HCA HealthONE Swedish — Local services in Englewood

I was taken to this hospital by ambulance on 6/30/2023 when I broke my leg. I was treated very well while in the ER. However, they decided that it was in my best interest that I stay in the hospital as my leg would require surgery. So I was taken to my room which was located on the 10th floor. At first, the nurses were very polite and even let my fiancee stay the night with me since I was so very scared. The next day, my fiancee had to leave. So I was now there alone... And that's also where the "fun" began. I was in a ton of pain and really needed a cigarette, so I continued to ask if I could please go outside to the smoking area and fulfill my needs. They refused, stating that they didn't want to be responsible if I fell, and they offered me a nicotine patch instead, which I turned down because they really did nothing for me. Later that night, I was told that I would not be given my regular blood thinners that I am on and that they would be giving me IV meds for that instead. I also was told the first night that I wouldn't be given my synthroid for some reason... However, the next day, it was included in my meds. I was trying to get released as fast as I could from the hospital, so I told the nurse that I knew how to self inject warfarin because I haf been on it during my last 2 pregnancies due to worry about forming blood clots. They nursing staff wrote into their notes that I was a meth user who knew how to inject meth into my veins,which is horribly wrong and quite offensive. I went into surgery on that following Monday 7/2/2023 and when I was out of surgery and returned to my room I tried to get some rest, however I was woken up by a nurse attempting to bring a camera into my room so that they could watch what I was doing without getting up. I told them absolutely not and asked them to immediately get it out of my room. They just turned the camera around ,and I refused to speak with anyone else about anything until it was removed. It was around this time that my fiancee returned after taking the last available bus to the hospital. When he approached my room, he witnessed 4 security guards and 3 or 4 nurses al, standing outside of my room hav,ng a conversation. When he tried to enter my room, they at first tried to turn him away. But I explained that he had taken the last bus and t,ey (after a long and somewhat hostile argument) agreed to eat him stay if he let them search his belongings. I don't understand why this was necessary... He wasn't doing anything wrong,and I started to tell them no,but he agreed to let them search. Everything was taken out of his pockets and sat down i,cluding his money wh,ch he never saw again. When I saw the doctor the next day, he allowed me to leave and come back for a second surgery. And the hospital gave me a walker to take home with me. However for some reason, though I had told them that I wasn't good with crutches and fell frequently in the past using them, they had a physical therapist come and watch me use the crutches to the door and back. Mind you my ,eg had a zero weight restriction in place... I told her that, and she assured me not to worry that she was there to catch me if anything went wrong. So I proceeded to walk with crutches to the door, and I started to lose my balance. I turned to the PT to see if she was going to catch me to see her on her phone, not even paying attention. I ended up having to use my bad leg to keep myself from falling. Later that evening, the nurses were hurrying us to leave, so though we weren't quite ready, we allowed them to call us an Uber back to where we stayed. I do believe that all of this stereotyping was due to the fact that we are temporarily homeless. Shame on the nurses that worked on the 10th floor as I have never been treated so terribly ever before in my life at a hospital. I will never have anyone I know go to your hospital, and I'm going to try to find a different hospital to go to for my 2nd surgery. This was the absolute worst...

UPDATE 12/3 as the generic reply below telling me to call was just to save face and make it appear as if they care (don't be fooled!) - I had already called and tried to resolve this before leaving my initial review and requested an itemized bill. I received it via mail today and they had exactly ONE LINE ITEM listing $6109 for 'Emergency Room 3'. Level 3 on their site is listed as one below the most expensive and life threatening level, how in the heck am I level 3 yet I didn't need any medical attention according to the doctor and his staff? That's it, no other itemization or detail about what is involved in that insane cost! They literally took my blood pressure and told me they won't be doing anything for me. THERE WAS NO SERVICE, the doctor didn't even look at my wound let alone clean it. There is only one line item because there was no service - they can't list any other services or items because nothing happened and you can't list blood pressure for $6k. I walked in, got the blood pressure sleeve on, waited, the doctor came in and told me rabies isn't a problem in this area and he won't give me a rabies shot and left within two minutes. I got laughed at by staff and refused service all because I was following many people's advice as well as online advice that if you are attacked and bitten by a stray cat - go get a rabies shot! Again, all of this happened the week before that entire litter of dogs was euthanized for Rabies in Englewood and months after several rabid bats were found in Englewood (May 2024). So apparently it is an issue in the area?! So I am being charged basically for that doctor to have risked my life because he was uninformed and told me rabies isn't an issue. Shame on Swedish Medical for shaming and mocking their patients making them feel stupid for being careful, refusing to service them, and then turn around and charge them an arm and a leg for LITERALLY NOTHING. Additionally, they didn't even ask if I had a tetanus shot, which is standard for animal bites, so they are medically irresponsible, too. Please be warned that YOU MAY BE REFUSED SERVICE BUT WILL STILL BE BILLED AN EGREGIOUS AMOUNT. Swedish Medical, unless you're going to do what's right and completely void out this joke and scam of an invoice, don't bother replying again - it's not sincere and is a waste of everyone's time! Also maybe send me an ACTUAL itemized bill showing how this is ER Level 3 care?

If you want to get a huge inflated bill for literally zero service this is your place! I was attacked by a stray animal this summer and went in to get a rabies shot as a preventative measure. The doctor and his staff basically laughed in my face the entire time telling me rabies is not really a problem and refused to give me the shot. I trusted his advice and didn't put up a fight. I was advised to go by several people, but none were doctors, so I accepted that. The next week a literal rabies outbreak happened and an entire litter of puppies (many of which had already been adopted) all had to be euthanized in Englewood/Sheridan - where this hospital is literally located. Furthermore, there were cases of people being bitten by rabid bats with rabies in May of this year in my actual neighborhood in Englewood. I have gotten a few explanation of bills and an actual bill which I already paid in full and my insurance has already paid a big chunk, but today I got another surprise bill for $2,000! They just need to suck every last cent out of you and your insurance! Again, they took my stats and then refused anything further. I spent several hours waiting in the room and then the doctor stopped by for about 2 minutes to explain that rabies isn't a problem..... again the week before the rabies debacle in Englewood and a couple months after the bat attacks. It's just not even worth it. Scummy is all they are. People go to you for help and you just see them as a wallet to suck dry! Don't expect any kind of transparency, empathy, or service...

Compassionate Care

My Name is Gerald Natalino In the meeting rooms of Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous I go by the name Jerry N. In those rooms we take our Anonymity very seriously because speaking for myself and only myself before getting Clean from Heroin, Oxycodone, Xanax , Cocaine and Sober from All Mind altering substances on a day in 2022 that feels now like my death and rebirth- I did some things to “ feed the need “ of my disease. I prayed at the time those things never would see the light of day.

With that rant of run on sentences and insanity said , I am breaking my anonymity in a very public way in order to give the staff at Swedish Englewood Campus some of the praise and Positive feedback that they deserve. In my Humble yet Experienced opinion these Unsung Heroes that work out of a sense of Duty, purpose and service to help make us healthy deserve way more than my words; As a recovering Addict words are the best I could do.

I walked into the E R with a Legione on my right brow that I had previously thought to be an in grown hair or a bug bite- had gone to an urgent care and they gave me run of the mill antibiotics after I pleaded with them to check me for mersa. In my 28 years of drug use and abuse I had par taken in much depravity and although I am 3 years Sober now , I am apparently still paying for that lifestyle. Anyways I went back to the urgent care 30 days later and was tested. The Culture showed Staff infection and Mrsa. Not my first time. Was given a small regiment of The correct antibiotics. It all but cleared it up and then got worst.

I was advised to go to Swedish. I hate Hospitals and to be rigorously honest have a resentment against the entire medical profession after what OxyContin did to my hometown back east. Ehhh they did best they could with information available at the time.

The staff at Swedish put my resentment and cynicism to rest for good it seems - well at least for today. They listened to me rant and rave. Dr Peter Bates came in with a compassionate vibe and listened. When I explained that I had gotten sober in 2022 he congratulated me and explained two ways we could treat the infection. He validated any concerns I had and not once did I feel Judged for my past or present decisions. He gave me a treatement plan a prescription for 2 medications , a PA or nurse from North Carolina ( also amazing) Administered a dose of the medication before allowing me to go home. I got to meet Josette ( spelling ) of the administration team next. She did not treat me like I was less than anyone else for having State Medicaid Funded Insurance and even offered me after care resources.

Everyone in this hospital has a friendly and caring vibe to them. From the folks serving coffee at beverage and sandwich kiosks in the Lobby ( Blueberry scones “chefs kiss”) to the Nurse that caught me wondering lost in the Ers nursing station the night before , to Dr Bates and his team all greeted me with a vibe of Compassion and understanding in their gaze. That nurse that walked me to the correct area so I did not have to go outside in the rain to get thru the hospital. Her name is Sarah.

It seemed to me that these folks were under no disillusionment that they are on the front lines of an epidemic. That souped up drugs like Fentanyl and “super “meth amphetamine Have flooded the streets of Denver the same as Any American city. The staff members I met were just wild enough to be comfortable in the chaos of the A Friday in the emergency room but calm enough to be fast and efficient.

I am so Grateful that there is a Health Provider like this one. So Grateful For Dr Peter Bates and the folks that helped to treat me. If I missed anyone I do apologize but for me to not have any complaints is a miracle. It means this place went above and beyond the standard of care!!!!

I am so Grateful for...