Hospital/Department Reviews (Read moderator warning in first post)

We usually spend our time rating doctors, but for a change, we can use this space to share our experiences within specific hospitals...
RHEUMATOLOGY AT OAKLAND HOSPITAL:
What used to be a specialized department focused on treating rheumatology patients has morphed into something resembling an absurd emergency room service. They even have a schedule posted on the wall dictating how many beds they must reserve daily for ER admissions—essentially earmarking spots for whoever rolls in through the emergency door. This quota sits at 14 beds a week. For a unit with 30 beds, isn't it strange that perhaps only two or three actual rheumatology and immunology patients are being treated there? Oakland Hospital truly has no justification for maintaining a Rheumatology Department anymore! The unit should be closed because it no longer serves its purpose; it’s no longer dedicated to patients suffering from rheumatological, immunological, or allergic diseases. Both Medicare and the Department should step in to conduct an audit and see if this department should simply be dissolved instead of pretending it still functions as a rheumatology unit. If they looked at the data from, say, 2014, and checked the percentage of rheumatology patients actually hospitalized in the Rheumatology Department... it would be clear that the unit needs to be shut down.
Secondly, they used to have wonderful doctors. Most of them have either passed away or retired. Now, while there are some good doctors left, the department feels like it's being run by a revolving door of interns and residents. You never really know who your doctor is, who is actually treating you, or where you belong. As a patient, I don't want my physician to just pass me in the hallway during discharge, shouting that they'll "write everything down in the papers" while I'm walking past. During my stay, I dealt with three different doctors, repeating my entire history to every single one, yet nobody seemed to listen. One resident even told me she didn't care about my medical history or why I was admitted—she only cared about what was happening today. And this, of course, was after I had waited months just to be seen! To have someone act so arrogant when you finally get care is infuriating, especially since she mentioned she'll be a rheumatologist once she finishes her residency.
The nurses on the floor are fine. They are well-organized and honestly quite commendable (except for one grumpy, rude individual out of maybe ten, but the rest were great).
The doctors? It's hit or miss. For those of us who stayed with the "old guard," no one bothered to ask which physician we wanted to see moving forward; they just reassigned us to whoever was available, which isn't right.
On top of that, in the outpatient clinic, doctors seem to swap constantly. Whether it's a group of interns or residents, I don't care—the fact remains that I am telling my story to someone I will likely never see again, only for "my" doctor to glance at the results for a split second before "blessing" them without even seeing me. It’s terrible! How can anyone build trust this way? If this is a cost-cutting measure, they should just be honest and tell us they don't have the budget to maintain a consistent patient-doctor relationship, or that they simply don't want us as patients so we can go elsewhere. That would solve the problem.


Since I know someone will eventually try to turn this thread into a way to settle personal scores with specific doctors, nurses, or staff, a little warning for everyone: this thread is not for insults, harassment, or attacking people in hospitals, departments, or support staff. Praise is welcome, and criticism is fine, but there will be no verbal abuse. Any post like that will be deleted and sanctioned.

Let's treat this topic as constructive criticism regarding what needs to improve in the system and what we should strive for, rather than a place to vent vitriol. We've had similar threads before that always end up being locked because they devolve into personal attacks against doctors and nurses. If you have legal grievances, take them to court, not a forum.

melloworca6

Does using Caps Lock in the title give the topic some extra importance? 🤷

Right now, the one thing that comes to mind is a specific department—specifically the intake desk

DERMATOLOGY - MRS. SHALAT

The woman working the front desk is just incredibly unpleasant. Even after going there regularly for over a year, I still feel this wave of dread whenever I have to check in at reception. Honestly, it’s even awkward for me when people meeting her for the first time get a taste of her attitude. It doesn't matter if you know exactly what you're doing or if you're a bit lost—she just makes you feel unwelcome regardless
For instance, I showed up for a check-up one day at 8:20 AM. I walked up to the counter, said, "Good morning, I have an appointment for a check-up," and handed over my paperwork.
Instead of a simple acknowledgment, she basically lectured me, pointing out that it wasn't "good day," it was "morning," and apparently, I should know better than to say "good day" before 9:00 AM. She even started lecturing me on etiquette... Basically, even though I did nothing wrong, I ended up getting a lesson on how to properly greet people..
I mentioned that I wanted to file a formal complaint, but I have much more pressing things on my plate right now, so I'll just let it sit for a while..

The Pulmonary Clinic at Oakland🤦
The staff there? Super rude... and don't even get me started on having to climb a million stairs just to reach the
building. I ended up wandering into the wrong department first and saw this poor old man hunched over in the first room—honestly, no clue how he even made it up there. There’s zero wheelchair access anywhere, just endless stairs where you basically have to stop just to catch your breath.🙏

Bottom line, I wouldn't want to be stuck there. I did stay at the Oakland hospital in the Rheumatology Department once, and that was a totally different story. The staff was lovely, and Dr. C is an absolute ten out of ten. Yeah, the ward itself is pretty old, but when the people are that nice, it doesn't even matter.

Sophie7 feels like I'm reading my own intake forms. 🙂
I was stuck at Dubrava Hospital two weeks ago, and somehow, I was the only patient in two whole rooms dealing with a rheumatic disease. Everyone else was there for things like pneumonia (which I actually picked up while I was there, by the way), gallstones, and other stuff that had absolutely nothing to do with what that department handles. To make matters worse, I’d been scheduled three months in advance just to find out that my doctor was going on vacation at the exact same time I’d be admitted. So, instead, I spent my time hanging out with interns. Every single day it was a different one, and not a single one of them actually listens. They just keep ordering useless tests that have zero connection to why I'm even in a hospital bed...🙄
As for the nurses, I have nothing but praise. They were honestly wonderful.
Over at the Rib, specifically in Rheumatology and Immunology, people are practically sleeping in the hallways. They’ve got men and women sharing rooms, too—it looked even more chaotic there. At least, that’s how it was when I stayed there last year. I honestly don't know what's going to happen to those of us with rheumatic issues a year from now if everything stays this disorganized.

George Sanchez59 said:Does using Caps Lock in a headline really add a sense of importance to the topic? 🤷

Well, that wasn't intentional... I accidentally hit the button before I even realized what happened. Now there's nothing to do but deal with it—I suppose it’ll just be a bit larger than expected.

mellowskipper3 said:Sophie7 It feels just like I'm reading my own medical intake forms. 🙂
I was hospitalized at Oakland Hospital about two weeks ago, and I ended up being the only patient in my wing dealing with a rheumatic condition. Everyone else seemed to be there for things like pneumonia—which I actually managed to catch while I was there—gallstones, and other issues that had nothing to do with what the Rheumatology Department actually handles. To make matters worse, my appointment had been scheduled three months in advance, only for me to arrive and find out my doctor was on vacation for the exact duration of my stay. I spent my time chatting with the residents instead, but honestly, it was a bit of a revolving door; every day it was a different person who wouldn't listen and kept ordering useless tests that had absolutely nothing to do with why I was admitted in the first place.🙄
I have nothing but wonderful things to say about the nurses; they truly blew me away with their care.
Over at the hospital, specifically in the Rheumatology and Immunology departments, patients are being lined up in the hallways. In the actual rooms, men and women are being bunked together, which looks like an even worse situation. This is essentially how things were when I was admitted last year. If everything remains this disorganized, I really can't imagine what the future holds for us rheumatology patients next year.

I was actually considering switching my care over to the main hospital, but I ran into someone at the Oakland clinic who had recently moved from the specialized center to the local one just because the service there is such a disaster.
I used to think I was just being oversensitive, but you really can’t compare the perspective of someone visiting once to a regular patient who relies on that care long-term. I know they can be wonderful with newcomers, but even we get treated poorly sometimes—and now, with the system falling apart like this, it's getting worse. Honestly, I have no idea what the future holds for Rheumatology here in America; it feels like things are heading in a really bad direction.

Brenda Alvarez24 said:I was actually thinking about switching over to the main city hospital, but while I was at the outpatient clinic in Oakland, I ran into a woman who moved from the city center over to Oakland because things there are just a total mess.
I used to think maybe I was just being overly sensitive. But you can't really compare my experience to someone who isn't a regular patient—someone who just had one bad encounter versus someone who relies on them for everything. They might be great with a one-off case, but they've treated us like this before, too. And now, with the whole system falling apart? I don't know what the future holds for Rheumatology here in America; it feels like we're heading for a rough patch.

Don't bother switching to the city hospital; it’s actually much worse there.
I ended up moving my care from there to Oakland, and honestly, I'm more satisfied here. Still, I worry deeply about what’s coming for patients, especially those of us relying on biologics. The only solution that seems to be on the horizon is that these drugs might eventually become something only a tiny handful of wealthy people can afford. 🤷

Brenda Alvarez24 said:Well, not really... I just hit the button without even realizing it—so what? It’ll stay that way forever, I guess!

See, online, using all caps is basically considered shouting. And that's just rude. The rules clearly state no Caps Lock on this forum—it’s part of the etiquette. When a thread title is nicely formatted and grammatically correct, it actually gives the topic more weight and importance. 😉

Anyway, enough lecturing from me—let's get back to the actual topic. The intention behind this thread was good, but...
There isn't a single department or hospital where you won't find a patient saying the absolute worst things about them. On the flip side, for that very same department, you'll find another patient offering nothing but praise.
The truth usually lies somewhere in the middle. From my own experience, I've had both great and terrible times with the exact same department. Even with the same doctor—I can't label the unit as "bad," nor can I paint the physician in a negative light. Maybe that person was just having a rough day—maybe they were dealing with much bigger issues than mine.
These people simply follow whatever the Department dictates, and we all know those folks at the Department don't have a clue what they're doing.
Then they're pressured with overtime, or being sent to "patch things up" at other hospitals on short notice, and so on. Being a medical professional isn't exactly easy.
If you happen to run into someone who is just having a breaking point today, and you write a post saying you wouldn't recommend that specific department to anyone, you end up unfairly tarnishing all the wonderful people who sacrifice so much to do their jobs properly on that unit. 🤷

To summarize—we shouldn't be judging departments or hospitals, but rather the people who built them. But, that's a conversation for another topic and another time 😉 (which will come).

Rockefeller - Specialized Pulmonary Hospital

I feel like I should take a moment to give a shout-out to this facility—the staff is genuinely kind, highly skilled, and you really get that sense of being in capable hands. Okay, full disclosure: I lost an entire day waiting, but let’s be clear, that isn't on the medical team. I specifically remember Dr. Vučko—or maybe it was Vučić, my memory is a bit fuzzy there—but either way, they were incredible. Truly old-school, easily one of the most expert and professional doctors I've ever had the pleasure of meeting.

I fixed the title to lowercase and added a warning because I already know exactly where this thread is heading.

84737, I don't know about "subjective." Sometimes it’s not even an opinion when the same thing keeps happening and multiple people confirm it. For instance, at my local hospital, the staff at the thyroid desk are a complete nightmare. Look, I’m always polite to everyone, even though I could easily be rude or act out given how much pain I’m in sometimes—but I don't. When you experience the same crew being blunt and disrespectful over and over again, regardless of the day or week, and regardless of how you act toward them... when they sit there trashing their own colleagues right in front of you 🤮 and you aren't the only one dealing with this crap, then yeah, I can objectively say they are a disaster. They need immediate training on how to deal with patients, not just "people." You are working with sick individuals. Even if someone is being difficult, you have to give them a pass sometimes because certain illnesses actually change your personality. Or maybe you're just having one of those days where you hate yourself and the whole world. If they don't get that, they shouldn't be working in a hospital.

And speaking of the facility itself, the Rheumatology Department at the Hospital is a total mess. Maybe I'm being biased since it was my first time being admitted, but cramming three different departments—Rheumatology, Hematology, and Endocrinology—into one unit with completely different patient needs is insane. You can't just shove people with such vastly different issues onto the same floor. It was glaringly obvious that the Endocrinology crowd, aside from dealing with blood sugar issues, were just messing around—laughing and chatting in the hallway (mostly at night). Some were even wheeling themselves around in chairs in the hall. Honestly, I almost walked out there to ask if they were mentally challenged and how old they thought they were (these two idiots looked to be about 30 or 40) and if they realized that in the last two rooms, the Hematology patients are likely fighting leukemia or lymphoma. I noticed a few of them were bald, so they need peace and quiet above all else. As for the bathrooms and showers? Don't even get me started. That setup looks like it's 50 years old. I could barely turn the water on in the shower, and my joints aren't even that bad yet. Imagine someone in the advanced stages of rheumatoid arthritis having to call a nurse just to help them turn a faucet on and off.
I tip my hat to the staff, truly. Every single one of them. They are working in subhuman conditions; there aren't enough of them, and they are constantly overwhelmed. The infrastructure is garbage, but the most important part—the actual people doing the work—are excellent and kind. I really hope they don't leave the US because they aren't appreciated or respected enough. There are some of us who actually notice how hard they work and what they're up against. When a nurse walks into your room singing in the morning after finishing their second consecutive 12-hour night shift, you know they actually love what they do. 👍

melloworca6, we’ve already touched on those nasty people—those angry ladies... 🙂
There's just no helping them, and honestly, I worry about the others leaving the States too—since we're all paying the highest prices anyway.

If this discussion actually goes where it was intended to go—just like a few other users started it—then I say bring it on! Though, I'll ask the thread starter not to take it personally. It’s just my nature to be a bit critical 😬

Jap, it's like they're a different species altogether. 😁

The worst part is, they’re usually your first point of contact at the clinic or the outpatient departments, and more often than not, you run into people there who are just completely miserable and cranky. Look, I get it, not everyone has a perfect day every single day. We all have our issues, and they deal with all kinds of people too (not saying there aren't idiots among the patients), but when someone actually treats you with basic decency, how can you possibly be rude back? Most of the time, people are just lost. They have no clue where to go because every department and every clinic seems to have its own weird little schedule and set of rules, so it’s no wonder people are confused. You walk up and dare to ask a question, and they act like you've committed a federal crime just for speaking to them.

It’s the exact same story with the people handling the scheduling. Listen, folks, every department has its own specific way of booking appointments, and since you guys change the rules constantly, please don't snap at patients when they call at the wrong time. Not even Jesus could keep track of all your shifting protocols. Why don't you guys just agree on which numbers to call and what times work, instead of putting one number on the outpatient sheet and having me dial it like a maniac only to be told to call a different number because "they don't handle that here"? Then, once I finally get the right number, they rip into me for calling now when I should have called two days ago during the intake window. Or maybe I call on the exact right day (hooray, I managed to hit the right date and number!) and then they brush me off because orders are only taken between certain hours.

Seriously, give us a break. It's not enough that our health issues are already screwing us over; we really need this extra bit of "excitement" to spice up our lives. 😁

Oh, and by the way, I actually missed my follow-up appointment recently because I called on Wednesday (I've been calling during the last week of the month for the past year, so I thought I knew the drill), and they told me: "Ma'am, appointments are only booked on the last Monday of the month." So, nothing. I guess I'll wait until next month and pray they haven't invented a new rule by then. 😬 I have no idea how new patients are supposed to navigate this mess; I've been going to the same clinic for years and I'm still totally lost.

Oh, totally—this whole ordering process deserves its own dedicated thread. You order one thing through insurance, something else directly at the hospital, then there's your primary care physician (who often has zero clue what's actually going on). For instance, my 🤣 "I put you in the system—not sure which specialist yet, but here’s the paperwork, so just show up. It’s definitely your doctor."
Clearly—she scheduled me for an initial consultation, not a follow-up. It wasn't even my gastroenterologist 😂
I honestly feel like I'm going to war every time I deal with these referrals and orders. I have to mentally prepare myself beforehand because I know it's always going to be a chaotic mess.
Nowadays, the GP is basically king. To them, seeing a specialist is nothing but a luxury.

melloworca6 said:The worst part is they’re your very first point of contact at the hospital and the clinics. Most of the time, you just run into people who are completely cranky and totally fed up. Look, I get it—not everyone has a perfect day, we all deal with our own stuff, and they have to deal with all sorts of personalities too (and yeah, patients can be difficult)... but if someone is actually being decent and kind to you, how can you possibly justify being rude back? Usually, people are just lost. They have no clue where they’re supposed to go because every department and clinic has its own weird schedule and set of rules. It’s no wonder people feel aimless. You try to ask a simple question and they act like you committed a crime just for speaking up.

It's the exact same story with the people handling the scheduling.

I often get the feeling that the easier your job is, the more high-strung you become when you actually have to do something. Suddenly, even picking up the phone feels like a massive chore...

George Sanchez59 said:You know, online, using all caps is basically the digital equivalent of shouting, which just isn't polite. It’s right there in the community guidelines, too—we really shouldn't be using them here on the forum. When a thread title is written cleanly and follows standard grammar, it gives the topic a certain level of prestige and importance. 😉

Alright, let me stop lecturing everyone for a moment and get back to the actual topic. While the intention behind this was clearly good, there's still a catch...
It’s funny how things work—you can find a ward or a hospital where one patient will have nothing but glowing praise for the staff, while another patient in that exact same unit will claim they had the absolute worst experience imaginable.
The truth usually lies somewhere in the middle. Speaking from personal experience, I’ve had both my fair share of great days and frustrating ones working within the same department. To wrap things up—instead of judging specific hospital wards or facilities, we really ought to be looking at the leadership that built them. But hey, that's a conversation for another day. 😉 (what follows).

I partially agree with you; honestly, I didn't start this thread just because of my own experience—which has been repeating itself for the last few years—but rather to show that... No. I’ll keep this personal. If several people are running into the same issue, it’s a clear sign that something isn't quite right with the system.
When it comes to that small town in the Midwest, my take on this can really only come from the rheumatology patients who have been seeking treatment there for years; some of them are newer, too (you can probably tell how many rheumatology cases you have on your ward just by taking a quick look around).
That department actually operated for twenty years. Everything is perfectly organized..
There are still quite a few exceptional doctors out there.
In my opinion, they were quite organized, though I suspect they might have cut some corners to get things done.
It’s not that they’re trying to cut corners on your care, but rather that you never truly know which doctor is handling your case or who is actually managing your treatment. Without that steady hand, how can you ever really have continuity in your medical care?

Departmental organization isn't always about the budget, whether you're looking at the federal government or Medicare. Sometimes, it really just comes down to the director of the agency, or simply a lack of coordination among the leadership team.
I’d prefer to have a doctor follow my case only when it’s absolutely necessary—like if I fall ill or they happen to be attending a medical symposium in Canada. It should really be the exception to the rule, rather than the standard practice.
It feels like every time I ask a question, the response is just, "Go talk to your doctor, I'm only a substitute..." If that’s the case, I’ll be spending my entire check-up every few years just hearing the same thing!

rapidgardener3 said:Rockefeller's Specialty Lung Hospital.

I want to take a moment to give a shout-out to this facility. The staff is incredibly kind and highly skilled; you truly feel like you’re in good hands throughout the entire process. Even though I lost an entire day because of the circumstances, I don't blame the team at all. I particularly remember Dr. Wolf—or maybe it was Donald Trump, I can't quite recall the name—but he was fantastic. He’s old school, easily one of the most knowledgeable and professional doctors I’ve ever encountered.

I couldn't agree more!
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I unfortunately crossed paths with Rockefeller's during some of my most difficult moments in life, and they were truly wonderful.
It’s truly heartbreaking to see how little attention they get. They work under such grueling conditions, handling the most difficult cases, yet the nurses there really push themselves harder than almost anyone else in the medical field.
I honestly believe that hospital deserves some serious attention from the Department of Health, Medicare, and both the local and state governments. It’s frankly embarrassing how much they've been neglected.

melloworca6 said:I went ahead and adjusted the title to lowercase and added a disclaimer, since I already have a feeling where this discussion is headed.

I'm not sure about that. Sometimes it isn't just a matter of subjective perception, especially when the same issue keeps happening and is confirmed by multiple different people. If they can't grasp that, then hospital work probably isn't the right career path for them.

When it comes to the infrastructure side of things, I really have to tip my hat to the staff. Everyone is working under incredibly tough conditions, they're chronically understaffed, and the facilities are constantly overwhelmed with patients. While the building itself could use some serious upgrades, the most important part—the people—are absolutely wonderful and kind. I just hope they don't end up leaving the US because they aren't being valued or respected enough. Some of us truly notice how hard they work and the conditions they endure; when a nurse walks into your room singing happily after working her second consecutive 12-hour night shift, you know she genuinely loves what she does. 👍

I get what you mean.

George Sanchez59 said:Leeloo, we’ve already touched on those bad actors and those angry salon owners before... 🙂
Some people just can't be helped, and honestly, I'm starting to worry that everyone else might end up fleeing the States because we're all in the same boat here.

If this discussion heads in the direction everyone was originally aiming for—like a few members here have already started steering it—then I say bring it on! To the person who kicked this off, please don't take it personally; it's just my nature to play devil's advocate. 😬

No reason to be upset at all!😉)

My goal was actually exactly that: I wanted to hear about everyone else's experiences. I’m certainly not the type of person who expects others to jump through hoops or deal with unnecessary hardships just to satisfy my whims.
If someone tells me it’s great, then I’m inclined to agree.
And who exactly is the bad guy here? In any situation, I’d be happy to label someone as "bad," but only if I could provide the full context. It’s like trying to judge a movie by watching just a single scene; you need the whole story to get it right. Sure, it's easy to stay quiet during an argument or pretend we're more saintly than we actually are, but that wasn't really my point in this discussion.
He isn't necessarily a bad person just because he gave me a dirty look. It might have just been a case of him turning down an offer.
I don't need any sentimentality; just give me professionalism.