Sacred Trust Read Online Free PDF

unhappy about our service. What’s the emergency?”
    The smoker quickly shoved her half-smoked cigarette into the receptacle like a school kid caught by the teacher.
    â€œWe need to be treated for head lice,” the nonsmoker said.
    The patio was deserted, Lukas noticed. He took another step forward, carefully looked at first one over-permed head of hair, then at the smoker’s long, stringy brown hair.
    He took out a notepad and a pen and wrote the name of a shampoo. He held it out toward the smoker. “Wash with it once, then wait a week and wash again. You can buy this at your local pharmacy.”
    She stared at the note in his hand. “No prescription?”
    â€œYou don’t need a prescription for this. The two of you can share a bottle.”
    â€œBut we’ll have to pay for it.”
    Lukas felt his skin tingle with growing irritation. He inhaled slowly, counting to ten as he placed the note on the top of a trash can nearby. It had suddenly become a stressful day, the worst he’d had in a long time. He couldn’t blame it all on these two misguided souls.
    He turned and opened the heavy glass door. “Ladies, the shampoo costs less than a pack or two of your favorite brand of cigarettes.”
    â€œBut we have Medicaid cards,” the smoker called after him. “We can report you for refusing to treat us!”
    He stopped midstride and slowly turned back toward them. “Feel free,” he said, keeping his voice calm. “I feel I should warn you, however, that when a card carrier tries to use the card in the E.R. for nonemergency care, she can lose her card. It’s called Medicaid abuse. I think you’ll find that shampoo works very well as long as you follow the directions.” He stepped inside and let the door close silently behind him.
    There were other Medicaid cardholders—for instance, the little baby in exam room three—who needed treatment today, not next week, and Lukas saw to it that they received good care. Lots of Medicaids used the emergency room here because many family practitioners refused to take assignment. Those who did still limited their patients. Medicaid paid so little that a physician who took too many could go broke. The system didn’t work. Many times the people who behaved with integrity got left out entirely—both the honest Medicaid recipients and the honestly compassionate physicians. Greed was the culprit on all sides. Lawmakers spent their time writingmore laws because people kept figuring out ways to take advantage of the system. It was frustrating. Lukas had to keep reminding himself not to blame the patients who sometimes misunderstood the constantly changing rules.
    Lukas glanced around at the emergency department. He liked this little ten-bed setup. The exam rooms surrounded a large central station. Each room was well equipped. Five of the ten rooms had excellent cardiac equipment. There was a separate ambulance entrance and two physician call rooms.
    Mrs. Estelle Pinkley, the hospital administrator, had done a remarkable job when she’d convinced the county to pay for this upgrade. Lukas had jumped at the chance to receive a dependable salary with benefits so far away from the congestion and stress and corruption of the city. Yes, he knew corruption was everywhere, but right now, with specific, damaging events so fresh in his memory, Kansas City represented everything painful.
    Carol met Lukas as he entered the E.R. proper. “Dr. Bower, Mrs. Conn is getting worse. Lauren said to notify you.”
    â€œThanks, Carol. Please call Dr. Richmond back.”
    â€œLauren already did so.”
    â€œGet ready to call a code if necessary.”
    â€œDr. Richmond will have a fit about that, you know.”
    â€œMaybe she can do more about it than I was able to.”

Chapter Three
    M ercy Richmond ran the block from her medical office to the hospital, not bothering to remove her lab coat. Mom