Kaiser Permanente San Leandro Medical Center — Local services in San Leandro

I am compelled to share my family’s experience at this hospital following the death of my grandmother during what was intended to be a life-prolonging surgical procedure. My grandmother, who I considered a mother as she raised me since birth, underwent surgery at this hospital and died unexpectedly during recovery. While we understand that all medical procedures carry inherent risks, we have significant concerns about the quality of care provided by the surgical team and recovery staff. My grandmother was stepped down from ICU and died hours later, raising the question whether she was ready to be stepped down and if the communication between the two staffs was adequate. This outcome has raised serious questions about the competency and protocols in place at this hospital.

The nurse who delivered the devastating news in the middle of the night was callous and dismissive in tone, treating my shock and grief as an inconvenience rather than acknowledging our profound loss. This in turn caused a visceral reaction of further distress as I was incredibly frustrated at such a callous response. As a licensed social services professional, I was appalled by this complete absence of crisis-informed communication during the most difficult moment of my life. The nurse's approach directly contradicts crisis informed communication. Any professional working with vulnerable populations knows that dismissive or callous communication styles during traumatic moments only intensifies distress and can cause lasting psychological harm.

When I called back with concerns, a male operator repeatedly hung up on me. The medical liaison was so unprepared that I had to educate her on basic grief responses - then she provided completely false information about autopsy procedures, forcing us to waste precious emotional energy correcting Kaiser’s mistakes.

During a phone conversation with Dr. Ring regarding my grandmother's preliminary autopsy report, we observed what appeared to be discomfort and defensiveness when our family demonstrated familiarity with medical terminology. When asked what he thought the cause of death was, the surgeon said, ‘what do you think the cause of death was?” This defensive tone is not forthcoming, raising concern about his quality of care. When asked that knowing what happened (her death) is there anything he would have done differently if he could have. He did not answer the question and said I would have to wait for the detailed autopsy. I understand he doesn’t want to admit any wrongdoing, but the skittish defensive tone was more than concerning over very justified questions after dying in their care. The surgeon’s reaction to our informed questions and medical knowledge raised concerns about the communication dynamics and whether this influenced the level of care provided.

Perhaps most horrifying, after contacting Kaiser for an autopsy update, they told us to contact the Alameda County Coroner to locate my grandmother’s body. Three weeks later, the coroner had no record of her death. We finally found her at a funeral home serving as Kaiser’s overflow facility. This bureaucratic nightmare forced a grieving family to hunt down their loved one’s remains.

Every interaction felt transactional rather than compassionate. The systematic incompetence - from clinical care to basic human decency - suggests deep institutional rot. Healthcare workers should possess fundamental empathy skills, yet Kaiser’s staff demonstrated shocking indifference to families experiencing devastating loss.

This entire experience has fundamentally changed our family’s lives. We have lost not only a beloved mother, but also our primary source of support and love. Her grandchildren will grow up without her presence, and we are left sadly without a mother questioning whether this outcome could have been prevented with better care.

This isn’t just poor customer service - it’s institutional cruelty masquerading as healthcare. Kaiser needs comprehensive overhaul of its end-of-life protocols before inflicting this trauma on another...

Where to start…I have birthed both of my children here so I have a bit of experience with their labor and delivery department. The first baby back in 2019 I had amazing care during the actual delivery. My nurse was amazing and I didn’t get asked by every single person I talked to if I wanted pain medication for my labor. That was really awesome. The after care when it comes to breastfeeding was literally non existent.

Second baby 2.5 weeks ago, the labor experience was absolutely terrible. I was asked by over 5 people if I wanted anything for the pain when I had specifically said I wanted completely unmedicated birth. So that was annoying. Then for the actual delivery and every time I spoke to the midwife and said “I had my first baby really quickly and anticipate this one to be just as fast if not faster I felt COMPLETELY brushed off and ignored like I knew absolutely nothing about my own body. Well that but then in the behind….I was forced to wear this horrible uncomfortable suuuuuper tight band to monitor baby (not the one they initially put on me) and my spouse and I were left completely alone in the delivery room when I was supposedly 7cm dilated and 90% effaced. I was prepped that the delivery nurse would be there 100% of the time. Well, I had 1 contraction and immediately had to stand up (these people are clearly not used to aiding in unmedicated births, since most moms opt for the magical medication option…no judgment labor HURTS). I had another contraction and COULD NOT STOP FROM PUSHING. It just happened I was shocked. I reached down and felt his head!!! NO NURSE OR MIDWIFE IN SIGHT WHAT SO EVER…so I had to scream multiple times that my baby was coming out and had my husband help me back onto the bed so the baby didn’t drop on his head!! Then they finally came into the room and no one even delivered him, I pushed twice and he came out onto the bed. I could tell they were all embarrassed that I had to scream at the top of my lungs to have them come back into the room. And they should be embarrassed what horrible care!! But hey “they know my body better than me…right!?” Big fat wrong. Health care professionals should listen to people when they talk about their bodies, we live with them. Not everyone is clueless about themselves.

My little guy and I had opposing blood types so he needed to be watched closely for high levels of jaundice to avoid some potentially very dangerous side effects…and as horrible as it was he did end up needing to get extra care at NICU. So my after care was actually really really amazing. The NICU nurses, dr’s and manager are AMAZING, and I couldn’t have asked for better care after the delivery of my little guy. That is the only reason I believe so strongly in hospital births vs birthing center or home birthing options. This is why I gave 3 instead of 1 stars for this review. I wouldn’t ever be able to live with myself if something happened to one of my babies that could have been avoided at a hospital.

So I guess it’s a mixed bag. Decide for yourself but I would have preferred walnut creek or even Antioch but was afraid of traveling that far from home in case my labor was too quick since it was my second and my first was super fast. Everyone else I know that I’ve met through Kaiser prenatal classes that gave birth at Antioch said it...

I am writing to formally express my deep dissatisfaction and concern regarding the treatment my family and I received during a recent visit to your Emergency Room. my husband, three-year-old daughter, and I arrived at the ER at approximately 6:00 a.m. My daughter and I were experiencing severe vomiting, and I had a burning sensation in my chest, profound weakness, and difficulty breathing.

From the moment we arrived, the care and attention we received were substandard and distressing. Here is an account of the issues we faced: Inadequate Initial Assistance: • Upon arrival, the receptionist began taking our information and vitals. During this time, a nurse rolled me into another room to take my vitals while I was actively vomiting and in visible pain. She repeated questions already answered with the receptionist, despite my struggle to communicate due to vomiting and crying from the pain. Lack of Basic Support: • My husband, covered in vomit from assisting our daughter, was offered no assistance or even basic supplies such as napkins to clean himself. It was disheartening to see this lack of care in an ER setting. Severe Delay in Care: • Despite repeatedly complaining about chest pain and difficulty breathing, I fainted in a wheelchair within 20 minutes of arriving. It was only after this incident that I was placed in a room. Lack of Privacy and Comfort: • I regained consciousness to find myself partially undressed without being informed or given privacy. My room lacked an emergency call button, and multiple staff members entered and exited to retrieve items, showing no regard for my dignity or comfort. Despite asking for a pillow and blanket multiple times, I was only given a blanket hours later, seemingly as an afterthought. Unacceptable Delays for My Daughter: • My three-year-old daughter was not seen until 11:30 a.m., over five hours after our arrival, despite her distress. Her evaluation was rushed and lasted less than an hour. Discharge Delays: • After speaking with a doctor (who did not introduce themselves), I waited over an hour for discharge paperwork before ultimately deciding to leave due to frustration and lack of communication.

Additionally, I witnessed a receptionist informing other patients of a 10-hour wait time, leading some to leave out of frustration. Shockingly, I heard comments such as, “I guess you’re not that sick,” which displayed a lack of empathy and professionalism.

As a professional who works in hospitals across the Bay Area, I am appalled at the level of care my family received. The lack of urgency, compassion, and professionalism exhibited by staff was unacceptable. This experience has profoundly shaken my confidence in your facility and its ability to provide adequate care.

I request that you address the following: • A review of the practices and behaviors of the staff involved during our visit. • Implementation of proper training to ensure compassionate and efficient patient care. • An explanation of why there was such a significant delay in care for both myself and my toddler.

This experience has compelled me to consider changing my insurance provider and seeking care elsewhere. I trust that you will take my concerns seriously and take steps to prevent others from enduring...