Emergency Room at SSM Health DePaul Hospital - St. Louis — Local services in Bridgeton

Brought to the ER by ambulance last night at approximately 2:00 a.m. in severe low-sugar insulin reaction. My blood sugar at the restaurant where I was picked up was 34. EMS gave me a glucagon shot and took me to DePaul hospital. When I arrived the EMS checked my sugar again and it was 63, but for those of you who know about Type 1 diabetes, you MUST follow up with food because the blood sugar will drop again.

They put me into a room at the ER and I began asking for orange juice or a regular Coke/Pepsi, and a candy bar. I was now aware enough that I was still very low sugar but understood my surroundings and my need for sugared food. They would not give me what I asked and instead said they need first to hook me up to IV. I said I do not want an IV, I need orange juice or a Coke and candy bar. They said they did not have that and that I needed to get checked in properly.

I removed my restraints from the EMS stretcher and then asked where the vending machines were, in a panic state. They all just stared at me and would not help. I said where is the Entrance to this hospital! They would not speak to me. I looked up and saw EXIT signs and began to follow to the entrance where I found 3 vending machines, but then somebody in uniform stood in front of that room blocking me from entering it and said "They do not work". "What do you mean they do not work? All three of them?" And the guy said "Yes."

I was frantically wandering around asking their staff if there is a cafeteria here, and they said it was closed, and I asked if there were other vending machines in the hospital and they would not help. I asked somebody where the closest convenience gas station was and was getting no help. I stepped out of the hospital into a lot, and began trying to ascertain the drive to the main road. I was asking people and nobody would help until finally an EMS person pointed me to go down a hill and continue on it and it would run into a 7-11.

Got to the bottom of the hill and was lost at the stop light. I had been given my phone so I attempted to discover the closest 7-11 and directions from Google. It said it was 6 minutes by car in a northern direction. Way too far to walk! I looked down to the right and saw a Phillips 66 gas station that had lights on, and I walked to that, but it was closed. But fortunately one of their employees was cleaning up the lot and I pleaded with the man if I could buy a Coke and candy bar because I am a diabetic in low blood sugar. He obliged me and I sat on a bench at that station and drank my Coke and ate a Snicker's candy bar.

Then I called a Cab to take me back to the Denny's restaurant where my car was.

Hospitals who are aware of diabetics in low-blood sugar reactions MUST KNOW that the individual is not "sober" enough, conscious enough, to act normal. Hospitals must treat diabetics with orange juice, or Sugar sweet drinks, candy, when the diabetic is aware enough to eat/drink. They should not fight with a diabetic and refuse to give the dying person (death happens in hours from not getting sugar into a person who is suffering severe low blood sugar) the simple solution of Orange Juice or Coke.

So they thought because I refused an IV that therefore I did not want help and they think they have no liability as a result.

Low-sugar diabetics are not in their fully right mind in these states, and the hospital nurses and doctors should know better than anybody else! But instead they got indignant and let a dying person panicking for sugar, wander out of their facility.

What a miserable ordeal. I'm contemplating suing if for no other reason than to get hospitals in the whole nation to have better training and adjust their policy about taking care of diabetics who ask for the simple and much better solution to get their blood sugar back to normal with Orange Juice or Coke and candy bars. The brain/mind fails without enough sugar. IF blood sugar is 40 or lower for 2 hours or more, permanent brain damage occurs, I learned...

One star is being polite!!!!! I wish I could give ZERO stars. I started having shadow chest pain around 1am this morning. Around 430 the pain was just unbearable so I decided to go to the er. When I got there after a few moments my blood pressure was taken and it was 158/130 with a heart rate of 130. I was then placed in the waiting room. An EKG was not performed on me in the first hour. I then asked the nurse that was eating a full watermelon at the triage desk why it was taking so long to be triaged when I was the only one waiting. She stated “you’re waiting on labs before we do anything and I don’t have time to do them.” Finally at the third hour, they check my blood pressure again. My systolic blood pressure went down by two. I was sent back to the waiting room. At hour four they finally drew my labs and 45 minutes later did a chest X-ray. I was then sent back out to the waiting room, where again I was the only patient. For a couple hours I was the only one in the waiting room minus homeless people whom were not checked in. After two hours A tech came over and stated they needed to do 15 minute blood pressure checks because it’s been so high the TWO times it was checked. That didn’t happen, she checked it and it was still high and never checked again. During this time I never saw a physician and wasn’t even triaged until 4 hours in. A nurse who’s been playing on her phone (because no one is in the waiting room but me) came and said she needed more blood. I kindly asked again why all the things listed above are happening the way they are. She hatefully responded “you’re in the er mam, you have to wait.” After drawing my labs she aggressively pulled the tubes out of my arm and then didn’t even flush all the blood that was in my IV and sent me back to the Er. I fully understand that the ER is hectic and much more serious patients potentially could come in. BUT this particular night, only one other patient in the waiting room came in. As I type this I’m going on another hour being the only one in the waiting room and still not spoke to a doctor. Let’s hope I don’t stroke out with my blood pressure while these nurses eat their watermelon and play on their phones. And yes, I realize I could have left hours ago but honestly was concerned with the numbers of my blood pressure and didn’t feel like driving 30+ minutes to another SSM location. At 11:15 I received another set of vitals and this time it was 160/116. I was then called to a small triage room where a nurse came in and said “you’re discharged, follow up with your primary.” I of course stated “what? I haven’t even seen the doctor and after 6 1/2 hours of being here and every time you take my blood pressure it’s high you’re discharging me?” The nurse got very agitated and started to mock me and then aggressively ripped my IV out of my arm while still mocking me. The level of unprofessionalism at this hospital was absolutely ridiculous. I’ve worked in the er as a tech and understand the process of the business and more important patients but I have NEVER seen a patient who never had a blood pressure under 149 just wait in the waiting room, never see a doctor and then be discharged without finding...

To Whom It May Concern,

I am writing to express my deep disappointment and concern regarding the level of care my husband recently experienced at Depaul Hospital Emergency Room January 21, 2025. As someone who trusts medical institutions to provide timely and compassionate care during critical moments, I feel compelled to address the issues I observed during my visit.

One of my primary concerns is the process in which patients are handled. After receiving an IV, my husband was directed to return to the waiting area rather than being placed in a room for further monitoring or care. This approach not only felt impersonal but also seemed to compromise patient comfort and dignity, particularly for those who may be feeling unwell or vulnerable.

The lengthy wait times were another major issue. Understandably, emergency rooms can be busy, but the extended delays seemed excessive and unnecessary. In comparison, no other hospital in the St. Louis area operates in this manner. The practices at Depaull Hospital appear to deviate significantly from the standard of care provided elsewhere in the region, creating an environment of frustration and anxiety for patients and their families.

I cannot help but reflect on the underlying systemic issues that may be contributing to this situation. It appears that this hospital serves a diverse population, including poor Black and white individuals, as well as immigrants. While this diversity should be a strength, it seems that the facility may be overwhelmed or under-resourced to meet the needs of the community adequately. The quality of care provided should not vary based on socioeconomic or demographic factors, and yet it feels as though these disparities may be at play.

Healthcare is a fundamental right, and every patient deserves to be treated with respect, urgency, and compassion, regardless of their background or circumstances. I urge Depaul Hospital to address these concerns and implement changes to ensure that all patients receive the quality of care they deserve.

Thank you for taking the time to consider my feedback. I sincerely hope this letter serves as a step toward meaningful improvements in your...