Flagstaff Medical Center — Attraction in Flagstaff

You need to read the review to the END. Our experience with Flagstaff Medical Center's emergency room has been horrifying and dangerous. The arduous advocacy my wife needed to actually get care in the ER and not be turned loose, generally would have been enough to never return. However, we live in Munds Park, and this is the closest ER. So when I broke my rib, FMC is where I turned for help.

Dear God, the worst experience of my LIFE. The pain medications made me beyond ill with a migraine and constant vomiting. The ER staff, clearly frustrated that they couldn't move a simple broken rib out of the ER, medical staff would shout from the door, "Are you ready to go?" I was so sick and nauseous even turning my head would cause me to vomit. So no, I couldn't leave; God forbid they get my symptoms under control before trying to discharge me.

Finally, I agree to be admitted. I am not getting better.

I get a visit from three doctors staring at me from the foot of the bed. One of them, Kristina Bermas, MD, started throwing questions at me in an annoyed manner. "Do you smoke? Why are your lungs so bad? Did you have COVID? Did you work with asbestos? Are you sure you don't smoke? Your lungs are absolutely horrible. They are crystallized and so bad, we're probably going to have to send you home with oxygen."

After scaring the hell out of me and making me feel bad for having lung issues, there was no offer to call a pulmonologist in the hospital to visit me and see what's going on. Nope. They gave me a diuretic and had me take enough breaths so the pulsometer read what it needed to discharge me and sent me on the way and said to see a pulmonologist.

So that's what I did. With a possible diagnosis of 'crystallized lungs' per Dr. Kristina Bermas, I ended up at MD Anderson with the best pulmonologist I could find. His first question after looking at my x-rays he received from Flagstaff Medical Center was, "Why are you here?" I told him what Dr. Bermas said, and he's said, "Crystalized lungs? No, this is fluid on your lungs and you had a cardiac event when you broke your rib."

Wow, that's a big miss by the ER department and Dr. Bermas, who can't tell between crystallized lungs and fluid in the lungs.

It really pissed me off to go through all that worry, but I was living so I went about my life.

Fast forward 7 months. I went in for what I thought was a routine cardiac check, only to find my aortic value was so bad that I needed immediate open-heart surgery. My doctor informed me that with my diagnosis, I would have 1-2 years to live without treatment and that he expected I was fast approaching the two-year mark. My condition was so bad I wasn't even allowed to return to Munds Park because of the elevation.

I told my cardiologist about the FMC and Dr. Bermas, and with a heavy sigh, he said, "The healthcare system failed you."

They sure did, in a devastating way.

I ended up in the ER at Honor Health Deer Valley, got my open-heart surgery, and I have to tell you... going from FMC to Honor Health was night and day. Honor Health Staff were caring; they advocated for me, and I never felt safer. Their care was beyond excellent and starkly different from the angry and beatdown staff at FMC.

Last note. My youngest, a 25-year-old vet tech, stayed with me in the ER at FMC for about 8 hours. She was, of course, with me at Honor Health, and she even observed the stark difference. She said just before my surgery, "I think the staff at FMC must be treated really bad." I asked why she thinks that, and she said, "The staff at Honor Health are so helpful and friendly, they must be treated really well."

That's a pretty profound observation by such a young girl.

In closing, I would never return to FMC ER or hospital. It's too dangerous, and I tell anyone who listens because I care that people who go there will not only get subpar care, their lack of care may cost...

Would leave zero stars if I could.

Last week, my husband and I experienced something no parent ever wants to go through; our 6-month-old son’s first trip to the ER.

Over the course of four days, our son had been showing increasingly concerning symptoms. Around 1 a.m., he became completely inconsolable with a high fever of 103.8°F before we even left for the hospital. We gave him Tylenol before heading to the ER in hopes of keeping it under control, but once we arrived, things only got worse.

Despite clearly being in distress and burning up, his temperature was never rechecked beyond triage. When I voiced my concerns, a nurse took an axillary temperature of 39°C (still a fever) and told us he didn’t have one. As a parent, I knew something was wrong, but my concerns were repeatedly dismissed.

When test results came back positive for COVID and adenovirus, we were already overwhelmed- but then they attempted to place an IV. Twice. Our son was screaming, his heart rate was through the roof, and considering his known heart condition, I was terrified. Emotional stress can trigger dangerous arrhythmias for him, yet at no point did they initiate EKG monitoring to assess his heart. That level of negligence was deeply alarming.

After two failed IV attempts and clear distress from our son, the staff still wanted to try a third. We refused. I’ve seen this play out before; I’ve personally experienced being poked eighteen times at this same hospital and I was not about to let my infant son endure that same trauma, especially given his vulnerability.

But what truly shattered any remaining trust was discovering that the patient wristband they put on him belonged to a 74 year old patient. This was not a small clerical error—it was a serious patient safety breach. We left with deep concern that his lab work could have been mislabeled, or that another patient’s data might now be in his chart. As someone who works in healthcare, I know how completely unacceptable that is.

The emotional toll of watching our baby suffer while feeling helpless and ignored was devastating. No parent should have to question whether their child is receiving safe and appropriate care in an emergency.

I’m sharing this not just to express how upsetting this was, but to urge other parents to trust your gut, advocate fiercely, and never stay silent. Our healthcare system has issues, and this experience at this particular facility was a painful reminder of just how dangerous those issues can be.

Update:

After filing a formal grievance with the hospital, I received a response that felt like a polite dismissal; devoid of accountability and, frankly, alarming given the severity of what occurred. Based on the letter it’s apparent the nurse falsified my son’s vital signs in his chart, specifically documenting an inaccurate temperature. I personally witnessed the correct reading while lying beside him in the hospital bed.

They also claimed that not placing my son on EKG monitoring “would not have changed his care”…a statement that reflects either ignorance or negligence. I work in cardiology and happen to have the same heart condition as my son. One of the biggest triggers for dangerous arrhythmias is emotional stress. My child was screaming, restrained, pale, and clammy during an already traumatic visit filled with unnecessary needle pokes—his condition absolutely warranted cardiac monitoring.

Lastly, the hospital tried to downplay the fact that he was given the wrong patient ID band, stating it “does not reflect” their commitment to patient safety. That alone should speak volumes.

I’m still at a loss for words, but unfortunately not surprised. If this is how pediatric emergencies are handled- minimized, deflected, and swept aside- I worry deeply for other families who don’t know how to advocate...

Another abysmal 6 hours to be moved into another waiting room. Will keep you updated. Hope they don't leave us out here alone again. Like the last time.

So no one can come with you to this next room either. You can't wait out there with family incase the doctor needs to see you. We'll after 2 hours does the patient really need to be sitting there with other segregated patients for the doctor to come or not come. Then when I bring up privacy for the doctor to see you In room full of other patients .... im still not allowed in. So What is the point of this plastic wall except to abuse your patients.

Here are my notes make of it what you will

Jasper the security

they can't give me the name of the emt that spoke with me. they don't know who spoke to eme

they had the man in the sky see if I needed help.

Angie with the front desk

Danel came and asked me to stand a few feet away. with security

security was there for mitigation. More like intimidation. Jasper

the office people didnt like me near the patient area with big windows.

Jasper asked me to sit down but ignore the patient next to me. patients and guests are different . I cant look at the office, but others can

I was talking to a patient and helping her with her oxygen. and wifi is wasn't just staring at the office.

11pm and they are eating and closed curtains. I keep my.head down and not look at the office. I told them I scan my surroundings.

Another patient 189/119 can't get a text to come in can't wait outside. can't use the bathroom might not be there. has to ask to be checked on. after 4 hours. put in under general illness. brought back at 12:20 through the other door.on the right. not to the next waiting room. He is put into another waiting room alone.

my own husband was at 170/116 almost the same

lady fell down in shower, naked runs out of oxygen has to get up and get help and get more oxygen. No one comes to her for hours she had been there since 4:30pm

won't give a guy water for his wheelchair mother.

met with Ali 12:54 to take me back. didnt get the bed upright, left it flat and no bumpers not to fall off. Just dropped us off and left

she was the ring leader in the front. she was snapping through the window at co workers. like Gabe shorter nurse yelled at Gabe that he couldn't go get the wife. (Me)

Dr. Pedersen 1:04 am kidney stone? little blood in pee

ibuprofen given robert didnt even know. doctor practically ran put of the room.

2 am has 2 meds, one medication not talked about.

dicyclomine-motility

droperidol- anxiety, we didn't talk about that. 15miligrams of ibuprofen in iv was given before with iv. kaetororal, toridal no pain like we discussed like ibuprofen

2:20 dr p returns. handcuff not right size. can't get accurate reading for blood pressure.

173 over 97 resting state

emt said she would put it in the notes to have me there when the doctor spoke to him. But no one can tell me her name. Yet can correct me that she wasn't a nurse

All in all so many people left. You don't deserve to be the hospital for northern arizona. Had to have security come snd talk with me 3 times for what? Because your employes are uncomfortable? This wasn't a problem the last time I was here. I was allowed to stand near the security door.

I explained over and over again how my husband was neglected the last time he was here and I wasn't letting that happen again. I just wanted my husband to sit out in the waiting room with me until the room was ready.

Got there at 4:30 didnt leave again till 3 am. If you can't be looked at? You shouldn't be in thus field Ali, Angie, Daniel, Jasper and...