Great Experience at The Villages Hospital/Emergency Room
 

I came into the emergency room for lightheadedness and shortness of breath. Although I was not placed in a room in the ER, in the hallway where many of us were, we all got treated and moved to a room in the ER when one became available. I have been to MANY ERs in this country and treatment was better than I received in other communities. That being said, I have been treated by my family physician for many months! Never pinning the problem down UNTIL I got to the ER and my problem was correctly diagnosed by the ER physicians. I was never happier to finally get a diagnosis! And I’ve been to several doctors over the months.
After being admitted, the staff could not be more attentive, or helpful in handling my diagnosis! Cutos to the wonderful staff I experienced at The Villages Hospital. If I went anywhere else, I may not have lived to tell the story. These fine medically trained staff saved my life when it needed to be diagnosed and saved!!!

Good to know. Thanks!

I felt the same about my experience there. Glad to hear you were well taken care of. Please continue to feel better.

Hmmmmm,
My experience was not as happy.
Anybody see in today's news that "Florida Hospital" is acquiring Munroe Regional Medical Center, in Ocala? Funny that they skipped right over THE VILLAGES REGIONAL HOSPITAL. I'm going to guess we are not up to their standards.
Florida Hospital to acquire Ocala hospital - Orlando Sentinel

I believe your guess is wrong. I feel it simply shows a bias against TVRH.

Did you comprehend the article your linked to?

Munroe Regional Medical Center is owned by the Marion County Hospital District. Because of financial reasons, in 2014 the hospital district leased the facility to Community Health Systems (CHS) in a 40-year agreement.

CHS has its own financial problems. Consequently, they have been laying off corporate staff and selling hospitals they own.

"I'm going to guess" CHS negotiated with the hospital district for an early lease termination. Facing the possibility of closing the doors, the hospital district negotiated a lease with a new partner, Florida Hospital.

Follow the money ... TVRH has no need or desire to lease out its facilities in Lady lake or Leesburg.

Wednesday of last week I had to go to TV hospital for a procedure. The nurse in the unit that would be doing the work called a few days in advance and went over all my medications and told me to not take my Metformin that morning. I had another call the day before to let me know where to arrive and check-in, and I would have a co-pay of $295.

The morning came I went to the hospital, unfortunately all the parking is on the 441 side, and the main entrance is on the west side of the building. They do have employees driving golf carts back and forth from the parking lots, but we just walked for the exercise.

After checking in, I went to another room where they took a blood sample, and then to a pre-op room where I changed into a gown, had an IV inserted and was talked to by several people who all seemed very competent. Dr. Chang did the work, he took a biopsy of my lymph nodes. Another worker had been there earlier and said you'll get a local anesthetic that will feel like a bee sting. Which it did, and after that I didn't feel a thing. They put a large needle into my lymph nodes under my arm pit and took a sample. I was checked out soon afterwards and all was well.

Unless an ambulance takes me I’ll go to Tampa General. What’s another 2 hours of pain ?


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I think we could do better than the owner of TVRH operated by Central Florida Health Alliance, you are probably right, I'm sure it is too profitable to sell. Still I'd like to see a Quality management group step in. The ER is frightening.
And yes, If under my own power, i will avoid TVRH ER, and drive to Ocala, or Gainesville, maybe Tampa, I'll have to check that one out.

This past December, when I arrived with three firemen aboard the ambulance because my heart rate continued to drop, the Villages Hospital E.R. staff explained why my heart was beating slow and made me feel calm and secure. They were kind and smart and very attentive.

The E.R. staff must triage, choose who is the sickest to attend to first and sometimes great pain is not the criteria.
I am sorry you felt you weren't well taken care of in emergency. I felt just the opposite.

So glad you’re alright. God bless.


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I am just glad that everyone is okay and doing well.

I have had two experiences with TV ER. One was very positive. The other was extremely negative although the fault really was the lab and not the ER. Regardless, I highly recommend the Ocala Regional Hospital ER up the road on 441. Great staff, great treatment, all necessary equipment and less crowded and, thus, quicker care.

My wife went to the Ocala Regional ER and when I got there the waiting room was full and when I went into see her there were gurneys with people in the hallways and it was very busy... about the same when she had gone to the TVH ER. One of the doc's actually chided her for going to Ocala and she said she should have gone to TVH instead... TVH and Leesburg were both on diversion so no one could go there.

I did find the staff in the Ocala ER very accommodating (as I also found a TVH) and after about 5 hours they did get here to a hospital room.

But they kept here in the hospital for 12 days but she had gone to TVH previously for the same thing issue and was out in two. Again the staff in the hospital were accommodating and good but she was in there for so long (at least it seemed to me) because the left had didn't know what the right hand was doing across various departments and no one check her history.

So, at least from my limited experience, I don't see Ocala Regional as being a slam dunk better than TVH.

Wrong
 

Going by ambulance does not put you at the head of the line. If you don't believe me, ask the paramedics. They assess you on the way, report their findings to the hospital en route, and the hospital takes it from there. If you are truly an "emergency", you do get treated quicker....no matter how you get there.

If you are in the throes of a heart attack, as my husband was, you better pray they take you to TVRH (southernmost part of TV, Leesburg). You might not make it to Tampa. Graciegirl might well not have with a continually dropping heart rate.

Did you go to the hospital in Ocala or the satellite ER in Bellview? I’ve never been to the ER at the hospital itself, so have no opinion on it, but I LOVE the satellite ER.

She went to the main hospital in Ocala. Her doctor said she had to go to the hospital. But for what she had, or anyone with a critical heart issue, going to the satellite ER would only have wasted precious time because that ER would in the end have to transport her to the main hospital.

This Thursday afternoon I went to visit a friend at TVRH. As I walked pass the emergency area there were four ambulances there. Going in the door of the hospital I observed the emergency room was full. My friend told me he was about six hours getting a room after getting into the emergency room the day before. About a hour and half later as I was leaving, I observed the emergency room still full and four ambulances parked with two of them in the act of getting a patient out. The guy driving the golf cart to and from parking said it was this way most of the time. IMHO our hospital is doing the best it can with the hand it’s been dealt here in The Villages. As I was driving back south on Morse I met another ambulance on it’s way to TVRH.

This is related to this thread and important. As soon as possible, make a list of your medications and the amount prescribed on each.

I had two mix-ups because the hospital pharmacist called two of my physicians and the office staff gave her incorrect or outdated information or partially lacking information, such as half a tablet.

Put the list in something that is with you at all times.

I was able to tell them the proper names of my medication but unable to tell them the dosage.

I think what he means is if he went by ambulance, it would probably be an emergency situation in which they would want to go to the closest place. If he broke his leg, for instance, he would have someone drive him somewhere else.

That was my take, anyway.