Great Plains Health Hospitalists — Local services in North Platte

I would love to leave more stars for the support staff, but our experience at GPH was ruined by a terrible anesthesiologist.

Our experience coming over for emergency surgery to the main GPH complex from the amazing Orthopedics office was quite a shock. Our son needed emergency surgery on his finger to remove a foreign body. Due to the nature of this surgery and the fact he had eaten just a few hours before, it was recommended by our surgeon that local anesthesia would be sufficient, and was also in mutual agreement by the younger and awesome Male (who may have been a resident anesthesiologist of sort or nurse...not sure) that if my son, age 9, had anxiety they would offer him a mild oral sedative to relax him during the procedure and to help endure the painful shots into his finger...he's 9, he's scared, and he'll be awake. Yes, he needed a mild sedative.

They made it very clear they wanted him to feel safe and comfortable. The surgeon felt it was too risky to do general anesthesia with food in his stomach. And being a fairly minor surgery, local anesthesia would be fine in this situation. In agreement, the younger Male went to prepare the oral sedative to give my son before surgery. Meanwhile, Naomi Mathews, MD, the anesthesiologist comes in on call. This is around 6pm. She appeared to be rather inconvenienced by my son's situation and treated everyone like they were beneath her. Rude. Conceited. Poor manners. After hearing the surgery plan, she insisted they do a general anesthesia, even after she knew my son had a meal just a few hours prior. She rudely barked what should be done. It appeared she was angered by the males making decisions and wanted to make a point that she called the shots. No listening, no communication, no conversations were had. So, My husband and I refused to let them give our son the general anesthesia, after all of the advice from our surgeon and the younger Male (who my son just loved). Our refusal clearly angered Mathews. Money out of her pocket or power-tripping? Who knows! When the younger Male arrived with the dose of pink oral sedative, she smirked and said "if he isn't doing general anesthesia, he will not get that." As if it was my 9 year old son's punishment to not be allowed this medicine. It appeared that if she didn't get her way my son was to suffer from our decision as parents. So, my son took the painful shots deep in his finger with just the kind assurance from the younger Male, and also by the surgeon who offered my son his phone to watch a movie...to keep his mind calm. (These two are amazing people.)

Unfortunately, Mathews has the bedside manner of an old wet dishrag: Useless and putrid. Putting a child through unnecessary anxiety in the scariest situation he's ever been in is just pure evil. Naomi, if God has blessed you with any children, I hope they never get the same, ugly treatment you so easily bestowed upon our son in his weakest moment. And to the people who work with Naomi, God Bless you for putting up with that toxic behavior. You people deserve...

I wanted to take the opportunity to relate my recent experience with Great Plains Healthl. My wife and I were headed back home thru Nebraska when I experienced some chest pains and not wanting to take any chances we stopped in North Platte as I didn't know where my next opportunity for health care would be. We went into the emergency room and once hospital personnel knew what my symptons were they jumped into action. I was impressed with their actions, professionalism, and their explaining what tests they .were performing and why. They informed me it would prudent that I be kept overnight so they could continue to monitor me to see if a did have a heart attack or not. This wasn;t what I wanted to hear but I knew they were correct and I wanted a correct assessment so I spent the night. Dr. Carlson, the emergency room doctor knew we wanted to get back on the road so he arranged some tests for the next morning and your hospital personnel carried everything out the next morning as expeditiously as possible and we had the results of all the tests and I was discharged shortly before noon. I couldn't have asked or expected any better service than what .I received at your hospital. Your personnel on 2 east were also as professional and caring as I could ask for. A traveling nurse by the name of Gregg (I believe) introduced me to my nurse who was just coming on shift and also informed me I would probably also meet her twin sister the next day when I hoped to be discharged. I was discharged and did meet her and it was a real joy as she saw me on my way. Being a native Iowan I am accustomed to the down home personalities of mid westerners and always felt comfortable and at ease with all the nurses and nurses aids.

In conclusion I met some great, caring,and professional people. The people of western Nebraska are most fortunate to have the quality health care and health professionals which they have in North Platte. (Hopefully the government won't screw it up.) My only dilemma now is the next time I'm thru North Platte I'll want to stop by and say hello. I feel like I met some true friends. Life could be a lot worse , couldn't it?

Thank you Dr. Carlson, the other emergency room doctors and nurses, my nurses and nurses aid, and everyone else who made my stay so memorable.

Ray Oberreuter Van...

My mother’s cousin went in because he was experiencing a fever of over 100, a rash, and extreme exhaustion. They tested him for covid and he was negative so they sent him home. He was rushed back in the ambulance a couple days later and he died the day after. He had Rocky Mountain spotted fever, he works with cows. If they would’ve run some bloodwork or done anything else other than the bare minimum he might’ve survived (if you catch it early it is treatable). But no they decided that was good enough when clearly he had symptoms of at least a bad flu.

Another time my dad went in with an infection in his bone they pumped him with so many antibiotics that it ruined his kidneys, so he was on dialysis for 3 months. Also while he was there a head nurse was teaching other nurses how to wrap an arm, I don’t know for what reason. He broke his elbow years and years ago but he has never been able to fully extend it since then. When my dad told her this she proceeded to try to force his arm to extend all the way so she could wrap it. His arm was swollen and sore for the next month.

I went there for attempted suicide, they sent me to the fifth floor which is where they apparently treat people with depression, bpd, schizophrenia, etc. horrible place. Most of the nurses were rude and uncaring, absolutely no privacy, even in the bathroom, no phones whatsoever, only fifteen minutes available to see loved ones “because of the virus”, IF no one else is using the visiting room, otherwise you can’t see them. And their idea of therapy is doing puzzles and crosswords.

Don’t go there if you value your life, your wellbeing...