[Grill Meister]

Villages Hospital ER has terrible reputation. Seek any place else:

HCA Florida Trailwinds Village Emergency
6131 Seven Mile Drive
Wildwood, FL 34785
Office Hours
Open 24 hours (352) 461 - 5200

American Urgent Care & Walk-in Clinics
601 Gray Avenue
Wildwood, FL 34785
Office House: 9AM – 9PM
(352) 399-2422

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by MandoMan

That’s a difficult question because there are so many sorts of life-threatening emergencies. With some, the threat is seconds away, with others, it’s minutes, or an hour, or a day. Most ERs drop everything for a real life-threatening emergency, but some ERs having a full range of diagnostic equipment handy and some don’t. Some have doctors on duty at all times and some don’t. Some have good ratings and some don’t. Some can wheel you into surgery from the ER and do heart or brain surgery and some can’t. Some ERs are top level Trauma ERs and some aren’t. Some have facilities for putting a stent in your heart when you are having a heart attack and some don’t.

The closest A-rated hospital to The Villages is AdventHealth/Waterman in Taveres. I live five minutes from the intersection of Buena Vista and 466A. For me, the hospital is about a 45 minute drive. For some life threatening conditions, that’s too long. The hospital formerly called The Villages Hospital and now run by the University of Florida system is attractive, but its rating hasn’t been high. Will that come up? We don’t know yet. While I live in The Villages, it’s about a thirty minute drive. If you buy a house in the south of The Villages, it’s much farther. AdventHealth/Waterman is building a new ER with ten hospital rooms attached on 466A just past Colony shopping Plaza. For me that’s about ten minutes. I don’t know what the level of expertise will be, but they can get me to AdventHealth/Waterman from there. They know the way. If you live down at the SouthEast end of The Villages, you are 45 minutes away from AdventHealth/Orlando, which is the top-rated hospital in Florida and a high-level trauma center.

A lot of the ratings focus on things like the number of people who pick up infections in the hospital. Very few at AdventHealth/Waterman. A lot more here in The Villages. Also, how often do certain kinds of surgeons do certain difficult surgeries. One joint replacement I’ve had was done at AdventHealth/Waterman by a surgeon who does half a dozen of them a week. That leads to a higher rating than a surgeon who does one a month.

If you are from New York, Bob, you are used to having outstanding hospitals within a mile or two. However, you also know that there are times in New York when two traffic hardly moves. A mile here may mean two minutes. A mile in New York may mean a half hour.

The Villages is close to the size and shape of Manhattan. The Villages Hospital (once called) is up near Harlem, but most new construction is happening down near the Battery, so to speak. What answer fits one situation may not fit another. I chose a GP affiliated with AdventHealth/Waterman because he acts as a concierge who can get me in to see other specialists in the system, and if the local hospital isn’t good enough, he’ll send me to one that specializes in that surgery. Seeing him is harder than some doctor twenty minutes away, but it’s worth it for the easy access to specialists.

Thank you for one of the best medical posts on TOTV in years (except for my own). I can't find one thing to criticize, and kudos into your insight into how little some of these so-called rating really mean.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by MarshBendLover

As I told my brother last year when he came to visit from Georgia. "If you are concerned about UF emergency rooms and the expertise of the staff than by all means head north on I-75 until you get up near Atlanta and look for a sign for Grady Memorial Hospital which is located up against the I-75 wall on the southbound side. Then exit Edgewood Ave and go under the freeway. I'm sure you will be fine until you arrive".

You are of the opinion that Grady is a world class hospital???? If I was driving that far, keep going until you hit Duke University, Wake Forest, or Baylor in Houston.

[sowilts]

Originally Posted by NYBob

TV ticks most boxes for us however the ERs/Hospitals seem questionable. In the case of a life threatening emergency what is the best ER(s) to be taken to ?

UF Health Spanish Plaines was excellent the last two visits for me. Fantastic care.

[MSGirl]

Originally Posted by MarshBendLover

As I told my brother last year when he came to visit from Georgia. "If you are concerned about UF emergency rooms and the expertise of the staff than by all means head north on I-75 until you get up near Atlanta and look for a sign for Grady Memorial Hospital which is located up against the I-75 wall on the southbound side. Then exit Edgewood Ave and go under the freeway. I'm sure you will be fine until you arrive".

Grady is a shady hospital. Lots of gunshot wounds.

[MSGirl]

Originally Posted by CybrSage

Can you show support for this? First I have heard of it.

Not only old people. In my experience working in the ER, Younger folks with Medicaid use the ER as Urgent Care. It’s easier for them.

[psoccermom]

Originally Posted by NYBob

TV ticks most boxes for us however the ERs/Hospitals seem questionable. In the case of a life threatening emergency what is the best ER(s) to be taken to ?

In answer to your question, Waterman in Leesburg or West Marion Hospital in Ocala.

[bigstu1]

Originally Posted by NYBob

TV ticks most boxes for us however the ERs/Hospitals seem questionable. In the case of a life threatening emergency what is the best ER(s) to be taken to ?

We have always found the UF emergency room on 44 across from Brownwood to handle our real emergencies. They are well equipped and staffed and when necessary help you get into Spanish Plaines(Villages) or Leesburg a lot faster. And yes emergencies only.

[smcmahon2002]

Originally Posted by NYBob

TV ticks most boxes for us however the ERs/Hospitals seem questionable. In the case of a life threatening emergency what is the best ER(s) to be taken to ?

Only once have I needed an ER in the TV. Lost a battle to an army of fire ants. Neighbor took me to the ER just south of Brownwood. They recognized the situation and immediately had in a bed on a benadryl drip. Took care of the paperwork once I stabilized.

They did an outstanding job.

[1golfergal]

Originally Posted by MarshBendLover

As I told my brother last year when he came to visit from Georgia. "If you are concerned about UF emergency rooms and the expertise of the staff than by all means head north on I-75 until you get up near Atlanta and look for a sign for Grady Memorial Hospital which is located up against the I-75 wall on the southbound side. Then exit Edgewood Ave and go under the freeway. I'm sure you will be fine until you arrive".

BEST Hospital there is for "Emergency" care.... I was a Trauma Nurse there for several years.... but, yeah, get your care.... get stable... and, get the Hell outta dodge.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by 1golfergal

BEST Hospital there is for "Emergency" care.... I was a Trauma Nurse there for several years.... but, yeah, get your care.... get stable... and, get the Hell outta dodge.

Exactly! That ER is almost as crazy as Kings County in Brooklyn

[1golfergal]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

You are of the opinion that Grady is a world class hospital???? If I was driving that far, keep going until you hit Duke University, Wake Forest, or Baylor in Houston.

See my post... for Trauma or immediate Medical... yeah, it is.... once stable though... get the hell outta dodge.

[asianthree]

Originally Posted by Jayhawk

The problem with TV is old people go to the ER for hangnails, toothaches, and someone to talk to.

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

There's nothing about that, that is exclusive to The Villages or old people. Every ER I've ever been in, as a patient or helping someone else, has had people who don't have an actual emergency waiting for care.

Including toothaches, flu symptoms, skinned knees, and non-specific stomach aches that are most likely just gas cramps.

Originally Posted by CybrSage

Can you show support for this? First I have heard of it.

One can travel to any ED department sit in waiting room for 30 minutes. You will never find any ED department that doesn’t have to deal with all of the above.

Sadly once one enters no matter what the complaint every ED needs to waste time with a eval, tests, and yes conversations that you hear everyday at the grocery checkout line.

Legally the staff has an obligation to treat once entered into system.

The only saving grace is newer ED departments are being restructured to include a small Urgent Care. So non life threatening can be treated without taking away life threatening events.

Nothing like being in the trauma room, trying to save a 3yo gunshot, while the person 3 curtains down is loudly complaining their finger hurts, I Need Help Now.

That is the patient you will find complaining about how bad the care was at ______________ED, or Hospital.

[gjbakke]

Check the standalone ER are affiliated with certain Hospitals. Ex. The ER on 466A
Uses HCA Florida in Ocala.

Great experience from both

[merrymini]

Manhattan is about 25 square miles and the Villages is about 32 square miles. Both ERs on 44 and 466a have a good reputation. I do not plan to move to Manhattan any time soon to be close to their hospitals.