UCHealth Emergency Care - Anschutz Medical Campus — Attraction in Aurora

This rating is regarding Dr. Ryan Tucker. Last evening I presented to the ER for new onset periorbital edema and redness surrounding my eye extending to my cheek. Previously during the day I was diagnosed with conjunctivitis (bacterial vs. viral) by a UCH urgent care. The PA-C felt most likely bacterial given the character of discharge and unilateral. An abx gtt was prescribed. The onset and progression of edema was new and occurred rapidly within one hour time that evening of presenting to ER. My discharge instructions noted to return to a provider if increased pain in eye, increased swelling or edema, and or redness spreading around the eye. I followed these instructions. Prior to presenting to the ED I was notable for a mild fever and medicated with ibuprofen and the eye drop was last administered at 5 pm.

Dr. Tucker was very dismissive. He spoke with confidence but yet in a condescending tone. He quickly assessed my eye and concluded that he agreed with the PA-C at urgent care that I had viral conjunctivitis and would not be changing the course of treatment.

The PA-C as noted in my discharge paperwork leaned more towards bacterial. So I asked how can it be viral given the objective findings?

My partner and I both described the discharge coming from my eye (I cleaned my eye before he came in the room) as thick, mucoid, and at times so copious my eyelid was getting stuck. He quickly stated that bacterial would present with yellow or green, thick drainage, often crusting the eye. That was exactly what we described and I actually had photos to show him the progression but those were not entertained and he said my discharge was watery and thin. That was actually a tear and something that happens to me sometimes, epiphora given my tear duct history and subsequent surgery to correct. He pulled that diagnosis (epiphora) into my visit note as well.

Another concern is the falsification in the medical record physical exam and nurse note components.

He did not ask me if there was pain on EOM but documents there is no pain on EOM. If he had, the answer would have been yes. He documented my chief complaint as eye pain but didn’t really ask to describe in detail. I did note that it was painful when I blink but had not been assessed for EOM at that time of the visit. After being dismissed on my complaints, I shut down and failed to disclose the discomfort on EOM.

There was no auscultation of my lungs or heart, yet those are documented. There was no review of a nurses note, as I wasn’t seen by a nurse until given my discharge paperwork. Which is also documented by the nurse (Katherine) yet he documented that he reviewed the nurses note.

He denounced my reported fevers (didn’t ask when the last one was or when I last medicated for this). He didn’t ask when i had last cleaned my eye to understand why there was no green thick discharge as we had reported, and the redness and he said was normal and not concerning until “red as your shirt” pointing to my partners candy red hoodie.

His failure to take time to consider that I had a bacterial conjunctivitis with new onset early preseptal cellulitis delayed my treatment until the next day when I presented for a second opinion and my PCP clinic. By 11pm the night I saw Dr. Tucker, my eye was swollen shut from edema, redness was more widespread, and crusted with green, thick mucus that took a warm cloth to remove. I opted not to represent to the ER as I was distrustful to see him again. Not only was this visit a waste of time, but also a waste financially. He spent probably 5-7 minutes in the room with me. My PCP office diagnosed with preseptal cellulitis and placed on an oral...

Today on 6/11 we arrived at the ED about 1745. Great attentive staff initially.Nurse in the ED was great however the 1900 staff left no other nurse came in. I had to go to the desk and ask that her blood pressure be checked again..The nurse or Tech set it up to check her blood pressure from the desk but never physically came into the room. My mother's name is Cleo Williams Bed #10. My mom's chief complaint for our visit to the ER was for her feeling, weak, nauseous and lethargic. Once they received lab results back they checked her Hemaglobin and is was 7.0 which explained the symptoms she was having. We have currently been waiting for a blood transfusion a little over 2 hours. A few minutes ago a resident came in to talk to us. I was so upset I didn't get her name but I'm sure you can determine who was assigned to the ED for her name. She came in and said from the GI point there was no reason to keep her and after she got the blood transfusion we would be discharged and follow up with her PCP in two days. I told I disagreed and that my mom should at least be kept overnight do they check her Hemoglobin in the morning as this had happened before and we had to come back the next day to be admitted.This resident was condescending and had horrible bed side manner. A few minutes later the Attending came in and basically said did I want my mom to stay because I wouldn't be able to care for her. I am my Mom's primary caretaker..I told him we have been here several times in the past regarding her low Hemoglobin and they did not admit and we had to return the next day for her to be admitted. He also gave me push back regarding my Mom being admitted for Observstion which was a reasonable request.When I told him I worked at a hospital and that I also had a medical background. His next question to me was where did I work and what did I do there which had no bearing on the treatment plan for my Mom . I told him that I had a medical background as I was also previously an EMT. Once again he said there was no reason to keep her. I shared with him that every patient is different and how one patient may be treated medically is not necessarily how you treat another patient. I explained to the attending that the resident that came in earlier lacked bedside manner and was very condescending and I did not want her to come back in my Mom's room. His excuse for her behavior was that she had seen a lot of patients this evening..Really??? Then perhaps she chose the wrong field. When he kept saying there was no reason for my Mom to stay I advised him I would be contacting patient advocate. I told to do what he needed to do and I would do what I needed to.All of sudden he said they would keep her for observation and repeat labs in the We waited over 3 hrs for the blood . It just came about 10 mins. She is transfusing now. I wonder if I had not been a woman of color would I have been met with such resistance to admit my Mom. Thank God I was her advocate and was there with her. Who knows what would have happened if I had not been .She is currently in the Observation section of the the ED, Rm#86. My name is Cynthia Rodolph and I am her daughter and she lives with me. I am also her Emergency contact.Last but not least when we came over the nurse did not even do an examination... My Mom had a little wheezing. She listened for a second and that was it.What has happened here at UCH the care has always been great at UCH. What is happening to the...

I had never visited this ER in the past and I will never visit it again after being there! Worse experience I have ever had and would give them [-] negative 5 stars if there was an option. My husband and I live in the Northern suburbs and the only reason we were there was because he was referred by his PCP as it was the closest ER where they could do a VQ scan on site. However, per hospital's protocol, they had to first do all the other tests that the other hospital where my husband was at had already done the day before and came back negative (X-rays, blood work, CT Scan), and then the ER doctor was going to decide if the VQ Scan could be ordered for another day. I asked the check-in lady that if that was the case, then we did not want to check in and were going to go to another hospital. She came back and insisted to check my husband in and said the doctor agreed to do the VQ Scan only. Liar!! They made us waste more than 2 hours (and money) for nothing! And, at one point, they separated me from my husband and didn't let me be with him. I was told that if I didn't have POA, I didn't have the right to speak and decide on his behalf and they could take good care of him in the back without me. When my husband finally talked to the doctor, the doctor said it was protocol to perform all the other tests first. We understand the hospital's protocols, but don't lie to us and check us in just to make money; that is not ethical and you are playing with my husband's life! They did not want to let my husband go and told my husband that if he'd go to another hospital, they would also have to do all the tests again. Liar again!! We went to an SCL hospital where they can access my husband's chart and do the VQ Scan without having to run all the the other tests and pay for them again. The problem was that, since UCHealth made us waste more than 2 hours in their ER, we had to return the next day to the other hospital as they can only do it during business hours!!! My husband had to wait one more day to get the test done and, if they would've let us go when I told the front lady not to check my husband in, we would've made it on time at the other hospital. My husband has the right to receive and/or deny healthcare services, and he clearly stated that he was currently not having symptoms. We were just there for the scan, so there was not need to force him to check in.

The staff working at this hospital are unethical, rude and there's no professionalism whatsoever. By the way, if you are not from Downtown Denver, be prepared to be screened, have your purse be checked, and go thru a body scanner just like TSA. I've never experienced this at another hospital, at least where I live, but I understand there's a reason for that after all the recent shootings in the US. What shocked me the most were the two security ladies who made me feel like a criminal during the screening process!

On top of that, we will most likely have to pay for the horrible service received at check in, and for services my husband refused and never received! This place doesn't care about patients. They only want to make money out of you, whether is thru your insurance, Medicaid/Medicare or out-of-pocket. I would stay away from this place...