Doesn't the use of the term "ABUSE"
NO. The word "ABUSE" was chosen because is speaks to both, the events that are experienced by patients and providers on a daily basis in ER'S, hospitals and infusion centers across the country.
The word "ABUSE " for Patients, refers to the countless issues they are subjected to by simply trying to seek care. Such as, being told the hospital doesn't carry IV pain meds, being judged as an "Addict" before being assessed by a doctor or told that they can't possibly be in a "Crisis", because they don't "look like" the providers vision of pain.

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NO. The word "ABUSE" was chosen because is speaks to both, the events that are experienced by patients and providers on a daily basis in ER'S, hospitals and infusion centers across the country.
The word "ABUSE " for Patients, refers to the countless issues they are subjected to by simply trying to seek care. Such as, being told the hospital doesn't carry IV pain meds, being judged as an "Addict" before being assessed by a doctor or told that they can't possibly be in a "Crisis", because they don't "look like" the providers vision of pain.

"ABUSE", refers to both, doctors and nurses taking advantage of their privileges in the hospital to write or carryout orders for medication, tests or admission based upon their personal beliefs regarding the patients needs.

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NO. One of the greatest weapons the Medical Industry and its Providers use to silence their SCD patients complaints are both the refusal to acknowledge their problems and painting the patient as being problematic (drug addicts, addiction problems, abusive to staff etc.) in their medical charts. By POSTING the complaints on the abusers and hospitals LINKEDIN or other RATINGS Business pages, we are giving the patient another chance to be heard and encouraging others to step forward, as well. In addition, to telling other (past, present and/or future) patients, colleagues, and employers of the abusers, their behavior. While also, disrupting plausible revenue streams for both the individual (who could be asked to lecture, speak, teach or sit on panels)and the facility (that may often be asked to hosts conferences and/or meetings) that could be quite lucrative in a year.
Also, when posting a complaint to a ratings page you are allowing the provider to publicly defend themselves and the patie to rebuttal if they wish. Most platforms will only allow input from the 2 parties involved and cap the back and forth to 3 rounds. Unlike regular social media profiles that don't cap on how long a thread will be allowed to go on nor, how many people can post in the thread and give their opinion. As a result, the original post lost and nothing productive comes from it. The purpose of posting to stop the culture of silencing, discrediting and intimidating patients to keep quiet when it comes to reporting their victimization by the very people they have entrusted with their care and their lives.

No it is not. Sickle Cell Patients have endured more than their share of discriminatory practices in the medical system. Especially, at the hands of the medical providers they are forced, by law, to entrust their lives to. Therefore, asking patients to RECORD( video, audio, written) their experiences helps to not only keep everyone honest. It also allows for more in depth and accurate account of details, when recounting the abusive situations that they are victims of, while recieving care either, in the ER, Infusion Center or during Hospital Admissions.
Filing a COMPLAINT to the HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATORS allows them to solve patient and employee problems without having to call in a third-party to mediate a solution. We know that most SCD patients stay at one hospital the majority of their Ives. Therefore, they have a more complicated history and relationship with the staff that has cared for them for so long. As a result, very few patients want their providers to be in any serious trouble. Most just want to be heard, understood and valued as a person who just happens to be a patient in that facility.
Being that the majority of COMPLAINTS are rarely acted upon. Simply because, they are sent to the Supervisor or head of the department or unit, the abuser works under by the Patient Relations office( name differs from hospital to hospital ). If that Supervisor doesn't feel the complaint is truly a problem then, they are not legally obligated to neither inform the abuser nor, reprimand them, at all.
By REPORTING the complaint to an outside office or agency ( MEDICARE, MEDI-CAL, MEDICAID, THE JOINT COMMISSION, PRIVATE INSURANCE, STATE MEDICAL BOARD, STATE NURSING OFFICE and/ or AMA, NMA) at least 3 could things happen: a.) the third party must notify the facility and the accused abuser that a patient is not happy with the care they recieved. b.) in most cases a 3rd party investigation (outside of the hospital) will be launched to look into the incidents reported by the patients c.) if any wrongdoing is discovered, then the 3rd party will take steps to reprimand both the abuser and the hospital/health care facility (which is why we recommend reporting your complaint to The Joint Commission, the office in charge of accrediting hospitals and Healthcare institutions).

#STOPSICKLECELLABUSE is a Social Justice, Civil Rights and Medical Advocacy movement that has been a century in the making especially, in the U.S. Since its discovery, Sickle Cell Disease (formally Sickle Cell Anemia) has been thought to be a predominantly "African-American" disease. Which has trbeen historically reflected in the lack of academic interest in developing medications, treatments, medical protocols and teaching of the disease in both medical and nursing schools. It is also, the most disrespected when it comes to financial and academic inte