Chelsea Edwards
Jul 2025
I’m writing this review to share a serious concern regarding the care I received from PA Joshua during my recent visit to the ER at Fisher County Hospital District. I arrived at approximately 5:30–6:00 a.m. on Monday, July 28, 2025, following a syncopal episode the night before (Sunday, July 27) that resulted in a fall. I woke up on the floor with pain in my left toes, right dorsal foot, both knees, lower back, and head. Out of fear that I would not be treated appropriately, I specifically requested EMS transport me to Abilene, TX—a facility where I believed I would receive more thorough care. I had prior concerns with Fisher County Hospital District and didn’t feel safe going back. EMS refused my request, citing they were the only crew on shift that night and were required to take me to Fisher County. That staffing issue had nothing to do with me as a patient. I was essentially transported against my will, and in the moment, I signed their consents under pressure because I had no other viable option. While the nurses were kind, and I appreciated their care, that didn’t erase the deep concern I had about the provider. My instinct was right. Despite reporting a syncopal episode with trauma, PA Joshua did not follow standard syncope protocols. A head CT—critical after a loss of consciousness and head impact—was not ordered until more than 90 minutes after all other imaging had been completed. He never ordered a CT of my neck, even after I clearly shared my history of severe osteoporosis and described the way I landed. He only scanned my lumbar spine. He came into the room, briefly pulled back my scarf to look for bruising, and left it at that. He did not perform a physical exam. He didn’t remove my socks to inspect my feet or legs, despite reported pain. And while he did listen to my lungs, he never performed range of motion testing on any of the affected joints—knees, feet, or spine—to assess for deeper or more sinister findings. This was a trauma case with a fall after a syncopal event. That level of minimal assessment is simply unacceptable. I had to ask multiple times for an EKG, and was initially told by a nurse that “it wasn’t a cardiac event.” Joshua also didn’t prioritize it until I directly brought it up again. For someone presenting after a loss of consciousness, an EKG is a basic part of the evaluation. Even on discharge, my blood pressure was still 98/55, and no one addressed it. Joshua didn’t return to the room. Another provider discharged me without any clear summary or explanation. I left the ER with more questions than answers—and very little reassurance that I had been properly evaluated. This wasn’t my first negative experience with PA Joshua. I went in already dreading the possibility that he would be on shift, and unfortunately, my concerns were completely justified. The CEO, Leanna, has previously responded to complaints not by improving training or accountability, but by putting up “no photography or video” signs in the ER. She even terminated me as a patient, claiming I was “too medically complex” for the facility. If that’s the case, I should not be brought back against my will—especially not after I clearly asked for transport to Abilene. Patients should never have to direct their own emergency care out of fear of being overlooked. I had to advocate for myself every step of the way, while in pain, after a fall, and still unsure of why I lost consciousness. Fisher County Hospital District needs to reexamine its emergency protocols, staff competency, leadership priorities, and patient safety culture—because what happened to me should not happen to anyone.
