Scotland Memorial Hospital — Local services in Laurinburg

I would like to express my gratitude to Scotland Memorial health care system for the amazing service that I received in the past few weeks. I live in Greensboro North Carolina, and reached out to my sister Sho is a medical professional there when I was in desperate need of help. We have been on a merry go round of misinformation and miscommunication and poor care for about six months since my husband started his treatment. I reached out to her in desperation, because I felt as if the level of care we were receiving was not adequate and thus was prolonging his recovery. At that time, she referred me to Dr. Chen who is a surgeon with Scotland Surgical Associates. Right away, the staff was warm, caring, and efficient in helping to communicate what needed to be done and what steps needed to be taken towards his full recovery. Dr. Chen was knowledgeable, and thorough in explaining any and all options and giving us a second opinion. We were confident with his care. Shortly after, we were asked to go to Scotland Memorial Hospital to have a colonoscopy. Originally we were supposed to have the colonoscopy in Greensboro North Carolina, but there again there were huge delays in treatment and they were not able to give the colonoscopy until three or four weeks after his visit with Dr. Chen. Dr. Chen’s office was able to schedule the colonoscopy less than one week from the day that My husband saw him. When we arrive in Scotland Memorial, we were greeted with warm wonderful staff. The staff members gave us a renewed sense of hope that My husband’s recovery was near. They were very timely and following up to make sure that the appointment was scheduled. The scheduling department called and confirmed everything needed to do prior to his colonoscopy. After his appointment, the nurse called me directly and told me how to take care of my husband this was something that was new to us- we were not giving any kind of instruction in the offices in Greensboro on how to better care for him going forward. Not only did the staff explain what needed to be done and educate us, they also asked if we had any questions which was so wonderful. The general demeanor of the staff was knowledgeable, kind, and willing to help in anyway possible. Shortly after, I received a call from Dr. Chen himself explaining exactly what he saw in the colonoscopy as well as assuring us that we could get pictures of my husband’s colonoscopy and medical report. He explained everything that we needed to move forward. I can’t express enough the gratitude that I have for Scotland Memorial Hospital and Dr. Chen for the level of care that we received. I came to my small hometown hospital to have the services done because I felt as if I was just a number in the hospital and offices in the city that I live in. We drove over two hours to all visits. I can’t thank all of the nurses and the doctors enough for the care that we received honestly, as opposed to dealing with what we have had to deal with, we would be more than happy to make the drive and effort to get back down to Scotland Memorial again it is a diamond in the rough. Thank you for everything!!! I can’t...

{update} We made a formal complaint and got a call from somebody over the nurses, and were told THE DOCTOR JUSTIN JUDD LAFRANCE didn't even refer my husband ANYWHERE when he clearly told my husband and myself he was referring him to a GI doctor and a orthopedic doctor.. when I tell y'all this place is a joke.. they didn't ask my husband what he does for work, family history, medical history NOTHING or even attempt to figure out where his pain was stemming from, we've come to realize it Was probably back pain that my husband mistook as kidney pain because my husbands job requires constant heavy lifting and physical activity and we think it is a pulled muscle or slipped disc.. My husband was having what we thought was kidney pain (still not sure) in his middle back and wrapped around to the front groin area for a prolonged period of time making it hard for him to function, he has history of kidney stones so we thought that might be the case. From the get go you could tell they assumed we were there for drugs, when in all actuality they could've given my husband NO medications, we just really wanted to see what was going on, be taken seriously, and get some sort of explanation for his pain. They gave him a drug called droperidol, if you are offered this medication tell them NO, there was no reason for this drug to be administered !! It made my husband enraged, and beyond uncomfortable, he felt like he wanted to crawl out of his skin, couldn't get comfortable, and felt like he was going insane.. and after getting home he slept for 22 hours, and woke up with this feeling still lingering.. to top it off it literally says not to administer to people with ANY kidney problems.. my husbands pain was literally in his kidneys.. In my personal opinion I think they knew the side effects of the drug and thought my husband was seeking drugs so they gave him something they knew would make him miserable because they said it was normal and would subside once the medication leaves his system.. after looking online it is VERY COMMON for this medication to make people feel this way, i'm not even sure why it's still on the market. My husband left this hospital in WORSE shape than he walked in. The doctor was in the room a total of 1 minute total the entire time we were there didn't care what my husband had to say.. blew us off.. told us he is referring him to a GI doctor.. when I asked why he was being referred to a GI doctor because the pain is in his kidneys the doctor (Justin judd lafrance) told me in such a rude tone if he seen something in my husbands kidneys he would've told me and it's protocol for flank pain and just walked away. The nurses were in the hallway joking and laughing and being very loud and unprofessional. The male indian nurse we had barely spoke to myself or my husband and treated us as less than.. It was just all in all a VERY bad experience. I walked out of that hospital feeling very defeated and insignificant.. the only people who were kind were the custodian and the people who transported...

Reading the ED reviews confirms these are not isolated incidents/occurrences. As a health professional, I encouraged my mother to seek medical advice after noticing some significant symptoms needing to be addressed. She traveled via ambulance because she was not ambulatory (not able to walk). She requested an alternative hospital, however EMS always makes an excuse to only go to Scotland Memorial whether an emergency or not. When the ER "doc" approached my mother, he chastised her for coming to "his ER" stating and I quote "don't you ever come back to my ER complaining of weakness." This man had already made plans to send her home without any work up to rule out anything. My mother had health insurance and deserved to be treated better than that! He didn't know I was on speaker and heard how terrible he spoke to her. In a professional tone, I made him aware, she received guidance from me, a health care professional, to seek medical attention not only for generalized weakness but another significant symptom warranting medical evaluation. Next thing you know he goes from threatening to send her home to admitting her to the hospital for a few days. Unfortunately my mother was forced by EMS to seek medical attention again with this same facility awhile after this incident but this time she was given morphine for her symptoms and sent home where she would later die. He made it clear before.....he did not want her in his ER. Can you imagine having health coverage but feeling intimidated by the "doc in the ER" who told you to stay out of his ER despite EMTALA Laws???? People of color, go to your primary care provider, stay on top of your health and STAY OUT OF SCOTLAND MEMORIAL. We had too many unpleasant encounters TO EVEN MENTION IN THIS REVIEW BOX but apparently in the same boat with so many others. Scotland Memorial Hospital, now Scotland Healthcare System (likely because of the negative reviews) was never a first choice but when you live in a rural area where social determinants of health and institutional racism affect the care you receive or dare I say the lack of care an innocent human being can easily become a statistic. Don't be surprised if the ER "doc", coroner, head of the hospital, and lawyers are golf buddies....you don't stand a chance. Find a provider that looks like you and stay out of this ratchet ER. They care nothing about people of color and will send you to your grave...