Very Poor TV UF Hospital - What Is Being Done?
 

What can be done about the very low 2 CMS rating for TVH hospital (UF)? I'd like to move to TV but can't figure out what is being done to raise it.

The CMS (Medicare) rating is based on health outcomes + is used across the US. It's on Medicare dot gov.

*Even if you had a good experience, the facts - the data for TVH are POOR. The facts are that many more people have very poor health outcomes at TV Hospital compared to hospitals across the USA.

Are you OK with low quality care/bad health outcomes per CMS? The infection rate is awful as are many other scientific, CMS measures of care/outcomes at TVH.

There are many smart people in TV. What if you or loved one need a CMS rated 3, 4, or 5 star hospital. Today - Now? Why shouldn't you have that basic option in TV - locally? The good life + fun of TV pales pretty quick if you or loved one suffers or dies due to lack of an average or better rated hospital in town.

CMS - Medicare provides a real picture of the quality of care TV UF hospital provides. It's not a good picture. There is no good excuse - how many TVers have suffered or died? Who's next?

Will the rating improve? I hope so! TV is otherwise a very cool place to be!

A higher percentage of older people typically means a higher percentage of sicker people, which typically leads to a higher percentage of "less than desirable outcomes"...

I agree with the above comment, there may be a bias in the CMS 'grading' system due to the very large older population. I recall a long discussion before on this exact same topic, not sure how to answer your question, but perhaps a call directly to the hospital?

My experience there was not good and I saw and read many other bad experiences. I totally agree something needs to happen to improve the quality of care there, but I don't know what we can do...

This is exactly my thoughts too. A bedroom community has mostly young families vs seniors in The Villages. Older folks yield worse outcomes than young folks and health issues.

If your sole criteria for choosing a hospital is the CMS rating then Waterman, rated 4 stars, is not that much further than The Villages Hospital or Leesburg Hospital (also 2 star CMS rating). The Villages Hospital rating appears to be dinged by the readmission rate. Given that the average age in The Villages is getting close to 70, that may be expected. You may wish to move to a major metropolitan area as they tend to have more hospitals so you would enjoy a greater choice.

For at least the last 50 years Central Florida has not been a go-to destination for high level medical care.

Was there on-and-off a few weeks ago and found their treatment rather chaotic. The left arm did not know what the right leg was doing, so to speak.

What's ironic is UF Shands in Gainesville is a excellent hospital.

I am not sure how the rating system works, but regardless of age or health I believe the desired outcome for anyone having to go to a hospital is to be in a sanitary and welcoming environment, to be seen by competent professionals in a timely manner, and to be properly diagnosed and treated. Unfortunately, my experience at the Villages Hospital was the exact opposite. I spent approximately 11 1/2 hours in an absolutely filthy waiting room, most of the time with an IV port in my arm that wasn’t hooked up to the fluids which I desperately needed. The only restroom available was probably the most disgusting public restroom I ever had to use. The environment was the opposite of welcoming. I was so sick I was in serious risk of death, and no, it wasn’t Covid. All I did was wait and wait and wait, the whole time in total agony. At one point I fell out of the chair I was trying to stay upright in and passed out on the floor. I am not sure how long I was on the floor before I came too, but I am guessing it was at least 45 minutes. No one ever even came over to ask how I was or if I needed help? When an incompetent doctor finally misdiagnosed me, I was subsequently mistreated and sent home to die. I was in no shape to drive, let alone take care of myself, and desperately needed to be admitted to intensive care. Despite that, they sent me on my way to drive home in my golf cart at midnight. I still can’t believe I somehow made it home without killing myself or someone else.

Fortunately, my wife arrived at our Villages home two days later and brought me to a real hospital, North Florida Regional Medical Center in Gainesville. We went to a stand alone ER affiliated with the hospital. The triage nurse took one look at me and within 5 minutes I was in a bed with a doctor at my side running a bunch of tests. After the doctor evaluated me, she made a phone call and I was in an Ambulance and on my way to an already assigned room in their critical care unit where I spent the next 8 days. What a great hospital, they saved my life. That’s how things are supposed to work. That was last June and now I am back to even better than I was before I got sick. I have always taken great care of myself, but a close brush with the grim reaper now has me doubling down on my exercise, diet, etc…

There is no grade low enough for me to give to the Villages Hospital!

Sad to hear this & sorry you went through it, but thank you for the great information. We have avoided TV hospital by driving to the free standing ER on 441 almost across from Market of Marion. A longer drive, but worth it.

it's terribly short staffed. it's a beautiful facility, lots of the latest equipment but hardly anyone to work there

Waterman hospital in Tavares and the hospital in Leesburg are both your answer and not far from TV at all. Why do you assume everything you need must be a golf cart ride away?

Just got out after 6 nights. Nursing is great. The Dr.s are the total opposite. If what was seen from ER tests on Rt 44, would have gone home in 2 days. Still not fixed, told to schedule outpatient for next week, soonest is 6 weeks. Hope I can make it.

Sounds like you best not move to TV.

The problem with the hospitals in The Villages is over crowding and will get worse until more hospitals are built. So of corse the hospital in Gainsville is better the average age isn’t 70 and the hospital is not over crowded.

Ownership vs. Management! This will take some time to bump up CMS ratings and more data gathering to see any changes in those numbers. No magic switch!

Tell you the truth I’m afraid of going into any hospital. If you go in and come out I’d say rating pretty good. When you get old and have all sorts of medical conditions known and unknown, plus things that can happen or catch in hospital the odds aren’t in older person favor. Majority are not in good health anyway and even if you are nobody knows what hidden problems you may have that don’t have abnormal symptoms or pain. I am thankful there’s hospital close. Ocala and Leesburg not that close depending on which side of villages you live in and with traffic not that quick.

I don't know why you consider it ironic. By the way, it has a 3 star CMS rating and, yes, I have been there.

Just because the name Shands in now on the Villages Hospital there is no interaction from Shands....maybe some day. Many people are misled by the name.

Exactly
 

Exactly. How can you have fantastic desirable outcomes, when 90% of the patients are sicker older people. We aren’t like a normal area with the average age bracket of 45 with younger immune systems, less chronic issues.

If UF doesn’t take over fully until first of the year, the hospital is still in transition mode.

Working at facilities that were bought out, the changing of the guard, can take more than a year, sometimes more. Staff is evaluated, some maintained positions, some offered retirement, or no offer at all.

Staff may slowly change, along with care. Doctors, Residents may follow, along with staff from UF in Gainesville. One facility I worked at had a 5 year increment plan for conversion.

The excuse that the Villages Hospital has an older demographic is belied by the fact that the Leesburg Hospital, run by the same people has a typical demographic and the same low rating. Those who praise Shands should be aware it is a three star CMS hospital, which makes it average using their criteria. Their poorest measure is readmission rate. Being a university teaching hospital means the sickest patients tend to go there which does impact outcome data. This is not true of our hospital where the sickest patients are often triaged elsewhere.

You can look at the CMS ratings HERE

While patient surveys can be misleading.. The national average to the question "Would you recommend this hospital? is Yes 71% For The Villages it is 51% and Leesburg 62%

Shands in Gainesville is 82%. I would not suggest you only use CMS ratings in determining your hospitals of choice. It looks at a narrow set of outcome data. Patient satisfaction is skewed by how nice a room looks and how good the food tasted. In my opinion, and experience, patients are not particularly good at judging the quality of medical care.

I knew several doctors who were jerks but excellent clinicians, think Dr. House. When referring a patient to them I'd warn the family that experience might not be pleasant but I wanted the best medical outcome, and for their situation, I'd use Dr Jerk. If the pleasantness of the experience was important, I'd have an alternative suggestion.

I do not think that answers his question and I don’t totally agree with you. Both my wife and I have had horrible experiences at that hospital. Six hour waits at the emergency room, doctors that are rude etc. one thing they could do is If the hospital could get linked in with a quality university medical school and become a teaching hospital it might improve greatly. Several years ago, I had to have a cardiac procedure and my cardiologist who is on staff at both The Villages hospital and at Leesburg hospital strongly recommend I go to Leesburg. He said they had much better equipment, and staff there than in The Villages. It’s ok for anything minor bot if you have to have something serious done go somewhere else. This is from a doctor on staff at that hospital.

This is the Ocala Health ER. The location on 441 (in front of Del Webb) is 10 minutes from Ashland. They have another location on 466a, just W of Buena Vista, again 10 minutes from Ashland.

My husband and I have been to both locations and have always received wonderful care!

Both my wife and I have gone into the hospital. Our experience has been as good as any other hospital “up North”.
Our one experience with ER was not great. The ER on 44 was very good.

Very Poor TV UF Hospital.
 

I share your concern. I am a new resident in TV, and my son recently had a terrible experience at this hospital. I urge you not to give up on TV, though. This is a wonderful community (I am 82), and the UF hospital in nearby Leesburg and Ocala, plus Gainesville are exceptional. As for the TV UF Hospital, I have reported my family’s experience to Florida hospital oversight agencies, local congressmen, and local venues, such as TOTV. Hopefully, the State or UF will take appropriate action.
I hope you will join our Villages family. I assure you, this is a great place to live.

Agree with most of the posters about bad results due to the demographics(age) of patients. I was at the ER in July 2021 and ER waiting room was packed with 80+ year old patients and they could not get into the actual ER due to no beds available. Was told that this was Covid related. Adding insult to injury hospital charged ER fee and I never set foot in the actual ER. All of the patients awaited testing, examination etc in the waiting room.

Unfortunately, do feel that this problem is going to get worse with the rise in retirees moving to this area. Most of the devolpoments around here are 55+ communities. Very few upscale communities(that doctors would be attacted to) being built that are for under 55 years old people.

On the bright side, if you do have a serious medical condition and/or need a very specialized doctor Shands is an alternative.

...

What's the score?...
 

So, who and where has the highest scores?

My family member also had a horrible experience. Totally misread X-Rays. And I do mean TOTALLY! Transferred to the hospital in Ocala for the care really needed and a much better outcome. Errors such as these can be life threatening. I could give other stories of experiences there..enough said.

Notice the number of people say they had a “bad” experience but don’t elaborate. Was it really bad or are they just a complainer? I know people who have good experiences there.

One thing TV us doing to improve healthcare is building the new medical campus south of the turnpike. It will be a research and teaching facility which I hear brings in the top doctors and the most up to date care. The goal (I read) is for it to be a top ranked medical facility.

Also, it is my understanding that the numbers you are looking at lag behind a couple of years. I have heard that since UF took over TV hospital care has improved significantly. Can’t vouch for that personally though since I’ve never been there.

Anecdotes are anecdotal...

Take your own advice
 

Sure we would all like to have the best, but things don’t work that way.
You have decided to trust this data and that is great, one needs data to come to a decision.
If I were you and things are as you stated, just waiting for more deaths caused by horrendous healthcare, don’t move here. It is part of the package.
As they say, figures don’t lie but liars do figure. How the data is processed can be a means of screwing the results as many here have stated.

TVRH is the worst rated hospital within 75 miles. I had a well-known primary care doctor tell me that if circumstances resulted in me waking up to find myself in TVRH, that I should call a cab and get out of there ASAP.

UF has announced that they intend to make TVRH a teaching hospital, bringing in 15 new residents every year beginning in 2024. Obviously, if there are residents, there has to be experienced doctors to teach them. The reason the program doesn’t begin until ‘24 is to give UF the time for an aggressive nationwide recruiting program to bring lots of high quality, experienced doctors into TVRH.

Their plan is based on statistics indicating that more than half of residents choose to practice in the state in which they did their residencies. They’re hoping that by offering residencies here, some of the residents will “stick” and choose to practice here. The plan better work out the whole idea of building a large teaching hospital in the south end of The Villages can’t work.

Hospital experience
 

We had very bad experience where our dad died at Leesburg and TVH and we swear we'll never go to either, even with management/owner change.
We've had several elective procedures done up at Ocala/West Marion Hospital Center on Rt 200, and we love them. It's well staffed, attitudes of staff is fantastic and we found the medical treatment great.
On our emergency medical directives that we carry with us and in the house, we specifically state we want to go to West Marion Hospital. It's only 35 minutes from us, here on the north side (compared to 15 minutes to TVH). So, not bad.
Yes...TVH (and Lessburg) has a higher death rate experience, but it's the BAD experiences of those that made it out alive that attribute to much of the bad ratings. It's going to take years to build up the confidence and favorable opinions (ratings) of the facilities

This explanation is spot on IMHO.

AGE SHOULDN’T DETERMINE THE QUALITY OF CARE !!! A few years ago they were rated a 1 and one of the worse hospitals in the US. If I can find the article will post it. A Few weeks ago was in West Marion hospital the care was remarkable and top notch. You don’t know what excellent care is until you experience it. Of the two hospitals Leesburg is somewhat better. Don’t think Shands was able to turn the care around due to staffing problems. On the positive side and in all fairness there are some good nurses who really do care 👍…we just need more of them.

If only that were true, but it's not.
When the metrics that CMS uses to measure "quality" of care,(and the validity of that measurement is a whole different discussion), is dependent on mortality and readmission data, age plays a huge role in the "rating". You will also find that large inner city public hospitals rate very low as well---because the patient population in their catchment area generally presents with more advanced disease, they are less likely to comply with follow up instructions and visits, and have multiple other co-morbidities and lifestyle disadvantages.

Not to dive into the CMS ratings too deeply, generally they have been outcome based on 4 conditions, usually CHF(congestive heart failure), CAP(community acquired pneumonitis), CVA (stroke), and sepsis(bacteremia whether community acquired or nosocomial(hospital acquired)). They throw in some measurements of post-op complications, medication "errors" (which generally are not errors at all), and of course readmissions and mortality. The system depends on the hospital itself reporting their data to the government, and frankly some hospitals(generally the larger, better funded ones) are very adept at the manner in which they gather and report their data. Also hospitals that are more or less protected from state and CMS oversight whether for administrative or political reasons do better in ratings(the only examples I have first hand knowledge of is the NYC Health and Hosp Corp facilities. Since they were more or less exempt from NY state oversight, inspections and penalties, they generally didn't even bother to report their data, leading to a 0.00% complication rate and 100% compliance:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:). Furthermore, there is generally about a 2-3 year lag before one could see any movement in these ratings.

Bottom line: These "ratings" are not necessarily an accurate measurement of the "quality" of a hospital

Agreed that the “ratings” are not necessarily an accurate measurement of the “quality” of a hospital. However, the horrific experiences of the many Villagers, who have had the unfortunate need to find out first hand the “quality” of the Villages Hospital, is an accurate measurement. I for one can not imagine it possible to have a worse experience than what I had at the Villages Hospital. I don’t need to look at some ratings metrics to come to the blatantly obvious conclusion that the Villages Hospital absolutely $ucks.