How to View This Web Site

     The documents of this site describe the death of our son Seth Speken
due to malpractice, and worse.  He died in one of the nation's leading
hospitals, Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in the City of New York.  There
was a concerted attempt to keep the details of how Seth died from us.  After
great effort in deciphering the chart, we understood just how extreme the
negligence of his care was and we sued.  The Hospital to defend itself, then
counter sued.  All of this is laid out in this Web Site.

     We feel a duty to set forth this story.  It is important to show the reader
just how great their risk can be in what should be the safe environment of a hospital.
As we were to find out,  death such as Seth's,  is all too common.  Yet, these events
are largely covered up.  The cover up occurs through the skills of hospital
risk management offices, skilled defense lawyers, and most importantly, the
political system which has chosen to largely indemnify physicians (by means
of state medical boards and federal agencies that look the other way).

     All of the case against the Hospital is in this Web Site which was built
with  Microsoft Front Page.  There is not only a translation of the chart,
but the actual chart itself.  This was made possible using the Fractal
Imaging technology developed by Michael Barnsley. Any browser can be used to view
the website, but to see images of the actual chart, the
reader will need to use Mozilla Firefox as their
browser. Newer versions of Internet Explorer no longer accept the Fractal Imager
Plug-In. See below for instructions under How to View the Medical Chart.

Viewing the Narrative

     The essentials of the case can be found by clicking on the box titled
Narrative on the Home Page.  For the majority of readers, this 8 page
Narrative provides sufficient documentation to understand how
inadequately supervised physician trainees caused Seth's death. 

     Prior to reading the Narrative, the reader should review the document
"Introduction to Doctors' Notes" by clicking on the box "Doctor's Notes"
on the Home Page.  This will provide information on how to navigate in the
framed environment.

    The reader, in viewing the Narrative, will see several hyperlinks to the
larger Web Site.  These hyperlinks are necessary to provide proof of what
is being described.  

      In viewing these hyperlinks,  all that is necessary to return to the Narrative
from the linked page is to click Back on the toolbar of the browser
(Click Back repeatedly, if necessary, if viewing multiple pages in the linked 
document).

Viewing Supplementary Data

     It is possible to view  the items in Supplementary Data in any browser that
supports frames.  There is no need to install the plug-ins described below unless the
reader needs to view the actual chart. Within the items of Supplementary Data, 
there are frequent links to bring the reader back to the  Home Page.

     There is also a Search Engine on the Home Page.  This is particularly useful
in reviewing the treatment actions of any of the members of the Columbia
Health Care Team

Click for Home Page
Click for How to View the Medical Chart
Click for Preface