Huntsville Hospital — Local services in Huntsville

I’m writing this to share my experience with Huntsville Hospital and express my deep concerns regarding violations of my patient rights, medical negligence, and emotional trauma during my stay from February 7–9, 2025.

The hospital:

Violated my patient rights by continuing to monitor me with Banyan’s Virtual Nurse program after I explicitly refused it, both verbally and in writing.

Ignored my mental health needs, triggering a severe panic attack that required in-room medical intervention.

Committed a medication error, which their pharmacy later admitted in writing, and yet this was brushed aside.

When I raised my concerns:

Patricia Lord, the weekend house supervisor, was rude and dismissive, even insisting I “find something positive to say.”

The only person who treated me with compassion was Brian Buchmann, an administrator who suggested I speak with Risk Management.

I then worked with Kylie Driggers, who "investigated" but ultimately dismissed the seriousness of my concerns. Despite emails and timestamps clearly showing fault in the medication error, and despite my trauma being directly triggered by the hospital's use of video without consent, she stood by the decision that "no violations occurred."

What happened to me:

A video system operated by a remote nurse from another state was activated in my room without introduction or informed consent. After the first session, I made it explicitly clear—verbally and in writing—that I wanted nothing virtual involved in my care due to past trauma from sexual assault involving video surveillance. Despite this, the system checked on me twice while I was sleeping and again the next morning, triggering CPTSD symptoms and a panic attack that required immediate care.

The hospital’s continued use of this system—after knowing the emotional and medical risks—demonstrates a complete disregard for my autonomy and my trauma history.

Regarding the medication error, I have an email from Huntsville Hospital confirming that the hospitalist verified medications incorrectly and the pharmacy recorded it two minutes later, despite this being clearly wrong. Still, Kylie Driggers dismissed this error as acceptable.

I also repeatedly asked to speak with her supervisor, and she refused to escalate my complaint.

Because of this experience, I have begun filing formal complaints with:

Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH)

The Joint Commission (JCAHO)

The Alabama Attorney General’s Office

Medicare/Medicaid and my private insurance provider

What happened to me is not just unacceptable—it’s dangerous. The hospital's dismissive treatment of a sexual assault survivor in crisis, along with admitted medical negligence, shows a systemic failure to protect patients.

I hope that sharing my experience leads to change—and protects others from going...

I write this review with deep sadness following the recent loss of a loved one under the care of Huntsville Hospital. As a Doctor of Public Health Candidate at George Washington University with extensive experience in healthcare systems and patient safety, I feel compelled to highlight several critical concerns that demand immediate attention to improve the quality of care at this facility.

Key Issues:

Delayed Medical Response (Over One Hour): Despite repeated notifications about the patient’s irregular breathing, it took over an hour for a physician to respond. Such delays in addressing acute health issues are unacceptable and jeopardize patient safety.

Inadequate Room Temperature Regulation: On multiple occasions, the room temperature was set to 60 degrees, leaving the patient shivering and distressed. Maintaining appropriate room conditions is essential for patient comfort and recovery.

Communication Failures: The room phone was disconnected for two hours, limiting the patient’s ability to call for help. Functional communication systems are critical for ensuring patient safety.

Delayed Nurse Call Response: Nurse call button response times often exceeded 10 minutes, delaying essential interventions and causing unnecessary distress.

These issues are particularly troubling for a patient with advanced cancer and multiple chronic conditions. The care provided after her transition from the ICU to a general care room was inadequate and, at times, negligent. My family members were present nearly around the clock to advocate for her, underscoring concerns about care quality during periods when family were absent.

Systemic Gaps in Care:

These failures reflect broader systemic issues in care delivery, eroding trust and compromising patient outcomes. They also highlight troubling disparities in how Black and Brown communities are treated in healthcare settings. It felt as though the physician in charge was dismissive, attributing concerns to the patient’s cancer diagnosis rather than addressing her immediate needs.

Recommendations:

Timely Medical Response: Establish protocols to ensure urgent medical needs are addressed promptly.

Environment of Care: Standardize room temperature settings for patient comfort. Communication Infrastructure: Ensure all patient communication systems are functional and regularly maintained.

Cultural Competency Training: Implement mandatory training to address implicit biases and provide equitable, patient-centered care.

While some staff demonstrated compassion and professionalism, these efforts were overshadowed by systemic shortcomings. Patient safety, dignity, and equitable care must remain healthcare priorities. I hope this feedback spurs meaningful reform at Huntsville Hospital and contributes to broader efforts to address...

I am a long time employee of Huntsville Hospital. I was on shift when my extreme pain and nausea started. I had the unfortunate experience of having a kidney stone in my left kidney. I got to the Main ER at 4:30pm in excruciating, debilitating pain and nausea. I was finally triaged 2 hours after I signed in and was given a dose of tordol and zophran for pain/nausea around 6pm and a CT was ordered. After triage the tech called me back to draw blood. After the blood had been drawn I had another bout of nausea. The tech that drew my blood kept trying to grab my hands to pull me up from the seat and told me to go back to the waiting room. I told her I was in too much pain and nauseous to walk. She huffed and said let me get you a wheelchair. Then she proceeded to jerk me up out of the seat for me to sit in the wheelchair while I'm vomiting. I have been on the caregiving side and the patient side of things many times. 2 hours later I get the CT. Ct showed that I definitely had a kidney stone. I was told that I was going to be sent home with a ureter Stent and then be seen in the urologist clinic 2 days later. I was in so much pain and nauseous (dry heaving). I begged them to not send me home since my pain was so terribly bad. The ER doctor called the on call urologist again to convince him that I needed to stay for pain control. I finally got an out patient room at midnight and enough meds to help with the pain.The next day a laser lithotripsy with a ureter stent was done. Tell me why someone in such pain (moaning and crying out in pain and vomiting) was left in the ER waiting room for over 8 hours? I asked for something for pain and for the nausea. The tech going around the waiting room getting vital signs at 8pm said she would tell the nurse. She did not. She went straight behind the desk and started eating her snack. This was one of the most painful experiences in my life. I didn't get any relief for my pain or nausea until midnight that night. The one dose of tordol I recieved earlier at triage did nothing. It's basically Tylenol. I've been on the caregiving side and the patient side many times.This was so uncaring. The indifference, uncaring treatment was quite noticeable. From everyone. I'm very disappointed in the ER care that I recieved. HH can do better. This was an unforgettable, prolonged, painful ER experience for me.

However, once I finally got to my room on the 5th floor, I was so relieved and thankful that I was fortunate enough to get a very attentive CRNP, and nurse (Mac) and tech (Tim). This is when I found out that a 7mm kidney stone was lodged in my ureter. Which is why I was in so much pain, nausea and...