University of Maryland Medical Center — Local services in Baltimore

I am very upset and disappointed with the emergency ward. I have been sitting here from 10/25/2024 at 4:45pm to 10/26/2024 as the time is 5:30am with my mother about a high blood pressure due to the reason why we are here. Her blood pressure is 214/103, and that's high, but I don't know why we have been sitting here for so long without any assistance since they said it's so serious. My mother is a elderly person. I thought by bringing her here because it's closer in the area where she resides, but I never thought we would be here this long for elderly person who has high blood pressure. The young lady who sits at the front desk. She said to me there are 4 people headed of her, and that was around 12 midnight, and now it's 5am. She said it's 3 people headed of her, and they are waiting in a room because they are saying my mother have to stay since her blood pressure is too high. They already took her vitals like her blood, the urine, and the kge. What's the reason for this, and for us, just sit here and look like we are just wasting our time. My mother had a doctors appointment at 9:20 am with her doctor on Friday, 10/25/2024. When her doctor decided to take her blood pressure they became alarm to the 201/103 so they decided to do it again it said its 201/106 and that's too high for a elderly person at a age of 79 years old. Her doctor said she needs to go to the emergency room to be omitted right away. So I decided to tell my mother we are going to the Unversity of Maryland Medical Center since it's kinda new. I am very hot and disappointed in how this hospital handle a elderly person with blood pressure so high. Oh, and by the way. I have met so many patients with serious issues but have not been seen at all. They are really sick, just like my mother. And!!! If you ask me and what I am seeing 👀. It's showing me that this hospital doesn't care about anyone one with health issues or they concerns. Tell me what's the point of having an emergency room if you don't acknowledge the situation. There's no communication at all to say hey it's going to be a while or something."" It's just doesn't sit right with me how this hospital treats elderly people who are in serious bad shape and for my mother. It's unbelievable. Please ... do better for the people. We are hurting and tired. We just need some help and keep it moving, but we can't. I have noticed that you all good with asking for IDs and insurance cards information but haven't did anything to assist with the issue but to say have a sit in the waiting area and wait to hear your name and which it doesn't happen. You just sit there and watch all the security guard in a circle laughing and looking confused and don't know what to do. Now, it's 6am. This is ridiculous. But you know what? I started to head to George Town Unversity Hospital, but I said nah.. let's give the Unversity Maryland Medical Center a chance. I am so mad with myself I didn't do my reach before bringing my mother to this hospital. 😡🤬😢🥹🫨😷😞😓😩😩😫 Like I said.... PLEASE DO BETTER FOR OUR PEOPLE . We have health insurance for a reason and not to be treated this way. Health insurance costs when it's taking out of check every 2 weeks. You see why people don't like going to the hospital because we get treated to just sit in the waiting room for 12 or 15 hours without seeing a doctor. It's shame, and that's why...

I came here for labor and delivery because I was high risk, otherwise I would've had my baby in Hagerstown where I live. Starts with me being in labor and the security guard wouldn't let me in the doors because they close at 9, it was 9:03. The drive was an hour for me so I really couldn't help that or the fact I was in labor. So he sent me to the ER. I'm literally waddling and sweating down the sidewalk with my fiance carrying my hospital bags. After 30 minutes of walking around we finally get to labor and delivery and I get to my room. My nurses were amazing for the entire time I was in labor and shout out to the guy that did my epidural the second time, I had to have a c section so I couldn't really move and I was tearing up seeing my baby, he even wiped my tears lol. I loved my doctor's and nurses that day, so fantastic. Once I got moved to a different room, the whole vibe changed. There were a couple nurses that really just upset me. Specifically an older nurse. I'm a new mom, everything that's happening to me is an entirely new experience for me, rather than helping me she made a huge fuss about me not having the car seat ready saying "the car seat isn't even ready" and huffing and throwing her hands up when another nurse asked if we were ready because she brought my wheelchair. I could barely walk and all she kept saying was that she couldn't help me with the car seat (I wasn't sure how to adjust the straps) and so it was taking me longer than someone who actually knew what they were doing and she just continued to make a big deal and saying that "you really should've had this ready" as she starts picking up the room. She also was making comments about the paper water cups in the room. I guess I had too many. She would say things like "you almost made it to the trash with this one mom" and shaking her head. ITS YOUR JOB TO PICK UP THE ROOM AND HELP ME. I want to add that I also had already picked up the room and packed our things up, so other than linens, it was just 5 paper cups sitting on my bedside tray. And when it came time to leave, I'm being pushed by one nurse and this older woman is pushing my baby, she decides to make a phone call so she could talk crap about another nurse I had earlier in the day, and was so invested in this phone call she almost missed the elevator. That's how much she wasn't paying attention. Also want to add that there was a game going on so traffic was HORRIBLE and for some reason I wasn't allowed to be picked up in the valet area so my fiance was stuck a block up the street just trying to get to us and both nurses with me and my baby are just complaining to me about how long he's taking and "where is he?" I was on the verge of tears with frustration. I told them he was stuck up the street and they finally just pushed me and my baby to the car. I could not wait to get away from them. So to the short older white woman with a bob and glasses, you literally ruined my...

If youre reading this and in a lot of pain- know that the wait time will be long and the intake staff /security very rude, but the doctors and nurses once you’re in a room are pretty great. Hang in there!

On to my broader feedback: I have worked as a medical professional in Bradenton, FL during the first major wave of the opioid crisis - with an exhausted staff 24hrs a day 7 days a week- and I STILL saw patients be treated with much more dignity than what you will see here at intake on a slow evening (which it was when I visited).

Aside from the many HIPPA violations there were numerous, unnecessary behaviors I witnessed/experienced during my 9 hour stint in the ER waiting room.

Most (not all) of the nurse staff are extremely rude when you just ask basic questions. I waited for hours after my labs and EKG results came back and every time someone came out it was to fulfill another order without giving any rationale and when I asked about it I was given attitude and the nurse just walked off and refused to actually have a conversation with me.

I even witnessed nurses + aides throw a tantrum at having to deal with a patient (seemed like a regular, maybe even a houseless individual). I don’t use tantrum lightly- it was a whole display and it was absurdly unprofessional.

The security guards are the worst part. 7-8 of them were posted up for hours, doing absolutely NOTHING but loudly laughing and carrying on making fun of just about every patient that walked through the door.

Anyone working in a medical setting can tell you, yes- gossip about patients does happen- but most people do it behind closed doors. At one point I walked outside- within eyeshot of the doors just to have a sip of water (I’m immunocompromised and didn’t want to unmask and drink indoors amongst other sick ppl)- I had been through the security scanner already multiple times so I walked back in without doing it ONCE and was berated and accused of ‘acting cute’ because I did so, which was absolutely unnecessary.

If they weren’t so busy with their gossip mongering and actually paying attention maybe the experience would’ve been different but it’s clear this is a regular ritual of theirs to harass patients at the slightest inconvenience or misunderstanding.

Edit: I gave one star before but after being seeing by the amazing doctors/nurse (Zeneb) once being taken back it’s clear that’s not deserved. I’d give those staff 5 stars. They listened, didn’t make wild assumptions, were thorough in their assessments and very clear about rationale.

Something needs to change about intake/adjudication staff and the security guards. My experience with them had me so heated and stressed but I was too sick to bother confronting them about anything and I’m sure they would’ve escalated the situation...