Patient says LVHN doctors dismissed symptoms, missed rare conditions for years

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — For more than four years after a bicycle accident, Rachel Wise’s health steadily declined while she said Lehigh Valley doctors told her nothing was seriously wrong.

Her breathing worsened and her pain spread. At one point, she said, doctors referred her to undergo a psychiatric evaluation when she insisted her symptoms were physical.

“It started to affect my breathing,” Wise recalled. “I kept telling them something was wrong between my throat and my shoulder, but nobody would listen.”

Missed diagnoses

A Wescosville resident, Wise first sought treatment in 2020 at Lehigh Valley Health Network.

“For two and a half years, I was told that it was osteoarthritis, and they didn’t think it was from an injury,” she said. But her symptoms grew worse.

By 2023, three years after her accident, Wise switched to St. Luke’s University Health Network and received confirmation that the source of her pain was likely an injury.

“But by that time, it was too late,” she said. “They tried to give me physical therapy, and nothing was working, and they had to remove my rib.”

Wise was eventually diagnosed with multiple rare conditions, including thoracic outlet syndrome from a traumatic rib injury, treated with rib removal surgery; Eagle syndrome, requiring removal of part of her skull bone and a neck ligament; and lymphatic obstruction, confirmed with imaging.

As she pushed for answers, Wise received a formal letter informing her she was prohibited from receiving future care at Lehigh Valley Health Network.

LVHN administrators later confirmed in correspondence with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office that Wise was “permanently discharged” from its practices.

Wise said her push for treatment resulted in doctors urging psychiatric intervention, even though she reported only physical symptoms.

Nearly half of U.S. women ages 18–35 said in a study that in recent years they felt blamed, doubted, discriminated against, or dismissed by health care providers because of gender.

Regulator complaints

Wise later filed complaints with state and federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights.

In her complaint, she accused LVHN of submitting misleading records and failing to keep accurate and complete charts of her care. Wise provided documentation, including surgical reports and imaging. She said psychiatric labels were incorrectly added to her chart, which contributed to years of dismissal.

LVHN officials have denied wrongdoing and did not respond to requests for additional comment.

In a letter to the attorney general’s office, Cindy Haines, vice president of managed care for LVHN, wrote that Wise demanded the network admit negligence and “ruined her life.” When that request was denied, Haines wrote, Wise became hostile.

Wise disputes that characterization, saying she cried, but did not yell.

“While we wish all patients were pleased with the outcome of the care they received, and we certainly take Ms. Wise’s complaints seriously, we do not feel the need to apologize,” Haines wrote.

Theresa Kerfoot, LVHN’s clinical risk manager, wrote that Wise was “self-diagnosing and wouldn’t listen to what her doctor said,” and that a physician ultimately decided he could not maintain a therapeutic relationship with her.

Wise said she recently received a call from St. Luke’s indicating some providers may receive additional training on thoracic outlet syndrome.

“They said they’re thinking about talking about it in some of their provider trainings because they do want people more aware of the symptoms,” she said.

Wise said she still owes LVHN thousands of dollars in medical bills that have gone to collections. Despite her requests, she said, the network has refused to dismiss the charges. Her complaints remain under federal review. The attorney general’s office has advised her to seek private counsel.

Wise said she has been unable to work full time because of “ongoing pain and breathing challenges”. She currently works part time from home and requires accommodations to manage her pain.

“All of these things were real, and for years I was told they weren’t,” Wise said. “I don’t want what happened to me to happen to anyone else.”