M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center - East Bank Emergency Room — Local services in Minneapolis

This ER was very busy but very competent and thorough care. Dr. TenBrink was very present and kind, despite having a million other more pressing matters at hand. I did not come to the ER with an obvious, immediate life-threatening emergency like a stab wound or a heart attack. But I did need urgent, hospital level services to resume daily functioning and rule out "big scaries." I was the lowest priority patient on a Friday night. I was there from around 6 pm until around 2 am, in part because I had the good fortune to get some dedicated time with a pair of specialty residents who did quite a bit more investigation into my issue than I was expecting from an ER. I was given acute referrals to specialists within the U hospital system. I wish there was a different place other than the ER for urgent, hospital needs, because I feel bad clogging up the system when I do not have a life threatening emergency. But Dr. TenBrink told me that it was good I came in, becauce my symptoms could have pointed to something serious. In short- you don't know what you don't know. If you are having concerning symptoms, consult a nurse care line for the appropriate course of action. Sometimes, the ER is the best place not because of the seriousness of the issue, but because of the specialist or equipment it requires.

If you are reading this review, you likely have time to prepare for your visit. Bring plenty of water, a light sweater, hearty snacks (like cheese and crackers), tissues/napkins, and a phone charger- preferably an external battery, maybe a book and some headphones (that you can hear them call your name through). You never know how long you are going to be stranded, connected to an IV (meaning you need medical support to get up and move) and if you can be self-sufficient and have your own supplies, the staff can focus on administering medical care. Be prepared for long wait times, and don't expect to understand your condition or prognosis until the very end--your medical team is solving a puzzle real time and they might go down a path and then rule it out later with more evidence. Keep yourself occupied. Go to the bathroom between transfers to avoid the turmoil of having to go while hooked up to an IV or while in the waiting room, wondering if you will miss them calling their name. Treat the ER staff kindly--they have some of the most stressful jobs in the world. They see the most traumatizing things you could imagine every day, and they have to follow very complicated administrative protocols while keeping technical information in their head and responding to constant interruption. They will get to you.

And in the end, when they do, make the most of their time with you. Always take detailed notes to help you understand--it also helps the doctor slow down. Ask to spell medical terminology. Ask them to explain it to you like you were their family member (I like to say "sister.") Ask what advice they would give their family member. Make sure you understand follow-up instructions. They will tell you everything is in the after visit summary, but tell them you want to understand for your own notes and be sure to write it down, because a lot of follow-up care gets lost in translation. I always want to know who I need to see, when I need to see them, how to get in touch with them if they don't get in touch with me, and what conditions to talk about.

If you are on your way to the ER, God speed. Please grab some snacks and at least a water bottle (I went through a full water bottle and 3 cans of fizzy water--I often didn't feel like I had the opportunity to get up and fill my water because I didn't know when a doctor would be back, how to find my way to water and back to the room and, at times, I was hooked up to a stationary IV), maybe grab a book, and settle in for a long night where time has no meaning and you can get lost in the beeping, whirring, clanking...

TL;DR: The people are nice, but there are no beds, communication is poor, and you will not be treated in a timely manner.

Pros: The medical providers and all staff were professional and kind. They addressed my concerns and met my needs.

Cons: The design and operation is not appropriate for an ER, although it'd probably be fine as an urgent care. During my visit, there were no available beds (Do they even have any beds?), so every other patient and I were out in the open waiting room hooked up to IVs and such. It was very unpleasant to be crying and vomiting and attempting to rest in a wide open waiting room. I needed an IV and some anti-nausea meds for severe vomiting, which I got within 2 hours of arriving. However, the empty IV bag was left attached for about 2 hours after it had emptied, and I had to ask the front desk to call someone to get it removed (although they didn't remove the port from my arm). At this point, I had gotten the fluids I needed, I'd gotten blood test results in my patient portal, and now I needed to go home and sleep to recover. I tried to ask what I was waiting for because I felt better and was ready to leave, but no one could tell me why I needed to be there. I felt like they were holding me hostage. Around 2:30am, I insisted on leaving AMA, and they finally took the IV port out of my arm (yes, right in the waiting room) when I threatened to do it at home myself.

Ultimately, I'm so glad I got the fluids I needed, and I wish I'd insisted on leaving sooner so I could actually get some rest. The whole visit took more than 5 hours for...

My partner recently was diagnosed via an MRI with a subdural hematoma, was admitted into the ER, then received surgery and care from the neurosurgery team. Every step of the way we were met by respectful professionals. I am writing to express my sincere thanks to everyone who assisted in his care. Surgery was successful and we look forward to his continued recovery.

While so many met us and cared for us, I'd like to "shout out" to a few individuals in particular. To Alex, who was working ER overnight 6/7-6/8 - thanks for making our anxious overnight stay in the ER as comfortable as possible. To the young man working security at the ER desk on 6/7 (and maybe 6/8?) who went out of his way to help me find the 8th floor cafe and valet services. To our 6A nurses Ashley, Greta, and Abby, and especially Tina, whose smile and demeanor greatly calmed us as she listened to our growing concerns over worsening symptoms, brightened our outlook as we shared stories, and reassured us as we awaited surgery. To the neurosurgeon team who patiently explained diagnosis, procedures, and prognosis, during a scary time for us; they all treated us with genuine concern and not just medical technical details. Dr Tummala performed a successful surgery and calmly took his time to answer my questions at 1am when surgery wrapped up; Dr Jones visited often during our stay and kept us current on next steps. There are so many people to thank for our optimistic outcome - everyone was topnotch and we can't even begin to show our appreciation. All are heroes - thanks...