Villages Hospital ER worst I’ve ever been to.
 

I recently had the misfortune of having to use the Villages ER. Absolute worst experience of my life. We arrived at apx 5:15 pm. We were treated extremely rudely by the elderly gentleman registering patients. We first had to ask if that was the line, as there really was no formal line. His tone and customer service were appalling. And yes he was a paid employee and not a volunteer. We then were directed to the billing person, who was also untrained and very rude. She asked for my insurance information. I handed her the workman’s comp form which had all the info needed. She handed it back and said she needed my insurance card. After pointing out this was a workman’s comp claim and this was not going on my personal insurance, she snatched the papers back out of my hand and complained that she did not know how to file a workman’s comp claim. My wife quickly took me to a seat as she could tell I was about to snap. So 2 hours later we are taken back to get an X-ray on my injured right knee. After completing the X-rays we are taken back to the waiting room. After 3 more hours apx 11:00, the ER doctor makes an appearance, he starts sitting with the 8 or 9 people in the waiting room and discussing all of their medical issues right there in the waiting room amongst everyone there. They use to have this thing called Hipaa, apparently that doesn’t exist here in the Villages. By midnight it was finally my turn to have my medical issues discussed aloud in front of everyone. He diagnosed me with a bad knee sprain, ordered me some pain killers, a knee brace and crutches. At 1:30 my wife was tired of waiting and went to check on the above items. 3 times I was asked my height. 3 times they were told 5’9”. They brought out crutches and a knee brace that the lowest adjustment was for someone 6’2”. At 2 am I stormed out the front door with nothing that fit, and no pain meds as all the pharmacy’s are closed and they don’t give medications out at that ER. What a joke! Turns out, after going to a real doctor the next day, that I had a completely torn in half ACL. NOT A BAD SPRAIN! If anyone knows of a good lawyer I would love their name, as hipaa laws were broken, the misdiagnosis without out even doing an MRI was reckless. I even asked him why they weren’t doing an MRI, to which he responded we don’t do those here. What??? Are you kidding me? So after being there for about nine hours, we were worse off than when we got there, and the sad part is they will still get paid.

Welcome to the club, most people will only visit there once and thankfully there are other choices now as not that long ago that was the only game in town. We had a terrible life threatening experience there and will never go back.

For all our sakes, I hope you send this same information to the CEO of the hospital, also to whoever is in charge of running the emergency room.

I very sorry about your recent experiences at the ER, but in my humble opinion, your case is not representative of the hard working and dedicated employees at the local emergency rooms. Additionally, I question the diagnosis you claim of a Grade III torn in half ACL which was missed diagnosis and that you just "stormed out the front door without any pain medication" when you where not treated quick enough. Sounds fishy to me and I call BS.

BTW - If you where completely honest, then I apologize. I suggest that you stop with the keyboard warrior stuff and seek legal action against the medical facility. It sucks that so many people talk trash about The Villages ER and never take any constructive action in correcting the problem so it doesn't happen again to the next poor guy seeking medical help.

In November I spent 7 1/2 hours in the ER at the veterinarian. Sorry I meant the Villages ER. At that point, people were just doing their own thing. No masks, masks worn incorrectly, and normally I would have said something but I was too lumped up to argue with anyone.
It was really terrible.

The Doctor was a worn-out, beat-up clown. Not blaming him. Blaming management. I got no real assistance until I passed through the ER experience about a total of 20 hours after I arrived. This is the bad part.

Once I got to the room and for the next five days, I got the best care I ever received in any hospital anywhere. Everyone was exceptional.

I only had one small problem. While operating I absorbed a very bad infection. The operation was smooth other than the infection. I'm still battling with it. Would I go back? Depends on what the issue was at the time I needed help.

No lawyer. Not yet.

I have no chip on my shoulder but regret not standing up for myself like I normally would have with the masks.

Sorry to hear of your experience. A “very bad infection” is not a “small problem”. No offense, but I think you may be misjudging care quality if you came away with this infection. I wish you a speedy recovery.

Let me help you understand.

The Doctor was worn out because for the last 18 hours he was listening to one after another cranky patients complain about their hangnail or their headache or their sore throat or the scratch on their arm. Yeah, I'm sure there was the occasional real need but much of the Village ER traffic is old people who aren't happy unless they are miserable.

Once you got past that, the knuckleheads are gone and you are left with folks that needed to be admitted with real problems.

It's a damn shame what the health care workers and volunteers put up with to try and appease the entitled.

For future reference, there is a stand alone fully staffed ER on 466a just West of Buena Vista, between myself, my wife and a close friend this has been used 4 times all with excellent service and excellent results. This will always be my first choice if I need after hours care.

Did your workman’s camp insurance send you to a specific facility. Most of the time most facilities will not treat you without proper paperwork, much less order a MRI.

Next time, OP, don't go to the emergency room for a non-emergency situation. You should've gone to Urgent Care.

There is also a fully staffed ER on Hwy 441 by Stonecrest. I would think anyone who is familiar with The Villages Hospital ER would select one of these locations.

I have only been to The Villages Hospital ER once and had very good service. Of course I arrived about 5:30 am. Had my kidney stone diagnosed and home by 7:00 am.

In the future, unless it is a heart attack, I will probably suggest going to the ER on 441.

Unfortunately, I visit that ER in the height of Covid last August. My experience was completely the opposite, a professional group of folks Who really cared how I felt. They were kind patient and courteous, thank you so much for your expert treatment. I can’t thank you enough you got me better and out the door within three days. It’s now UF Health, I hope folks don’t think your Experience will be the same for them if They need to go there because they were awesome for me.

Thanks for reminding me. The first bill I received when I got home was for about $800 for the Sterilization of the utensils used in the Operating Room. They also misspelled my last name about twenty times on communication that was mailed from the hospital.

Other than the infection the rest of the crew upstairs was very good, excellent I would say. I was just trying to illustrate the difference between the ER and the main hospital. Trust me I know the infection is a damn shame. I get your point though.

Why any one continues to use the Villages ER is beyond my thinking. Ocala Health ER in Summerfield is the only place my husband or I will go if either of us need medical attention. Just my opinion & speaking from experience!

How did you hurt your knee? Just curious, obviously you were working

BwaaHaaahaa

Forget the Villages ER. My experience was horrendous. One doctor in an overloaded ER. I had a terrible headache that had lasted for days. I waited hours to see the doctor only to be given a spinal tap (hit a capillary), drew blood and was loaded into an ambulance and sent to Shane. After a day there, they couldn’t find what was wrong. Got home and discovered on my own that it was a food allergy.

Why did you go to the ER and not an Urgent Care? It is always comical how non medical people can always evaluate the quality and appropriateness of their care.

Is this some kind of joke?
This is the exact place this keyboard warrior should be telling his story.

I had just the opposite experience at the Villages ER. I was brought in by ambulance and the people in the ER immediately took me to a partitioned area, checked me out and sent me to X-rays. Had a large kidney stone that was very painful and caused me to throw up, at home and in the ambulance. Gave me pain meds and admitted me to a room, all within an hour of arriving at the hospital. I was there four days and could not have been treated better anywhere else.

We have used the Villages Hospital ER twice in the last 3 months, both times resulting in admission to the hospital. Great service in all areas.

Yes, so true. If care was lousy, you do have the choice of leaving. You werent having a heart attack or a life threatening injury. The ER is just a bandaid until you can get a Dr appt. You obviously needed an orthopedist so the only thing an ER Dr could do was give you pain meds until then. Ive been to the ER several times and was always treated with respect. Ive never had my medical issues blasted out in front of others. So.......

Use Summerfield ER up 441. Very nice and staff is very attentive to your needs. It’s by Del Webb and Stone Crest.

You expected an ER to diagnose a food allergy?

I have a one-word suggestion: Ocala.

When I had a problem during one of my winters there that's where I went. 3 days in the hospital, problem solved.

The Villages' medical care, which 140,000 senior citizens at its disposal, is not what it should be. Wise people go to Ocala and do far better for it.

Don't Let this stop here. See the hospital administrator and go further if you don't get satisfaction.

Its a great ER but if admission is necessary, you are transported to only one hospital. Its up in Ocala. Dont remember the exact name. And you dont have a choice unless you decide to drive yourself and not go by ambulance

Several days of a terrible headache due to a "food allergy". OK, whatever.

Now stepping back from the story, it appears that you stated you were seen at TVRH ER and had a lumbar puncture, which "hit a capillary" (Which, btw, is impossible given the diameter of capillaries and the diameter of a spinal needle). Then you were sent to Shands, which is acknowledged as a highly rated facility, presumably had a MRI or CT, some other testing and a neurology consult since you were there for "a day", but they could find out what was wrong either. So, at this point, what makes TVRH ER horrible and Shands ER great??????
But to finish your story, you went home, and while neither locally or at Shands you could be diagnosed by medical professionals and specialists, YOU diagnosed YOURSELF with "food allergies"
I will be (extremely) polite and just state I remain a bit skeptical.

Moral of the story----this is exactly why there is no American Association of Amateur Physicians

My girl friend has been there sever times, always a slow operation. came home with infections a couple times, once had to be re-admitted for a week to clear it up.

I'm amazed at how many people use an Emergency Room for "non-emergency" care...

It only overloads the system and makes everyone wait longer.

Their are so many Urgent Care facilities around that were designed fo just such "non-emergency" care...

But no, the "I want it now" mentality takes precedent...

Villages ER
 

Plus, is it correct that if you use that ER and need to go to a hospital that it’s the one in Ocala?

Post op infections are now a fact of life. Antibiotics have been over prescribed for years because if you don't give someone a pill for their viral infection, "you didn't do anything" and you'll be trashed on TOTV... ;) And yes, the docs should stand their ground and insist they don't need anything, but they're only human...

Plus, soooo many patients never take their antibiotics properly (you're given a 10 day course for a reason), discontinuing the medications after a few days, when they "feel better"...

All of this leads to decreased antibiotic efficacy and increased infections...

Let me help YOU understand. That is no excuse for unprofessional behavior in the ER. Ninety percent of what they do is listen to cranky old patients complain about minor problems---it is the norm in every ER in the country and every primary care practice as well. It is not "appeasing the entitled", it is just par for the course. And if you gave most ER physicians the choice (except the "Rambos"), they would rather see a sore throat than a full cardiac arrest or a gun shot wound in the chest.

My friend carries this coffee mug around at his office...

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/...n2SxL._AC_.jpg

Villages Hospital
 

All UF Hospitals have a "C" rating for safety, while Advent Hospitals in central Florida all have "A" rating, with one exception & that is a B rating. Which would you rather use?

Prezactly!

Now you know what everyone else knows. Never go to The Villages emergency room.

perfect!!!!

Unless it's an actual Emergency...

4 1/2 stars on Google versus less than 2 stars for the Villages Hospital ER.