Stanford Hospital — Local services in Palo Alto

Extremely Disappointing Experience at Stanford Hospital

My recent experience at Stanford Hospital on 1/10/2025 was extremely frustrating and disappointing, particularly in the ER and post-surgery unit. While the medical care itself may have been satisfactory, the behavior of some staff members was completely unprofessional and unacceptable.

Guest Service in the ER: When I arrived at 3:30 AM via ambulance with my father, I was directed to speak with a guest service representative in the ER. I was on the phone at the time, which made it difficult to hear her, but I was trying my best to focus on asking the necessary registration questions. Instead of offering helpful or clear answers, she was whispering things that I couldn’t understand and seemed irritated by my questions. Her behavior was dismissive and unprofessional. also her tag name was not clear to see her name.

I then sat in the ER waiting area for more than 30 minutes, waiting for someone to call me to go see my father. After another hour of waiting without any updates, I approached the guest service desk to inquire about how much longer it would take. To my shock, the guest service representative, telling me that I should have come to her earlier to ask for permission to see my dad. She treated me like I had done something wrong by simply waiting for someone to call me.

When I explained that I was talking to a nurse earlier and waiting for my turn, she was incredibly rude, dismissive, and condescending. She gave me no sense of empathy or professionalism and made me feel as though I was bothering her. After I gave her my father’s last name, she finally allowed me to go to his room.

This person was clearly not suited for a guest services role, especially in a hospital setting. Stanford Hospital should retrain their staff on how to handle patients' families with the care, respect, and courtesy they deserve, especially in such a stressful and emotional environment.

Nurse Behavior in the Post-Surgery Unit: The issues didn’t end with guest services. In the post-surgery unit, the behavior of several nurses was also concerning. One nurse, who was not even assigned to my father’s care, repeatedly came into the room and closed my father’s curtain and door without asking us. Given my father’s condition (non-verbal, unconscious, with a tracheotomy), the door needed to stay open so that nurse could hear him if he needed assistance. We also needed airflow in the room as it was poorly ventilated.

I understand that staff may need privacy to carry out their duties, but nurses should always ask family members whether they are comfortable with the door or curtain being closed—especially in critical situations where the patient’s safety and family’s ability to monitor him are a priority. After having to repeatedly open the door, I became frustrated by the lack of consideration for both patient and family needs.

Conclusion: Overall, my experience at Stanford Hospital was deeply disappointing. The behavior of the guest service representative in the ER and several nurses in the post-surgery unit was unprofessional, dismissive, and inconsiderate. As a hospital that prides itself on being one of the best, it is unacceptable that staff treat families this way. I sincerely hope that Stanford Hospital takes this feedback seriously and re-trains staff to improve communication, empathy, and respect for both patients and...

I had major lumbar surgery at Stanford in May of 2024. I have to say, thru the whole process I can only give the facility, my team(s)of doctors; my top surgeon(s), my anesthesiologist, every single one of my nurses, all of the nurse's aids and let's not forget the food ( mmmmmm the food) a 5 out of 5 rating. I thank Dr Mok and his team for the careful way my situation was handled. I was well cared for post surgery by the pain team and the surgical team. The nurse's were so sweet and caring that I felt more like a guest instead of a patient. My needs were all met with the utmost care and knowledge. The physical therapy team was also wonderful. They got me up and walking and I mean up straight. I was bent forward previous to surgery. Yes the surgery was a success, but without such good care from the nursing staff, it would have been just another surgery. For me it was my 7th lumbar and cervical surgery. I also commend the food with the many choices on the menu and the freedom to eat when we can. As patients we aren't always able to eat 3 meals at set times. It is so smart to allow patients to eat what they can and when they can. With the kitchen cooking and serving from 6am to 2am this is possible. The food is NOT typical hospital food. It is very delicious and healthy. I could not believe the choices on the menu. Very good food. And very healthy. I couldn't thank the kitchen staff enough when I ordered and when it was delivered. My husband was allowed to stay in the room with me which was a big help. Just knowing he was there kept me at ease. I still...

Best Experience: great facility, great staff, great care, great followup! I've been to my share of hospitals and ERs the last couple of years due to ill family members. This place is night and day compared to another hospital in the Bay Area is not so 'good' although the name might imply otherwise. Highlights. (1) Clean, beautiful facility with a lot of thought put into the details for patients, family, visitors. (2) Very attentive staff. The nursing staff were great at communicating who was in charge, what they will be doing, and even noticed nuanced subtle differences in my mom when she was admitted through the duration of her stay. (3) 24-7. They had an OR ready to go at midnight! They evaluate her risk, vitals and made a determination. (4) Great follow up calls prior to surgery from the anesthesiologist. (5) Myhealth stanford mobile app would help keep me up to date an informed on test results and who my mom's care team was in the hospital. I always knew the rotation of the nurses and who was caring for her. (6) Post discharge even got a follow up phone call on the weekend to ensure we got the prescriptions ordered and asked if we wanted a follow up call with a nurse later.

At least in my experience this was amazing. We started in the ER of another hospital and transferred to Stanford and hands down it made my life less stressful knowing my mom was...