Dr. Nancy Alta Jean-Marie, DO

This doctor attempted to put my grandmother on antibiotics for pneumonia when my grandmother had no symptoms (while at Genesis Healthcare). Her apparent rationale: while eating dinner, my grandmother had a coughing spell, and following this had low oxygenation levels. The next day, her oxygenation levels were at 99% and had no additional symptoms of pneumonia. A CRX was ordered to examine her lungs, and it was noted that there seemed to be a ‘cloud’ that could indicate early pneumonia forming. Based on this assumption alone, Dr. Nancy prescribed my grandmother antibiotics for the putative infection. I am so thankful my grandmother is mentally sharp, because she refused the medication. After a rushed conversation with Dr. Nancy, I questioned the rationale behind this prescription, noting that there were no additional symptoms and suggested that my grandmother should instead be closely monitored (i.e., blood work, check for signs of respiratory distress, watch for expulsion of purulent… sputum indicative of a bacterial infection, etc.). I did not reveal to Dr. Nancy that I am a doctor in infectious diseases, and I understand when and why antibiotics should be given. I wanted to keep this confidential to see how she typically talks to patients and their family members. In my opinion, antibiotics could have been administered if Dr. Nancy or the nurse(s) present in the room had witnessed my grandmother aspirate food, saw significant consolidation on the CRX in (likely) the right lung, and noted any of the above during their daily checks. Majority of the time, antibiotics are not the recommendation for acute pneumonia, and would cause more harm than good. I will be curious to examine the CRX myself and make an assessment. Additionally, I am curious to hear from Dr. Nancy what she believes to cause majority of pneumonia cases. Is it viral or bacterial? And what are antibiotics largely used for: viral infections, bacterial infections, or both? I understand the singular event that took place (coughing while eating), but this cannot be the sole basis for prescribing an elderly patient with a weak stomach a course of antibiotics. Moreover, I wonder if Dr. Nancy fully comprehends the negative side effects antibiotics can cause when wrongly given. In the end, my grandmother denied medication, which I confirmed with her she should do, and she is now healthy with absolutely no signs of pneumonia. An unnecessary course of antibiotics could have changed the projection of my grandmother’s rehab timeline and would have been detrimental to her both physically and financially. I only hope Dr. Nancy reads this, understands her mistake, and learns from it.