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  • 3 days ago
Hear my recorded phone call in the video.

Vulcan Imaging Associates & bhamnow sponsored The Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama (BCRFA) 3rd annual Disc Golf Goes Pink tournament on September 9 in Calera, AL. The event reportedly generated $7,500.
My own patient experience with this company and their doctors is not good. The public should be aware of the truth of their business practices.

I was a patient of Vulcan Imaging MD Michael Brant Ruff who missed 6 inches of infection in my head / neck and evidence of a broken skull injury I almost died from in 2019. I include my April, 2022 call with Vulcan's Kim Mooney. She presides over 37 radiologists doctors in their group. I was told by Mooney that they "100% Stand By" a report of their radiologist who missed serious injuries in the MRI. She did not elaborate on who "they" were however. Mooney does not possess a medical license. I was also told they do not consult with patients and there was nothing their company could do in regards to my request to have a 2019 MRI scan reread, in which their doctor Michael Brant Ruff, stated I had no injuries and in which evidence of around 6 inches head trauma and infection can be observed. They would not put me in contact with the doctor or attempt to correct the error of their doctor.

Mooney gave me the phone number to reach the company CEO Eric Blackman (strangely she would not transfer me to him or his voicemail despite working in the same office with him).

More on my attempt to call (University Of Tennessee honors graduate) Neuroradiology specialist Dr. Michael Brant Ruff MD (Vulcan Imaging):
I'm a patient attempting to have a misdiagnosed MRI reread (Broken Skull). The truth of my issue is I had broken the underside of my skull, over about a year the wound became infected and infested with some type of parasite. I received a $600 bill from (Ascension) St. Vincent's Ambulatory Healthcare Network LLC in 2019 for this scan, I was told no injuries appeared here. Subsequent to this, between 2018-2019 I had several X-Rays and CT scans through Saint Vincent's East Hospital Birmingham AL., in which I was told no injury appeared. When I obtained my medical records of these scans, however, broken bone appears clearly in the underside of my skull in the exact area where I had (and still have) pain. How 4 different radiologists working for St. Vincent's could have missed this injury is concerning. I believe I may have been a victim of patient dumping (EMTALA violation) because I was a self pay patient and had no insurance or stated source of income.

This scan was done at Ascension St. Vincent's Trussville in 2019. 7201 Happy Hollow Rd Trussville, AL

Pell City-based Complete Health (formerly Northside Medical Associates) Trussville (who referred me to misdiagnosed MRI) did not stand behind me the patient (They could have told me what my injury was or had St. Vincent's reread the scan but they did not) but decided to back their business partners.
Transcript
00:00All right, as always, you can go to YouTube channel My Medical Nightmare and see 40 plus hours video on
00:08everything that happened to me.
00:09All right, heads up, Birmingham.
00:11The name of Vulcan Imaging Associates, a group of radiological doctors, has appeared in the news again.
00:21This time they have sponsored the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama's third annual Disc Golf Goes Pink Tournament.
00:32This was held September 9th, 2023 in Calera, Alabama.
00:39Says they were raising critical funds for local breast cancer research and netted $7,500 thanks to community support and
00:47sponsors.
00:47I hate to ruin all the warm and fuzzy feelings out there.
00:52I was a patient under the care of Vulcan Imaging Associates, neuroradiology specialist, Dr. Michael Brandt Ruff, MD.
01:02He looked at an MRI scan I had done in 2019.
01:06I'll put the images and what his analysis of the scan was in this video.
01:12I had broken the underside of my skull, an injury I almost died from.
01:16Six inches of infection appeared in the MRI.
01:20This doctor, who graduated with honors from the University of Tennessee, he noted no injury present in this scan.
01:29I got a copy of my records.
01:31I later found the truth of this injury.
01:35I took this issue back to Ascension, St. Vincent's Hospital, Birmingham, Alabama.
01:42They would do nothing to correct this error.
01:44I tried to contact Dr. Michael Brandt Ruff directly through Vulcan Imaging Associates.
01:51They would not do anything to correct this error.
01:53These phone calls were recorded.
01:56You can hear them on my YouTube channel.
01:58And I'll play my call with Vulcan Imaging Associates following this introduction.
02:05Administrative coordinator, Kim Mooney, who I'm speaking to in this call, she possesses no medical qualifications whatsoever.
02:14Well, she didn't go to college for 10 years to match the credentials of Dr. Ruff, who missed this massive
02:22injury.
02:23So she can't talk about this.
02:25And she also failed to name a medical professional who was so qualified.
02:31They got 40 plus such individuals on their payroll.
02:35Looks like Vulcan Imaging is trying to make inroads into the town of Calera, south of Birmingham.
02:43They're putting time and money into sponsoring events.
02:47The public out there absolutely needs to be aware of this company.
02:52My experience with Vulcan Imaging Associates and their doctors, the public out there seeking health care,
02:59they will not correct or acknowledge errors or mistakes, and they will not return phone calls.
03:05You have reached Vulcan Imaging.
03:08Vulcan Imaging, this is Kim.
03:10Yes, ma'am.
03:11I called last week.
03:12I was trying to get in touch with one of your radiologists, Dr. Michael Brandt-Ruff.
03:18I had an MRI scan that was looked at by this doctor in 2019.
03:24I got a report with his signature on it saying I don't have injuries.
03:30However, in the MRI images themselves, I have evidence of a very serious head trauma-based injury.
03:39And, yeah, I was told last week that you guys would try to have this doctor get in touch with
03:44me,
03:45so it's been about a week, and I just wanted to see what the status of that was.
03:49Okay, so I did look into this, and based on, I mean, there's not anything else we can do,
03:59so there's not anything that Dr. Ruff can do to assist you with that since the report's already been read.
04:05So there's not anything we can do.
04:07Well, I beg to differ.
04:09This was a $700 MRI scan.
04:12This doctor was paid to have this scan looked at, and he did not note the injuries.
04:17So he is at fault, and so is Vulcan Imaging.
04:21We stand by that report 100%.
04:24Okay, well, the report is an error, 100%, ma'am.
04:27Can I speak to somebody in management?
04:32Yes, sir.
04:32I am the practice administrator.
04:35Okay, can I speak to the head of the company?
04:40Let's see.
04:41Who's above you?
04:44The chairman of the board.
04:46Okay, well, I need to speak to somebody in authority, because you're an error with your statement, ma'am.
04:52Not professional.
04:54I am so sorry you feel that way, but when you stand by...
04:57Well, it's not how I feel.
04:58It's the facts, ma'am.
05:01Now, what you...
05:02If that's...
05:03If you're what you're stating, I would...
05:06I mean, we would respond...
05:07You know, maybe if you consulted an attorney to have...
05:10Well, I mean, if I can't speak to somebody on the telephone about this, I'd be happy to come clear
05:17it up in person.
05:19You're more than welcome to come up here and talk to whoever you need to talk to.
05:27Because this is a serious issue.
05:31I understand that from your perspective.
05:33Yeah, your excuses aren't going to cut it either, ma'am.
05:37It's not an excuse, sir.
05:39I really don't know how to help.
05:41What you should do is...
05:43Okay, you're in business, all right?
05:44Well, you have doctors who went to school for 10 years.
05:47They're millionaires, okay?
05:49They're reading radiology reports for hospitals and other doctors, okay?
05:54What you need to do is...
05:56You need to have them do their job correctly.
05:57And if they miss major injuries in patients that they almost died from, such as myself,
06:03you need to simply make an attempt to correct this error.
06:07Now, I could get in touch with Dr. Michael Brant-Ruff.
06:09I could supply my records.
06:11He could look at these images again, and we can clear this up in a few minutes.
06:14Could I please talk to him?
06:17No, sir.
06:18I can't reach out to Dr. Ruff.
06:21We don't consult with patients.
06:23That's a very sorry excuse, ma'am.
06:27I'm so sorry.
06:28That's our policy.
06:29Um, let's see.
06:30What can I do to help you?
06:32Let's see.
06:34Um, let's see.
06:36Uh, Eric Blackman is my CEO.
06:41Well, I mean, why are you mentioning his name?
06:44Why don't you just connect me to him?
06:46He's not in the office.
06:48Well, that's pretty convenient, huh?
06:51Well, it's the truth.
06:53Um...
06:53Well, I don't believe you.
06:55I'm so sorry about that.
06:57Um...
06:57Yeah, me too.
07:00Let's see.
07:01What I can do is I can give you...
07:05Let's see.
07:07His direct number is...
07:09How many radiologists work for your company, ma'am?
07:14Um, I have, uh...
07:1737.
07:18So you have 37.
07:19Um, why don't you take this scan, call somebody right now, and have them look at this scan and
07:23correct this issue for me.
07:25But that is not how radiology works.
07:29We can...
07:29Yeah, you're not professional.
07:31We've already established that.
07:32Yeah.
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