UAB Medical West Hospital, — Local services in McCalla

The Most Hated Patient in the Hospital I'm so sorry that so many Sickle Cell patients are being made to feel like they don't matter. I too have felt this way many times when I've been admitted. It's as if the entire staff just hates us! My last visit made me feel like the most hated patient in the hospital. It seemed as if every nurse, every hospitalists were doing all they could to keep from caring for me. I just don't understand why we as SCD patients get such a visceral reaction from the staff. As if they think we purposefully go into a crisis just to mess-up their day! Nevermind the fact that the pain is so excruciating I wouldn't wish it on the Devil! Unfortunately, for some reason, they would rather believe that we are lying and their eyes are lying to them rather than, to treat their patient properly and with dignity and respect. What am I missing? Why has this become the standard or lack there of, for treating SCD patients? Why is this culture of disbelief, disrespect, denial, and disease profiling acceptable amongst colleagues in the medical profession? Are you all just so intoxicated by your own arrogance, ego and the autonomy you have over others lives, that you no longer care? Or is it just easier to be a coward and follow the broken system that was set before you rather, than stand up for your patients? We are constantly blamed for our own pain. Often scolded like misbehaved children for "waiting so long to come in" to get help. The question is why do the majority of us do so? Could it be that we don't want to be told that the pain is our fault? Perhaps we don't like the never-ending accusations that we are just "drug-seeking addicts" who are ALWAYS misusing/abusing our medications. Maybe being frequently told that because we don't look/act like we're in pain, we aren't in pain. When the reality is we just don't fit your vision of what "real pain" should look like. Guess what? That's a personal problem that you all as medical professionals ought to be professional enough to work pass. If for nothing other than helping to relieve the suffering of your fellow man. That's just too much like right. Heaven forbid you acknowledge the validity of 100yrs of scientific research that has proven SCD is in fact a real disease. One proven to be a mutation to protect the body from Malaria. In doing so, causes the red blood cells to implode. Thus, failing to deliver enough oxygen throughout the body and causes horrible, debilitating pain in its carriers. Yet you all are still asking "How do I know you aren't faking?". Let's be honest, this shouldn't even be a question. You all should rely on science, patient history charts and the patients experience with their own bodies. Instead, so many doctors are just caught up in this idea that the patient "wont get over" on them. Like, they are going to win some kind of trophy for not showing basic humanity and ignoring the suffering in front of their eyes and the education they paid so dearly for. Or is it that as doctors you are in consistent conflict and competition with each other? Thus, putting the patients in the middle of the pissing contests? In which, doctors are constantly trying to one up each other. By not listening to their colleagues advice, previously written orders and pain plans. Or flat out refusing to even contact them because doctors " don't need hand holding ". Again, I don't know why things are this way. What I do know is this: 1- It's wrong to pick and choose whose pain is more legitimate and worthy of being treated. 2- Allowing your ego to interfere in how you treat your patients is wrong. 3- It's a coward move to blame and label an entire group of people as "drug seeking liars and drama queens". Simply because those before you have done...

I would give this hospital a less than zero rating if I could. However, I am writing to express my deep concern and disappointment regarding the treatment I received during my recent admission to UAB Medical West Hospital for severe stomach pains. My experience not only left me in significant physical discomfort but also made me feel dehumanized and neglected.

Upon my arrival, I was given morphine for my pain, which unfortunately did not alleviate my suffering. When I requested stronger medication, I was refused and only offered Tylenol. For over 12 hours, I prayed and cried to have a doctor visit me at my bedside, yet I received no attention until I encountered a surgeon in the hallway during my transport for a CT scan. Although I appreciated his attempt to communicate, I still felt isolated and unheard.

Eventually, a doctor did come to speak with me at my bedside and approved an increase in morphine, but it was clear that this medication was not effective in managing my pain. Throughout this ordeal, I felt unsupported by the nursing staff. The nurse manager expressed that her hands were tied, stating that only doctors could make decisions about pain management. The head doctor, who had not evaluated me directly, was adamant about limiting my pain relief to Tylenol.

As my condition remained unresolved, I was informed that I would be discharged without a diagnosis or appropriate pain management. Feeling hopeless, I made the decision to leave and seek care at Brookwood Hospital. There, I experienced a stark contrast in treatment; the staff took my pain seriously, provided appropriate pain management, and ensured daily bedside visits from doctors who genuinely cared about my well-being.

This experience at UAB Medical West was not only troubling but also dehumanizing. It felt as though I was being treated as a drug addict rather than a patient in need of care. After reading recent Google reviews of the new Medical West Hospital, it is evident that there may be a systemic issue within the leadership of this facility. While the hospital itself is beautiful and equipped with state-of-the-art technology, the management oversight appears to be lacking.

I am deeply concerned that if these practices continue, someone may suffer serious consequences. I urge management to address these issues within your team to ensure that no other patient experiences the neglect and pain that I endured.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I hope that my feedback can contribute to meaningful changes in your hospital's approach to...

Nov 2018 my mom was very sick with Pneumonia and dangerously low potassium levels and I was notified by her Dr at 11:30 pm, that I needed to get her to an ER quickly. Two days prior to this she had just been discharged from a 1 week stay at another hospital, and had not had a good experience in their ER Dept, so I decided to take her to the Medical West freestanding ER in Hoover. Everyone there, from start to finish, were wonderful and took great care of my mom. I was very impressed with this ER and so happy it is so close to my Moms house. The ER Dr. explained that she needed to be readmitted to the hospital to get IV potassium in her quickly. I decided to have an ambulance take her to Medical West Hospital in Bessemer. I work in a hospital in Atlanta and did not know which hospitals here in B’ham, were good and which were bad, so after agreeing to have her transferred there, I decided to check the reviews.....I thought I would die! I have never read so many bad/negative reviews! I was terrified....here I am by myself at 2:00 AM, having my 79 yr old mother transferred by ambulance to a hospital that has nothing but horrible reviews written about them! I was hysterical, what in the world had I done, sending my mom to this place.The ambulance was already transferring her, so there was nothing I could do, but pray, and pray I did! Needless to say, we ended up having the best experience I have ever had at a hospital. Every single person, from the staff bringing in her meals, to the cleaning staff, the techs,the nurses and the Drs! Could not believe the care my mother received! They were all fabulous! We were so surprised by the care she got at this hospital, especially after reading all the horrible reviews. The only thing that was not perfect in our stay was, the size of the hospital room, and the hospital is very old and needs alot of updating. I spent the night in the room with my mom, and there was barely room for the chair that I slept in. The tiniest room I have ever seen in a hospital. Way too small...the ambulance stretcher could barely get into the room to get my mom into the bed. Other than that our care was amazing and I truly thank each one of the staff for taking such good care of my mom. I hope this hospital has taken all those bad reviews and used them to make this a great...