[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by villagerjack

I was there twice for two minor incidents and treatment was done in a reasonable time and I was satisfied with the result. Doctor even took a sample of a growth that my NY Dermatologist apparently missed and it turned out to be Squammus. They sent the informtion to Dr Tran and he operated a few days ago.

This thread is dated '07 at its beginning. Things have changed since then.

[Russ_Boston]

Originally Posted by villagerjack

turned out to be Squammus. .

I assume you mean squamous cell carcinoma. Everyone has squamous cells


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squamous_epithelium

Wish you the best of luck with your treatment.

[whartonjelly]

It is unfortunate but we nurses come in every day to hospitals with good intentions. Outside circumstance Bring your loved ones to us either by choice or in emergencies. Anger from. The families always follows. It does not matter if someone just delivered a baby, the anxiety promotes people. To act in unpredictable and often unpleasant ways.we cannot solve the social issues that families bring to the hospitals. Stand back and look what nurses do. We are the soul of the hospitals. Not perfect but can do betterthan the families can in stressful time. Some of us wor every day. And go home to care for our elderly parents. Who are bedbound also or have children also hooked up to pumps and Iva to survive. Be a part of the solution. Thanks to the 600. Volunteers!

[SALYBOW]

I am a volunteer chaplain at TVRH and I have seen what you are talking about. I have experienced it myself. As a trained chaplain I do know thatthe strees involved with a hospital visit brings out the worst in a person and their families at times. It can also bring out the best in them. As my husband sat for 5 hours in the ER where they were checking to see if his Heart enzymes were elevated two very serious traumas were brought in. They had to ignore us to stabalize the people so they could be air cared to a trauma center. He was so unreasonable I considered leaving him there alone. I keep telling him...next time....

[Russ_Boston]

Originally Posted by SALYBOW

I am a volunteer chaplain at TVRH and I have seen what you are talking about. I have experienced it myself. As a trained chaplain I do know thatthe strees involved with a hospital visit brings out the worst in a person and their families at times. It can also bring out the best in them. As my husband sat for 5 hours in the ER where they were checking to see if his Heart enzymes were elevated two very serious traumas were brought in. They had to ignore us to stabalize the people so they could be air cared to a trauma center. He was so unreasonable I considered leaving him there alone. I keep telling him...next time....

It's tough to be in pain yet see others go in front of you for treatment. But that is the role of the triage nurse in the ER. They are trained exactly for this purpose. As nurses we don't like to see others in pain either but we can see the greater good.

[markpohl]

Originally Posted by Avista

The Villages Hospital seems very nice, but I have never been hospitalized there. Does anyone have any first time experience?

After being hospitalized there for two weeks, i have to say i will pay the extra fee for a longer ambulance ride somewhere else. Got tired of fighting with the nurses to give my wife her pain medication per doctor's orders. google hospital rankings to see which ones are nationally ranked like Shands, Florida Hospital, etc.
The main issue is lack of case management. In every hospital, a patient needs an advocate who follows up to make sure treatment is happening as planned. This is the main weakness at TVRH. I was afraid to leave her at night with sa few of the nurses for fear that she would not get her meds.

[dillywho]

We are all prejudiced by our own experiences with everything in our lives, including doctors and hospitals.

I would not have my husband today were it not for being able to get him (via ambulance) to The Villages Hospital when he had his heart attack. The time it would have taken to transport him elsewhere would have assured a negative outcome. He was in CCU with a new stent before he could have been transported, evaluated, and treated somewhere else. Time is all too often of the essence. Later, the same year, I was there as well and the experience was extremely positive.

They may not be perfect, but then again, no place is. I am from a medical family and maybe understand the workings a little better than someone who has never had any kind of major health issue and then suddenly does. I think we are very fortunate to have them.

[rubicon]

Originally Posted by saratogaman

Caution: Like many healthcare facilities, they may do "balance billing" -- after accepting payment from medicare and/or health insurance, they try to have you pay all of the rest. As a participating provider (with Blue Cross, for example), they are allowed only to then have you pay your co-pay. "Participating provider" means that they have agreed to accept the insurance payment as payment in full (except for the co-pay).
They tried to BS me into paying $2,200 for an outpatient procedure after they accepted the Blue Cross payment and my co-pay. My insurance company told me how to challenge it and I ended up not paying a penny more.
I guess they count on a certain number of people just writing a check, rather than challenge them.
It's our money!

I had a cyst that infected and needed to be removed. the surgeon did not want to do it in his office he felt it would be too painful. I was told to pre-register at TV Hosiptal. Did so and was told I needed to pay them some $2200 up front. My costs. I tore up the paperwork and called the surgeon expalining that I would bite on a stick when he cut me in his office.

The procedure was done in his office and it was a piece of cake.

I have had two sureries since then both done at Munroe..Very happy with the staff. I fact al of my doctors arer connected to Munroe and I can see all of them in LadyLake

[Barefoot]

I used The Villages ER with good results. They saw me promptly. I was treated for four hours and released. The hospital arranged with my Travel Insurance Company in Canada to bill them directly. No payment was required from me.

I think that nursing is an under-paid and under-appreciated profession. Thank heavens for nurses, there are some great ones out there, so compassionate, they are angels.

[Russ_Boston]

Thanks Bare - And as to the guy who said the nurses didn't want to give the prescribed pain meds: The last thing we want to do is have a crabby patient who is in pain. I think there might have been some miscommunication. I guarantee you one thing - if we had an order to help out the patient we would give it.

[JenAjd]

I've had two experiences with TV ER...the 1st went very well and after they did what they needed to do they sent me on my way. The 2nd time I was there for observation and I must say whomever the ER doctor was, I wasn't so impressed. That being said though...I was in "emergency mode" and maybe can't be the best observer to the situation. I was admitted and was there for 5 days. The care was very good and I can't complain. I'd NOT bad-mouth the hospital from my experience. We saw NO bills afterwards!! I'd definately use them again!

Everyone can have what they deem a "bad experience" anywhere. We moved here from the midwest. Our small community had a hospital and the locals many times said they wouldn't use it---ever but would go to the nearby large community where there was 3 hospitals (one a teaching one). That being said....we'd heard "BAD" reports from "some" regarding everyone of those 3 hospitals. The worst was for the supposedly excellant, teaching hospital. I just think it depends on the experiences of the individuals at hand. We'd used the small community hosptial several times and found it to be very good. Would rather be in a smaller hospital from that aspect. I'm just speaking from our own experiences.

[Villages PL]

Originally Posted by Avista

The Villages Hospital seems very nice, but I have never been hospitalized there. Does anyone have any first time experience?

What is their record on hospital staff infections? They can be deadly! That's what I would like to know. But I suspect it's something that gets hushed up. You can't judge a hospital just on what you see and hear. It's what you can't see (bacteria) that may kill you.

[whartonjelly]

I want to work at a hospital whee there is so many good reports. Just as in real life, unfortunate things happen. Not one Nurse that I know, intends to harm anyone. Meds , mental status, weakness and a million other things can cause accidents. People experience anger from extreme sadness and loss. I hope that you find comfort and joy in this Holiday Season. AND i want my house to sell, so I can move and work as an RN in the Villages Hospital!

[Villages PL]

I would advise everyone to live a healthy lifestyle and do your best to stay out of the hospital. The number one thing required would be to eat a totally healthy diet. If you did, that alone would cut your risk by about 50% or more. Just think about it. Bypass surgery or angioplasty wouldn't be needed. About 50% or more of cancers would be avoided completely. How about amputations due to diabetes? That wouldn't be needed either. That's just to name a few.

Just say NO to processed foods!

Just say NO to overeating!

[ilovetv]

Villages PL:

While it's true we should consume a healthy diet and use moderation in quantity, there are plenty of people I've known who do lead an exceptionally healthy lifestyle that includes "health foods only" and rigorous exercise, and they still got , cancer, heart disease, diabetes, MS, and other dreaded diseases. Some people, like Christopher Reeve's wife, have gotten lung cancer even though they never smoked.

Let's not condescend to victims of these diseases by implying they "self-inflicted it" with their dietary intake or overeating.