going on at your hospital is.
This Mr. McKenzie, the patient, Are you speaking on behalf of
Mr. McKenzie? This is Mr. McKenzie.
I'm a writer. Thank you.
And I am. That is what I am, right?
(05:09):
I'm writing that what I just read to you is what I will
publish today. Understood, I just wanted to
make sure. I do apologize for any confusion
'cause he was speaking in the third.
Person I know and that's why I'ma writer.
I'm a I'm a author. I'm a author.
And just so you know, I all, I went and, and just so you know,
(05:32):
I spoke with a patient experienced Rep Eileen today,
OK, yesterday and the day beforeyesterday about this with more
detail, OK? A lot more happened because a
lot more happened because they draw blood from me AD they took
D dimer AD dimer and I was pressuring them to, to check my,
(05:53):
my liver because of I was feeling sorry my, my lungs or to
do or to do a chest X-ray. They didn't, but they drew the
blood and they found that it waspositive.
OK, But none of the some of these tests were not represented
on the discharge paperwork. OK.
And I believe that there are, they are there.
(06:13):
The narratives are misleading and there is a level of
dishonesty because this morning when I spoke with Jeff, the
nurse practitioner who is coordinating my care, said to
me, he it's the hard stress testthat I did.
It looks like it came back as being normal.
(06:33):
And I said to him, yes, except that the ejection fraction shows
that I'm outside the borderline,OK.
And he said, and I wanted to have a discussion with the
cardiologist about the test. He said he's waiting on
cardiology to come up and have adiscussion with me and they will
sign off on the. They never did that.
Not once did anybody come and talk with me from cardiology,
(06:56):
not once. So sorry.
And today I was wobbling and fainting and, and my orthostatic
was through was erratic, but yetstill no.
And the occupational therapist spoke with me left and then they
just quickly came with the discharge paperwork and
(07:18):
medication and ready for and ready for me to go and.
It was a pre empted discharge. You were not ready for
discharge. No, I was absolutely not ready
because if you see what and I don't know if they had if they
put they indicated the occupation of Melanie Madeline,
(07:38):
Madeline Madeline occupational, right.
I don't have the include and I noticed that they are
deliberately hiding reports thatdeliberately they did.
I don't see them putting the positive for the D dimer that
they took in the paperwork. OK, Now they did a CAT scan
after that, but who looked at it?
Did a doctor look at it or it was a nurse?
(08:01):
The nurse and the X-ray people look at it, but never a doctor.
OK, I'm telling you that. The third thing is that they did
the echocardiogram. The echocardiogram.
Connie, the assistant to the cardiologist never spoke with me
about the car, the echocardiogram until I was going
to be released the first time. The first time they were going
(08:23):
to release me on Tuesday, which I was discharged in a sense they
were discharging me on Tuesday and I said I haven't met with
the cardiologist or talk with anybody about the echocardiogram
and they were still discharged me.
Everything is fine. Then they had me walking the
rounds. I was walking the round, walking
(08:45):
the floor just before they discharged me.
And then they realized, no, a nurse run and grabbed me and
said he's in. No, They put me in a chair and
said wow, no, no, you're unsafe.They put me back in the room,
Connie, fine. And that's when Connie finally
came and said to me, the echocardiogram shows that
there's a defect with my heart valve, OK?
It's it's going down. It's flapping down into the
(09:07):
flapping up one and two. It's showing that.
And Jeff said that my the Aries valve, one of the nurse
packages, the Aries valve, I have two.
Well, Connie said that 2 insteadof three, which can affect blood
flow. OK, all right, but yet they are.
(09:28):
But what did they do? Then Antoinette, the nurse came
up and said I went to lie down abit because I was fainty weak.
So Antoinette came up and said why are you still laying down?
You're discharged. I'm like, oh, Connie came up and
said that she saw something on my echocardiogram left to go
downstairs and she's going to beright back.
(09:49):
She will talk with me in a minute and all of a sudden
you're and then you're telling me she's like, why are you not
ready? First of all, I still have, I
still have all of the IV stuff in my hand.
I still, I'm still hooked up to the heart monitor or, but she's
coming. She came upstairs and said, why
are you still dressed? I'm like, oh, I thought that
they had they were going to change.
But I and then I called my doctor at the same time at
(10:11):
Thomas Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia.
I called my doctor, the doctor, Nina Mindrone, to let, to let
them know what's going on. And they said, tell them that
you are not ready to leave. You don't feel comfortable.
They're not supposed to discharge.
Now when I said that to Antoinette, the nurse, she said,
oh, no, we already discharged you.
That was a lie because when I walked downstairs to the
pharmacy to pick up my medication to leave and I
(10:35):
fainted and we and I collapsed in, in the area, she went into
defense. I mean, well she she went into
defense mode and said, oh, I wastrying to get him a chair.
She never came to say, OK, that's what and the other
pharmacy run up and the rapid response came.
They came and attended to me andthen they and then they were
(10:56):
trying to put me into the emergency room system.
But guess what? They couldn't, you know why I
was already, I was not discharged out of the system.
So that was a lie. OK, I don't take kindly to
liars. That was a lie.
And there had been several missteps.
(11:18):
So, OK. And and then they diagnosed me
as having a syncope fall and so on.
And they put me back in in the room and on Wednesday.
And I was there from Wednesday to today and on during this time
with the positive D dimer, with the echocardiogram showing that
constant fainting and so on. You're telling me there's not
(11:41):
nothing going on? Not once, am I No doc.
I only saw the Ed doctor. And I said to the Ed doctor,
you're the 1st when I got there on Saturday, on Saturday night,
Sunday morning, sorry Saturday, I got this Saturday night.
But Sunday morning Doctor Vlahosat the cardiologist, he did, he
(12:03):
came and spoke with me just for one minute and left.
And I think, OK. And I think he was the one that
put in for the echocardiogram. That's it.
And the only reason why they putin for the echocardiogram was
when I was pressuring them to doa low dose CT scan on my left.
(12:23):
I'm sorry, on my lungs and they didn't and I was pressing them.
I said no, you got to do it. There's something going on and
it's fine. We'll take blood.
And when they took the blood, itwas positive.
So they did the CAT scan and they did the echocardiogram now.
And of course after that they released me because although the
echocardiogram shows that I don't know what why they are
(12:46):
releasing me, never saw a doctor.
The doctor never talked with me about the echocardiogram.
You see what I'm so now on Wednesday when I got readmitted
into the hospital Wednesday night, Thursday, I didn't see a
doctor. Friday they sent me a
psychiatrist. Now I have a problem with that
because the way hope I work, I'mAI, Do I do my PhD?
(13:08):
I'm doing afrocology at Temple. OK, I'm a writer, I'm a author.
I'm also a professor. I also work with Public Health
Management Corporation. OK, I'm so I am familiar with
public health and the systems now not they sent me a
psychiatrist. They sent me a psychiatrist.
(13:30):
I'm like I don't need a psychiatrist as if I'm put on
the board Xanax and I said that is how they make people addicted
to drugs. I am black and my problem must
be psychiatric and then I'm prescribing me with Xanax
anyways. I never saw a psychiatrist.
(13:50):
I, they were going to release meyesterday or day before
yesterday, I think because they just do it.
They were just going to hold me over for observation.
But then they realized I was still fainting, dizzy, weak.
And so they ordered a hot. They were going to do A and they
noticed that my author static attime was rare.
It was, it was just, it was built above 2020.
(14:14):
So I, what I did was to, so theysaid we're going to do a.
They said they're going to do A and they changed a lot.
They said they were going to do a catheterization.
One of my friends was having thesame symptoms, fitting dizziness
and not only that with the Ariesvalve and so on.
We already know what's going on.So they never needed to do a
heart stress test. If you do a echocardiogram, the
(14:38):
next step is to do a catheterization.
You do a stress test, which is astep down.
Usually you do the stress test and then the echocardiogram.
OK, so they were going to do a catheterization.
I that day they decided to do the stress test instead.
I could barely do the stress test the way they wanted it to
because I could not run on the elliptical machine.
I was weak. OK, every time I continue to
(15:02):
have this, the pain and the pressure in my chest.
There is a massive pressure in my chest.
It's been going on for two weeks.
I already went to Temple University in Philadelphia for
it and while visiting here in fit in with my family.
All my family live here. I had the problem again a major
hit in the chest and to the where I collapsed.
(15:23):
Now they did the stress test andthe the stress test they said
was normal no major issue. However, it's a yellow flag
because the it's the stress testshows that my heart is not is
not beating as strong as it could be.
It is OK. In other words, it's the normal
weight is between 50 to 70%, butit's at 46%.
(15:48):
I, they did the health stress test, send me back up and they
didn't give me the results. The, I know the results because
I have my chart. I have my chart.
I, I'm a patient at Thomas Jefferson.
I go to the doctor every three to six months.
So I'm always there. So I have my chart.
(16:09):
And so I connected my, my, my chart and I saw everything.
I copied it, sent it to my doctor and I also put it into my
research portal and it generateda response and that's why I was
able to see what was going on with the heart stress test.
And based on the heart stress test, it was saying that I still
(16:31):
the pipes are good, but they still have the need to go do a
deeper dive to look at the mechanics.
Plus because I'm constantly fainting weak and it shows that
my valve is is moving in a weirdway so they would need to do an
even closer check. And although the stress test was
necessary, wasn't a failure. It shows that my heart is
(16:51):
relatively OK is there's no block arteries.
However it is not beating as soundly as it could.
It is outside of the normal range.
They never, I only know that from the, from what I was able
to read and send it to my doctorand so on and so forth.
So yes, the, the cardiologist never came back all day
(17:16):
yesterday. I'm waiting for the yesterday
Friday because I did it and I did it when I did the high
stress test on was it yesterday I did it, I think it was, yeah.
Yesterday I did the stress test and I did it about 12:00.
They never came to me after the test.
And then today, all day, nobody came until I was ready to be to
be released. And you know, and then you had
(17:37):
the. Episode.
Yes, and I had the episode with and so on.
And you know, it's, it's I am, it's I'm disheartened by what
I'm hearing. And the second thing I have a
problem with your hospital is that why is it that nurses are
wearing white coats, which givesa false impression that they are
medical doctors. And it's not just the nurses
(17:59):
after they're wearing it. Case managers are wearing white
coat page. I mean I noticed that is that is
that allowed case managers I. Don't know.
I know certain departments were different colors, but I don't
know the criteria to wear white there.
Were there were in white as if they are doctors.
That is a, that is a, it confuses the patient because at
(18:21):
first I saw, I thought Jeff was a doctor.
And later, two days after I realized he's a nurse
practitioner, the persons who are coordinating my care were
Glenn and Jeff, never Doctor Ahmad, but they put his name on
the on the board. But they, I, they never
consulted with him, ma'am. And you?
(18:43):
Never saw him I. Never saw him but yet still they
put him on the paper. This is a malpractice and I
intend to report this to the NewJersey Department of Health and
OK, and to also report this to the public because the public
needs to know what is going on with Hackensack Meridian Health
(19:07):
where they have a preponderance of nurses coordinating care for
patients who are with serious who go to the hospital with
serious medical issue. Not only that, Jeff is not a
cardiologist. How is he talking to me about
the, the cardiology test? And I said I want to speak with
(19:31):
the cardio and they still did. They refused.
I you know, and in a sense I feel as though I should
challenge the the discharge paperwork and my bill and also
take it up with my insurance. But this is a major issue and I
(19:52):
will never going to let it go until someone from it is
addressed and they provide an answer.
Not only that and fix the issue.My mom died in December of 2011.
But just so you know, before shedied, she was a patient with
Hacking sack Meridian Health. A cancer patient at Hope Towers.
(20:14):
Almost every one of my family members who live in Jersey is
either a patient or connected with Meridian.
And I was treated like this or at because the Riverview and
they were saying, oh, you shouldhave gone to, you know, until
you know, So I'm not, I live in Philadelphia.
You know what one of my family members said to me, You should
have gone to Jersey Shore. Riverview is for wealthy white
(20:37):
people. I said, wait, hold up.
This is Jersey. Jersey is a liberal state.
They are like that. Riverview is different.
That is the impression. And one of your employees, a
Porter, saw me and he's and I explained what was happening to
me. And he said, no, put your foot
down. Put your foot down, Sir.
(20:57):
The same thing happened to my brother.
He came to the hospital here andthey sent him home give almost a
pill for for for for ulcers or not a pill for so and he died.
And when he saw me getting the heart stress, then I say good,
good. They're finally taking some
concern about that. This is concerning and I just
(21:22):
Frank Pallone Junior is a is a friend of my family and he was
on Facebook the other day talking about about Mammoth
Hospital and so on. We need Monmouth Hospital.
If this people can get the care from Riverview, please open up
Monmouth Hospital. And of course, I will be meeting
with Frank Pallone Junior to talk about this.
(21:43):
People don't know who they're treating when they go OK,
Everybody should be treated the same way, OK.
And that's that's all I have to say for now.
McKenzie, I am sensitive to yourconcerns.
Trust me, I am, I did listen to this intensely and I, I
(22:04):
sincerely apologize for this experience.
I, I promise you I'm going to escalate your concerns.
I'm also going to address that the ambassador, Eileen spoke
with you for three days and it was felt that nothing was done
and the bias treatment that you you experienced and as well as
never seeing Doctor Ahmad, I am so sorry.
(22:27):
Yeah. And one of my family members,
he's a nurse, a nurse RN more up.
Three of them are nurses. RN in Georgia show here.
OK. I don't know if they're connect.
I don't think they're connected with you guys anymore.
But and they are saying, and shesaid to me, you never saw a
doctor. So how who wrote the
(22:48):
prescriptions and stuff? I mean, who ordered these tests
and such? I don't know.
Some there is a lapse in judgment.
There is something going on there, OK.
And not only that, there is dishonesty.
If you look at my medical chart,tell me if you see the the I
(23:09):
want you to look at my medical chart, the D dimer.
I don't have access. You don't have access to it.
OK, that's fine. That's OK.
You got. The Mackenzie, I apologize.
That's fine access to. Your clinical chart.
I'm sorry, I don't. OK.
Well, you said you had a PhD, soyes, I can call your doctor.
Yes. Well, I'm in.
I'm almost finished. Yes, it's I'm, I should be
getting it anytime now, but I'm a reverend.
(23:31):
I'm Reverend Ronaldo McKenzie aswell.
McKenzie. Yes, but yeah, I asked of.
You to give give us a chance. I'm going to put this in and it
is going to be heard. Thank you.
Give us the. Chance to address this and to
reach out to you if you you willpermit that, please.
(23:52):
OK, I will give you guys one daybefore I release this article.
OK, it's the weekend. I know that's not an excuse.
I I I'm sorry for putting it in this way, but can you please
give us till Monday? OK, I will try but you
understand that I'm very but I. Know, let me.
(24:14):
Tell you they bill I'm quite sure they're going to bill my
insurance to the pulp. I was there for three days and
then another three days. That's six days altogether OK
not only that it has affected myability to work.
I have been they have dragged their feet dragged and and what
(24:34):
I mean two days nothing happened.
They just had me sleeping in thebed, nothing waiting.
This. I hope, ma'am, that you are able
to help me to fix what is wrong with this hospital so that
people in this area can get the service they deserve.
And not just the people here, but people from all walks of
(24:58):
life, whether they're black or brown, whether they are rich or
poor. My, I wrote a book.
It's entitled Neoliberalism, Globalization, Income
inequality, Poverty and Resistance.
I write about poverty and I write about income inequality OK
and just so you know, did I tellyou that the people next I did
(25:19):
say that the people next to me in the rooms like, you know, the
rooms are split in half that areseparated by curtains both all
the time that I stayed those guys who were with me, they had
doctors visiting them. They.
You mentioned they saw doctors and they walked by you and you
did not see a physician. Yes.
(25:40):
So yes, he's gonna, I'm gonna feel discriminated against.
You're. Gonna.
Question, yes, you know, thanks.So if they can, pastor.
Mackenzie. Yeah, that's fine.
And my number is. No, you can just say Ronaldo,
that's fine. Ronaldo is fine.
(26:01):
Just Ronaldo. Yeah, man, Ronaldo is OK and my
number is four. No, I did call him a 267 number.
That's my work cell. But my personal cell is.
I can give him my personal cell if you would like that.
Yes, please. It's 4454452609198. 9198 and
(26:24):
miss and Ronaldo, I'm sorry, your date of birth.
June 14th we can track. You in sure June?
14th, 1979. 1479 OK, all right. No worries.
You can keep this number for consumer services for follow up.
OK. Or for any.
Future concerns or if there's something you forgot to mention,
(26:45):
you can call back and we can addit, OK?
Thank you. Of course, of course, Ronaldo,
and thank you for bringing this to our attention because without
these concerns we cannot improveand I thank you.
You're welcome. I appreciate your you.
You spend you spending the time to listen carefully about my
concerns. Thank you, of course.
(27:08):
I am sensitive to your concerns right now though, and I don't
want this to happen to someone or to a family member as well.
Thank you. Well, have a good day.
I'm looking forward to the call back and have a great day.
Absolutely. You as well.
Thank you. Bye.
Bye. This is the neoliberal around
(27:30):
podcast and the neoliberal YouTube chat, the Neoliberal
around YouTube channel and also the and and we are part of and
the neoliberal round and YouTubeis the neoliberal YouTube
channel is part of the neoliberal corporation.
Please support us at supporters,subscribe, share the show with
your friends, donate to us Ronaldo McKenzie, donate to us
(27:55):
so that we can improve. And please visit
ourstorepage@store.theneilliberal.com.Visit our website at the
neilliberal.com and ronaldocmckenzie.com.
We are all about serving the world today to solve tomorrow's
challenges by making popular with the monopoly.
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