According to the Chicago Sun Times, a Northwestern Memorial Hospital employee has just been charged with stealing the identity of patients in order to pay off her personal bills. According to the article, Shatina Golden, of Matteson stole personal information from more than fifty Northwestern Hospital patients. The paperwork found in Golden’s home included birth dates, social security numbers and credit card numbers. Matteson police became suspicious when they noticed credit card activity connect with payments from Golden’s water bill. All of the patients had been inpatients, including some being treated for cancer, and had electric, gas and phone accounts opened in their names.
This crime emphasizes the need to have a patient advocate with you if you have to go to the hospital. The advocate can be a spouse, relative or close friend – someone who can watch out for you not only to safeguard your property but even more importantly to make sure you are getting the attention from the doctors and nurses that you deserve. The Chicago medical malpractice lawyers at our firm, Shapiro, Cohen and Basinger, Ltd., have seen many cases where patients have been ignored but could have been helped by a family member willing to pester the nurses or doctors. Remember that a squeaky wheel catches the grease.