NY State Health Department Investigating Maimonides Over Noted Holocaust Survivor’s Death

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shakun-maimonides-medical-centerThe New York Daily News reports: He was a Jewish 88-year-old Holocaust survivor whose remarkable story of assuming the identities of a Christian, a Muslim and even a Nazi to stay alive during World War II became the subject of an acclaimed book.

But Joseph Skakun’s streak of staying alive finally came to an end at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn.

For Skakun’s son Michael, who wrote “On Burning Ground: A Son’s Memoir” about his father’s indomitable will to live and miraculous escapes, it seemed a cruel twist of fate: After so many harrowing close calls, his father’s life, he believes, was snuffed out by medical malpractice.

In response to a blistering complaint penned by Michael, the state Health Department has launched an investigation into the six days of treatment Joseph Skakun received after being admitted to Maimonides for pneumonia. Joseph succumbed to heart failure on April 22.

“As a younger man, he could outrun tragedy, but as an elderly individual nearing his 10

th decade, he didn’t have the physical resources to withstand the assault to his body and mind that the grueling hospital procedures entailed,” Skakun wrote in the complaint, which he provided to The Daily News.

The son accuses hospital staff of misreading diagnostic test results and failing to consider the ramifications of binding Joseph’s hands after he had pulled a tube out of his nose. Michael says the move induced panic and terror in a survivor who had witnessed the murder of his mother and countless Jews in his native Poland.

“He was always able to devise a strategy to have a little bit of breathing space that helped him survive,” Michael Skakun said in an interview last week.

“I told them he was a (Holocaust) survivor, but the doctors and nurses either didn’t know what to make of it or it didn’t register,” he said.

Hospital spokeswoman Eileen Tynion said federal regulations on patient confidentiality prevented her from commenting on the allegations, but she noted that Maimonides treats more Holocaust survivors than any hospital in the nation.

{NY Daily News/Matzav.com Newscenter}


8 COMMENTS

  1. 3 MONTHS AGO I HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE WITH MY FATHER WHO WENT IN FOR A PACE MAKER AND WE CARRIED HIM OUT BARUCH DAYAN EMET ABRAHAM BEN ALTOON.
    That hospital does not have the same daily floor doctor to be familiar with the patient. The aids argue and do not listen to the doctor.
    I was trying to feed my father real food and the aid stopped me to take his temperture, I asked the aid to give me 5 minutes as the doctor said if I can feed real food and not through the feeding tube it would be better, The aid said NO!
    The staff says ‘well he is old so leave him alone’. Many problems hidden in that hospital.
    They did not feed my father 2 nights, They didnt turn him and he developed bed sores.
    Never go to that hospital.
    I think That also is an example of ‘obama care’
    BUT in the religious sense our rabbis teach us that we must make all human efforts to preserve life,,,when HASHEM wants us, ‘HE’ has the ultimate decision.
    Do not vote obama, do not vote democrate, do not vote ‘obama care’ if we want to survive these events.

  2. I was also there about 3 months ago besides that they’re doctors are not as good as manhatten doctors they make you wait for hours on end and they just are not nice and they misdiagnose too….from now on if you could you should go to manhatten hospitals its close by and they’re much better

  3. As much as I detest ObamaCare, the failures of Maimonides Hospital predate ObamaCare by a long time. I refuse to be treated there or to have any family members treated there either. Their adult ER is the absolutely worst place to be. The nurses are crass, lazy, indifferent to patient suffering, and have insane attitudes. Maimonides leadership do not care enough to make meaningful changes and so we’re stuck with it but I go to Methodist or to Manhattan instead.

  4. I HAVE TO ADD TO MY POST #1
    i WENT TO FLOOR DOCTOR WHO SAID, YES Its better that i feed him and the doc went to the aid.The aid yelled at the doctor. He ran out of the room.
    The hospital changes the floor doctor daily. Mt Siani hospital does not. As #3 said…Majority of staff are rude and dispectful. I have experienced care in both hospitals Mt siani and maimonides. There is a vast difference in CARE and attitude.
    The aid cant be fired because of her union.
    The doctor doesnt need grief as he needs his job. WHO WINS HERE? NOT THE PATIENT OR THE FAMILY. By the way. I have heard a few more horror stories in Maimonides. The law suit will not help. We have to contact the financial supporters to withhold all funding until the issues are not addressed BUT FIXED.
    May we all merit to see mashiach soon.

  5. I am a physician , who compited for a position in a Geriatric Medicine in Maimonides Hospital…. I know a few languages including Yiddish on wich a lot of patients in this facilite do speak, I have an Internal Medicine experiance in an addition over 20 years. People in this department , who supposed to be very generous, kind progected a la Nazi qualities. I wrought a letter to the chairman of the departmement of Internal Medicine….as a result- an A-A doctor , less experience,from Harlem Hospital was exepted….she, of course, only knows English….I more then happy to help MR. Skakum to fallow with his late father chart.

  6. TO DACON9
    on one hand you are saying Trust in Hashem, on the other Don’t vote Democrat, and ObamaCare. Is Hashem Republican, or am I getting a bit confused about his political orientation.
    I’d advise you to Vote Hashem, and COMPLETELY Forget about politics, also start reading Pirkei Avos. as a starter.
    Its interesting how you infer from a nurse willing to take temperature, while you were feeding your dear father OHS, that this must’ve been the side effects of ObamaCare.

  7. #6 YOU ARE NOT IN THE EUROPEAN GHETTOS to say leave politics. VOTE REPUBLICAN as i said do the best you can while in this material world. Make good choices because you ARE IN THIS WORLD PREPARING FOR OLAM HABAH.The aid was not willing but working as her duty and yelled at the doctor WHO TOLD HER TO STOP.

    I suggest as a starter that you reread my comments
    THEN I will take you good advise AFTER you learn mussar, SHARPEN YOUR CHARACTER TRAITS IIN INTERACTING WITH OTHERS.
    Thank you

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