Many describe Scientology as nothing more than a brainwashing cult that thrives on the weaknesses all of us have to some degree.  Over the years, there have been countless claims of abuse and misrepresentations and just as many denials from the ultra-private religion.  We do know this faith abhors the use of modern

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psychiatric practices, including the use of medications.  Even before the big Tom Cruise meltdown (which forever changed his image from a Hollywood hero to a disturbing has-been), Scientology had been accused of many wrongdoings, both medically and ethically.  Now, though, a former high-ranking medical official is telling the long overdue tale.

In 1995, a young woman left her Dallas home to join her fellow Scientologists in Florida.  While there, Lisa McPherson gained a “clear” status within the church which meant she was free of pain, trauma and bad feelings (this should’ve been a huge red flag years ago).  Within two weeks of this declaration by the church, she was involved in an automobile accident and was found nude walking the streets and shouting at passersby.  She found herself in a local hospital and was about to receive the mental therapy she clearly was in need of.  Once leaders in the church heard of this, a group of ten showed up and escorted her out of the facility and back to church headquarters.  They told the hospital they opposed psychiatric care on any level and that they would see to her proper medical treatment.

This is where Marty Rathbun says he began lying to outsiders.  He was ordered to reassure anyone who asked about her well-being that she was fine, when in fact, she was far from it.  Over the next seventeen days, she lost close to twelve pounds and had a complete breakdown.  Even when Rathbun called another Scientologist in the area who happened to be a physician, he still followed orders from his own leaders and disregarded the doctor’s insistence of taking her to a hospital.  What Rathbun and others within the church agreed to do was drive forty five minutes to the area in the state where the Scientologist/physician was located, despite her poor condition. Once there, she was pronounced dead on arrival.

Afterwards, church officials ordered any documentation that even documented her existence within the church walls be destroyed.  Rathbun told the group, “Lose ‘em” (referring to these documents). 

The woman’s family filed a wrongful death case against the church and settled for an amount that’s never been disclosed.  Now that Rathbun is no longer under the influence of the church, he’s agreed to come forward and was interviewed by a Florida newspaper.

Meanwhile, church officials continue to deny Rathbun’s story and say he was a “bitter former employee who never climbed as high in the ranks as he’d hoped to”.

Trying to pinpoint the exact causes for the current critical state of this country’s emergency rooms would be exhausting at best and would most likely yield no definitive culprit, but rather a combination of various economic and social shortcomings. Job losses that include loss of medical insurance, exhausted ER medical and administrative personnel and the increasingly high number of illegal immigrants all culminate at one intersection that spells poor medical attention, up to and including deaths that could have - and should have - been prevented.For many, were it not for local emergency rooms, there would be no access at all to medical attention. Doctors have been turning away patients - even those who’ve been loyal to their physicians for years - when they’re unable to pay for an office visit. Most would far prefer visiting their family doctors over a hospital emergency room. Aside from the rapport doctors and patients establish over time, it’s far less expensive. Still, with more doctors adopting the practice of “no pay, no visit”, it’s forcing even more people into already-overburdened emergency rooms.

Fewer staff members, including doctors and nurses, less training for those whose tasks include discerning which patients’ needs are more urgent and too, the possibility of these staff members who are doing the work of two or three and becoming burned out combines with tragic results. There have been deaths reported while patients waited for hours to see a doctor, medical emergencies that became more critical and dangerous with each passing hour and even patients who were treated for the wrong illnesses. These situations often result in medical malpractice suits. In our society, it’s these lawsuits that are often the catalysts for change. With no solutions on the horizon nor any indication of collective improvements throughout our country’s medical emergency services, it’s clear advances will only be made when those we trust with our health and the health of our family members begin to redefine what quality health care should encompass.

Unfortunately, the trends are indicative of further breakdowns in the medical sector of our society. Many hospitals are closing maternity wards and even their emergency rooms. This can only mean further problems for all of us. It’s estimated that nearly 20% of hospital emergency rooms have closed their doors in the past five years. If we thought it was standing room only before, those left to pick up the slack due to a neighboring hospital’s decision to close its doors will find themselves in one of the most volatile and unpredictable settings found anywhere in America.