MedStar Georgetown University Hospital — Attraction in Washington

This review is for the OB and L&D departments of GUH.

I had a long and happy history as a patient at GUH ever since my SPK surgery in 2018. However, my pregnancy and delivery were anything but happy. We felt treated with contempt by almost every OB or L&D practitioner for questioning rather than blindly accepting each lab, procedures or injection recommended. We wanted to discuss our birth plan but at every visit were told just to bring it to the hospital when I went into labor. During delivery however, the birth felt rushed, our plan was completely disregarded (mind you, this was not an emergency delivery, or if it was no one told me), and we were hurried out of the room with hardly a moment to enjoy the experience or hold our baby.

For instance, I wanted only my husband, the OB and the few necessary medical staff at the delivery. What I got was a classroom of residents staring at me from the shadows during the throws of labor. Also, we were told GUH always practices delayed cord-cutting but as soon as our son was born, the cord was clamped and my husband was directed to cut. We wanted "the golden hour" but our son was taken away moments after birth and we felt rushed out of the room soon after. Are none of the office visits and requests recorded for the hospital to review, or does the hospital just ignore these things?

One major issue was our baby's birth weight being recorded incorrectly. He was jaundiced and needed to be under the lights but the weight miscalculation made it seem as though he lost 15% rather than the actual 10% of weight. NO ONE would listen. Everyone said, "we're just going by what is in the computer." Only one doctor actually took the time to go over what we figured out, looked into it, and then agreed GUH had made a mistake. This was only after we left the hospital against medical advice (after days and days of being treated this way, and knowing GUH was incorrect). Yet, upon receiving the birth certificate, his weight is still listed as the mistaken number so I doubt any correction was made.

I will say the 'older' nursing staff were phenomenal. They really connected and took care of us, and made us feel cared for. The younger staff, including resident doctors, would come in per schedule, and then ask if they can get us anything before leaving, unable to answer our questions without having to "go check", just reading numbers on a computer.

I understand the schedule of the medical staff needs to be flexible, but it seemed as if someone was coming in to check something every hour. Another doctor, another nurse, another blood draw, that all seemed redundant (another heel stick after just a couple of hours?). We had to finally tell them to stop so we could all rest, but again this was met with what felt like disbelief that we would have some say over our care.

We felt as if we weren't part of our own son's birth, just sign here and don't ask questions. But, what was done is done and we can't go back and redo the birth of our child. Separately, we are now getting much of the same at the Pediatrician’s.

Needless to say, I want doctors who see me and my family as people, who listen to our concerns and treat us with respect. I have already begun changing doctors to outside the...

I always consider Medstar Georgetown Hospital as the top hospital that provides superb services which includes thorough and experience medical staff. I haven’t been in years, but the Emergency Room have declined in the services they provide. I had a mother who was in excruciating pain from a severe groin strain and we were in the ER from 10pm to 2pm the following day. She didn’t get treated for pain while waiting to be cared for as well as the doctors were not proactive by reviewing her case to determine if anything needs to be done while waiting such as images, blood work, etc.

We checked in at 10pm was triage immediately and than didn’t get to the back until 4:30a. When we finally got a room in the ER, the nurse didn’t come in for evaluation until a little after 5am. The nurse than told my mother, shift will be changing soon and that my mom will not fully be assess until the new shift comes in. At that time, my mother was only given Motrin for pain until she sees the doctor. Shift didn’t change until two hours later 7am and as a concern daughter I had to get a little aggressive because no one have yet to come see her and it’s now 8am and all I can smell and see is staff brewing coffee and fraternizing. I finally was fed up spoke to a nurse and express my feelings about the wait and services. Finally things started moving but we didn’t get discharge until 2pm. In addition the compassion and services that they use to have has declined. The facility reconstruction is very nice and more convenient now to travel to different departments throughout the facility but the services in the ER have change for the worse.

A week later my mom was still in pain with no improvement and was directed by her PCP to go back to the ER and we ended up going to Holy cross hospital and surprisingly the services was exceptional and staff were prompt and thorough. We were there for only 4 hours which is a reasonable time to be seen and diagnose in the ER. From the time we came in - my mother was triage, was seated for 5mins and was taken to the back by a provider and was registered while waiting for her pain medication prior to her going to Ultrasound. She than was diagnose and sent home with the appropriate pain meds to treat her for pain and inflammation. All in 4 hours at Holy Cross and we were in Georgetown hospital ER for 16hours to be sent home with similar treatment plan as holy cross but medication that was prescribed by Georgetown didn’t help so Holy Cross prescribed more effective medication to help with her symptoms. Changes definitely need to be re-evaluated and implemented on their system and staff at Georgetown...

Post op was a nightmare experience.. After having a GI procedure. I was told I had reaction to anesthesia so I was given iv Benadryl and the affects of it is really will makes me sleepy ( even after taking just a pill the effects is like days ..I will feel drowsy..it’s antihistamine)not to mention I had anesthesia given prior to my procedure. So this nurse in Pacu even though I’m really drowsy I heard her saying “ I’ve been laying there for 1 hour”!!!!! Maybe I need to walk??? She gave me cranberry to drink with pill for gas pain as she said “ I can drink” maybe I’m ready to go?? So she assumed I’m fine even though I’m really drowsy!!! No one ask me about my pain!!! Not mention that she forgot to take out my iv in my arm…I did not even notice until I went home.. my husband saw it and he was shocked… so you can tell how I was rushed to send me “away” I was not even given pain medication to anticipate after or even prescribed pain and anti nausea pill ..( by the way I went home around 6:30pm…pharmacy are usually close by the time I went home!!!)you see anticipation is the key here.. I even ask for excuse letter after already went home. If im not out of it I could have ask myself but I’m really out of it with the sedation they gave me. I ended going to the urgent care same day with severe abdominal pain and vomiting went home around 3am. I am a nurse myself ( former nurse at the cath lab)and I treat my patient as if they are my family member and individually. Medstar logo says “ it’s how you treat people” Hopefully some of them ( I’m sure some of them are dedicated health care worker not just as business as usual)will materialize it as it should be.

Just to add for the readers out there.. I’m just letting you know be an advocate for yourself..

it’s not about the place…it maybe a huge hospital or just a small one.. it’s about the care that you received and true meaning of patient and your doctor/nurses relationship.

I had 2 ED visit.. for severe pain and nausea and vomiting..

Let’s just see my bill..

Thank you for your...