WhidbeyHealth Medical Center — Local services in Coupeville

Terriblest experience I've EVER had! I don't take the time to do this but people should at least be aware. Today I came in with my wife because she wasn't feeling well at all and could have been her kidney stones or something else. I'm not sure. But she was sweating alot, hot on the forehead, was dizzy, and nauseous. She was tearing up waiting in the lobby. And we stood in the lobby waiting and waiting for two hours and still hadn't receive the help she needed. All they did was take her temperature witch was over 102 and checked her heart rate. And still kept us waiting. So I had to ask the old lady next to me how long she's been waiting because someone walked out saying "oh wow, you're still waiting!". She answered and told me she's been waiting over 3 hours and still hasn't been taken back yet. Now this is NOT ok! And the response I got from the white little skinny lady with long burnette hair up front/receptionist, was that, "During the weekends they are short staffed and the only hospital for the whole island county area." I come from the other side of the water where there is more population of people in king county and pierce county. And no matter how busy it is. They get you to the back and help you at the very least within 2hrs. And that's a WHOLE lot of waiting. Why aren't there more people working during the weekends? Why can't you guys hire more people? And/or even expand the building for people can at least be in the back? I had to rush to a clinic instead because I definitely wasn't going to have my wife wait over 3hrs like this poor old lady in the lobby. So we had to leave and get help else where. Not only that! Have your guys cafeteria available on the weekends or at least Saturday. At least the clinic I'm in at this moment has there's open till 1pm. I went to your guy's cafeteria and it was closed. If I had at least came to this clinic first. I could have at least got some food for myself and my wife. Because I know she hasn't ate and was trying to see if food can help abit. But had to go to the vending machine instead....yea....this place just sucked. And honestly....I probably wouldn't have said anything if you guys had your cafeteria open on Saturday's. Food can go a long way.....and also shut people up. Just saying (5/11)...........Now a further update today (5/13) because it wouldn't let me add another post. Thanks to Island Health and there employees. And no thanks to Jeff. Who was the one who had us sit back in the lobby to wait. When my wife is complaining she's about to pass out and is really hot and nauseous and could hardly move because of the amount of pain she was in. All he did was take her temperature that was over 102 and check her heart rate. And sent us back out. Anyways thanks to Island Health they were able to ACTUALLY help. And found out my wife has (1) Bilateral kidney stones, (2) Bilateral kidney infection, (3) Urinary tract infection, (4) Bladder infection, and just got a call from Island Health that (5) the infection spread to her blood. And (6) now a possible abcess under her left side of her tonsils which we are currently getting looked at now by Island Health. Her inside of the back of her mouth has big white spots in it. And she also has a hiatal hernia and fatty liver induction from reading the report. She's on multiple medication at the moment. But with no thanks to you guys. She never had a problem with you guys till just recently. And Jeff could of helped us. But that's not what happened at the end of the day. And wonder what you would do for your loved ones? And if you have anything to say to me. You can post it on here and say it in front of everyone in public so we all know what's happening here instead of just emailing you at the email you sent me to addressany of my corners to. And also rather have it posted so we are not all kept in the shadows. The point of my post was to have it be public so all are aware. Not...

So I was pushing on something and heard a snap... and saw the tip of my middle finger at an odd angle.

Thinking I broke it, I headed to Whidbeyhealth ER.

I receive a 5 minute Xray and a 5 minute visit from the Doctor. It wasn't broken. I was provided a splint and told to wait 6 weeks for it to heal.

I then received a bill for $1000! And this is after my Obamacare provider coverage!

I call Whidbeyhealth and ask if anything can be done to lower the cost.

They say we will send you a "simple" form to see if any assistance can be granted.

The form comes...the form asks for tax returns with schedules, asks for checking/savings account info, asks about stock and bond details, etc, on and on ad nauseam...

"Simple", "simple"!!?? This is simple!!???

This is an entire audit of my financial existence. Total invasion of privacy.

What is the thinking here..that I should go into my retirement stocks and cash them in to pay for Whidbeyhealth's overly exorbitant ER pricing?

Completely unjustified...they should be asking for last two years adjusted gross income and that's it...I dont need an entire financial audit of my life.

Just cannot believe I will be out $1000 for 10 minutes of attention from Whidbeyhealth... absolutely ludicrous!

Another example of excessive medical over costs.

Think long and hard about choosing Whidbey Health ER; you'll be charged very, very dearly for their not-worth-the-money services!

Here is an add-on from a follow up secondary experience...4/5/2023...

I injured my finger on 1/6/2023 and went to the Whidbeyhealth Emergency Room thinking it was broken.

It was not broken and the out of pocket cost to me after insurance was $969.88, which included $354 X-ray expenses.

I was then referred to Whidbeyhealth Orthopedics for a follow up visit on 1/16/2023.

This follow-up visit involved another X-ray image which I was charged only $30.18.

So, just from the above, you can see that the Whidbeyhealth Emergency Room charges $354 for the same Xray result that the Whidbeyhealth Orthopedics charges only $30.18 for.

I did not realize this at the time as I scheduled another visit with Whidbeyhealth Orthopedics.

When I tried to schedule a 2nd visit with Whidbeyhealth Orthopedics, I was told that their technician was on vacation and that I would need to go to the Whidbeyhealth Hospital to get a third X-ray.

I went to Whidbeyhealth Hospital (very naively thinking that the cost would be held at the Whidbeyhealth Orthopedics rate of $30.18) since it was Whidbeyhealth Orthopedics request to Whidbeyhealth Hospital to Xray my finger.

Sure enough this was not so! Big time terrible assumption!

So, now I am facing a new bill of $243.16 out of pocket expense for the third Xray of my finger! Actual charge to insurance was $589!!!!

So, the upshot from the above, is that I have now paid close to $600 for just three X-ray images of my finger!

This is insane. Feel like I'm in the middle of a severe cost overrun scam from Whidbeyhealth Hospital.

I tried calling into their call center...I pointed out to them the $30 cost Whidbeyhealth Orthopedics charged versus the $400+ cost Whidbeyhealth Hospital charges...I was told that is just how it is...two different places, two different charges!

What a complete scam, I feel absolutely robbed, absolutely robbed and degraded. I am not made of money like Whidbeyhealth Hospital...

Due to sudden onset of a significant GI bleed, I first went to Goldie Rd Walk-in clinic on Fri. morning where I was promptly processed and seen by medical staff (sorry to not have Dr.’s name). After a quick consult, and because my condition exceeded the capability of the clinic to provide further evaluation and care, the Dr. alerted Whidbey Health ER that I was being referred to them for further evaluation and treatment. Upon arrival at the ER, I was promptly processed and attended to by the ER staff. Following consultations, lab processes, and a CAT scan, ACNP Miller (ER Dr.) convinced me that I should be admitted to the hospital and prepped for a colonoscopy & upper GI scan as soon as possible. During the overnight stay Fri., I was treated with utmost professionalism by every Dr. and nurse. I don’t have names of all who provided care but some names I remember are Bea, Andrea, Allen, Brandon (sp)...there were others of course, and I’m sorry to have not noted their names, but I credit each for taking great care of me and my needs. My upper GI and colonoscopy procedures were professionally executed on Sat. as scheduled...I thank both Dr. & anesthesiologist for making that a non-memorable, successful procedure 😁! To shorten the story, recovery from the scopes was uneventful, the immediacy of my medical issue was satisfactorily resolved and I was discharged from Whidbey Health early Sat. afternoon...right in the middle of our mid-Feb. snow event! The huge question of my being able to get to my home some 25 miles away in hazardous driving conditions was graciously resolved when Robert (of Whidbey EMS) offered to deliver me to my house east of Oak Harbor...Thank you Robert for sparing my wife of having to drive on the bad roads, and for getting me home safely...that was certainly an act above and beyond your EMS duties and is appreciated more than I have words to describe...THANK YOU! Thanks also to all of the medical staff who helped me in my time of need...your concern for my well-being and medical services are deeply appreciated...Stay safe and be blessed! Happy...