Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital - Plymouth — Local services in Plymouth

Thank goodness this hospital is near me! Because I hit a rough patch health wise last year, I've had recent encounters with multiple departments at BID Plymouth. The ER personnel were quick to diagnose my pneumonia, admit me, and I was there for 5 days. The ER staff were sharp, friendly, and I trust them completely, Same for radiology. And the nurses and docs on staff (hospitalists, specialists) and PharmDs were impressive, helpful, and honestly I feel so fortunate to have this hospital as a resource for my health care.

I get an infusion of donated antibodies once a month at their infusion center, and the nurses there are fabulous! I am there for three hours, and the nurses multitasking skills are apparent. They make me feel comfortable, are great at starting IVs, and there is a therapy dog named Daisy who drops by to visit when I'm there. She is adorable and I can't say enough about the volunteers who do this - bring in doggies who give patients a moment of non-medical sweetness.

I've had multiple interactions with lab personnel and radiologists/techs during my rough patch with health. Everyone at BID clearly cares about providing quality health care.

I've gone to a GI Doc associated with the hospital (Dr. Rangan) who is excellent (explains things so well!), had an endoscopy/colonoscopy at their endoscopy center and again, the personnel were invariably helpful, skilled, and a joy to work with. A special shout out goes to anesthesia - impressive group!

I've also interacted with personnel at their cancer center. Another magnificent resource! Dr. Pratt is exceptional - a gentle soul, exquisitely bright Doctor, tenacious problem solver and she and the staff at the center are superb. I feel I am getting the best care possible.

Finally, I had kyphoplasties (spelling?) for compression fractures last year and Dr. Leckie and the outpatient surgery center have been remarkable. The anesthesiologists determined the optimal anesthesia for me, and from the check in staff to pre op and PACU nurses, everyone was helpful, focused on providing great care and, well, impressive.

And just so you know this is a balanced review - there was one staff member (desk person - not medical) on the 2nd floor when I was an inpatient for pneumonia - she was a really cranky person (tall, lanky, dark hair.) and I have no idea why they put her up front where patients walking by might speak to her - she was worth avoiding at all costs. Just putting that in there so you know - I see the warts too.

Oh yeah - and the food at this hospital? Great! It is like the best room service you've ever had at a top...

I have lived in Plymouth for more than 30 years. I have been in the ER department on many occasions when my children were younger, and have had terrible experiences with the staff at the ER desk off and on through the years. I went into the ER last week and had to be wheeled in by my friend who brought me there. Do you think one of THREE women standing behind that admitting desk would help? NO. After my friend wheeled me right in front of the ER admitting desk, she went to park her car. I was in EXTREME PAIN , crying because of the pain, and these three woman did not even acknowledge me! I said to them that I am in extreme pain and need to see a doctor. My response was "you'll have to wait a few minutes"! WHAT? Besides the fact that there were only FOUR people sitting in the ER, what in the world was holding them up? They were joking with one another. TERRIBLE. Got into the ER and the doctor was fabulous. The nurses were excellent. My condition is one that I will not post; however, I was in extreme NEED of a catheter BEFORE I was given 16 ounces of liquid for a CT!! I thought that I could have been had been experiencing sepsis! The urologist came in the next morning and was asking me why I "jumped ship" on him, and went to another urologist, and that I had kidney stones, etc... WHAT????? WRONG PATIENT DOCTOR-WOW!!!!!!!!!!! Then he patronized me! His comment was something like "you're tired, had a long night". PLEASE- I suggested that he recheck the chart! He came back in (no apology) and rattled off what HE wanted me to do. After I have a doctor communicate in this manner, I MAKE the decisions as what is best for me. HE CLEARLY showed me that he didn't.

My own PCP had to call me on my CELL PHONE as she could not get through to the front desk on the floor that I was on to provide important information! I had to ring for a nurse to come into my room and speak w/ my PCP's office on MY CELL PHONE!!!! There was a doctor's name next to my room number whom I have never met in my life! This hospital has some wonderful new physicians, nurses, and CNA's. Your ER staff needs TRAINING. And, the COMMUNICATION FACTOR is UNACCEPTABLE. I will end on a positive note, as I am thankful for your ER physician and nurses who took my condition seriously. I am grateful for their insight to my situation. I am sharing as I have seen that "the owner" of the hospital reads these reviews. This is about educating some of your employees, or letting them go. There are plenty of folks that have more compassion, and alertness than SOME of your staff did on...

My visit happened on 4/2/22 between 2 and 7:15ish. The woman sitting at the front desk who gets your medical band is so kind. The gentleman who is a registered nurse that does your first vitals is a little cold, but I am sure he was tired and after doing this thankless job day in and day out, a little burnt out. I got in at around 2. I prepared myself mentally to sit around and wait because, come on- it's the emergency room; it's a waiting game. Surprisingly, I did not have to wait too long. Things moved pretty fast. I needed an x-ray and it happened within the first hour I was there, along with other vital checks. The nurses at this hospital are wonderful! So patient and kind and understanding.

Now here is were I give this Hospital 3 stars:

The Dr. I worked with came to me before the nurse could get my history and referred to me as "the one with the cough". I was there because I could not breathe. I was not the one with the cough - I do have a cough, but my medical EMERGENCY was the fact that I could not breathe. She came in hot with attitude. Told me my " cold will pass, give it time. Drink tea... you're not an emergency...." I have been battling this "cold" for 13 days. I have no problem buying symptom killers at walgreens and taking steamy hot showers and eating soup and so on. Common sense- wait it out. But at this point, simple movement left me breathless. I wanted to make sure this hadn't turned into pneumonia/walking pneumonia. And if that wasn't it... help me breathe. After writing me off as some impatient hypochondriac, I was furious and ask the nurse who was cut off from taking my history, (if the nurse was able to do her job, it would have been found that the intake nurse incorrectly wrote that i have asthma.... i have never had asthma in my life) who do I speak to about her attitude. I am not just a cough case. I can't breathe. I don't usually put up a fuss, but thank God I did- long story short, the charge nurse made the Dr. come back to me to fix it. I left after getting some treatment that made it possible for me to breathe.

These Dr.s move TOOO FAASTT. I did not come and sit and wait for HOURS at the EMERGENCY room to waste your time and mine. I needed medical attention. Stop writing people off as impatient hypochondriacs and listen to their concerns. Your patients will thank you for it, and your reviews will improve! You went to school to take care of people. Take your time and...