Originally Posted by Villagesshopper (Post 1951986)

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.

Originally Posted by toeser (Post 1952045)

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

Originally Posted by Nucky (Post 1951939)

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.

Originally Posted by ScottS (Post 1951893)

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.

Originally Posted by Mleeja (Post 1951965)

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.

Originally Posted by kaydee (Post 1952000)

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!

Originally Posted by JMintzer (Post 1952032)

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...

Originally Posted by Nucky (Post 1951939)

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.

Originally Posted by DavidCovid (Post 1951937)

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.

Originally Posted by jbrown132 (Post 1952072)

took my wife there about about five years ago and had a similar experience. Without getting into details about what was wrong with my wife, after seven hours the doctor makes his appearance explains to her what is wrong and then starts reaming her out saying she shouldn’t have come to the emergency room. At this point i had had enough and asked him if someone came to the emergency room with multiple contusions and abrasions would it take them seven hours to see a doctor. He said probably yes. I then told him if he didn’t shut his mouth he would be seeing a doctor in about seven hours. Next time if it is not life threatening go to leesburg or ocala.

Originally Posted by ScottS (Post 1951893)

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.

Originally Posted by The Mountaineer (Post 1952027)

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.

Originally Posted by Pedrocarrasco01@yahoo.com (Post 1952060)

.
I would use the Ocala Health Emergency Room located on 441 in front of Del Webb Spruce Creek Country Club, would not use the Villages Hospital on 441, great care used couple of times very happy, had a skin cancer that my dermatologist was concerned with, she send me to Shands in Gainesville, great experience, they got all of it, tremendously happy, one thing that I found was Shands owns the Villages Hospital, I needed to take a Covid Test 2 days before surgery, since both are the same health care entity, I wanted to take the test here since I did not wanted to drive the 50 plus miles to Gainesville, I called Shands and was told “we don’t trust any testing unless is done here” so I drove and got the test then 2 days later had the procedure. When a sister company does not trust testing from another sister testing site, that is to me concerning and a good reason not to use it.
No I won’t use it unless extreme emergency.

Originally Posted by ScottS (Post 1951893)

I recently had the misfortune of having to use the Villages ER. Absolute worst experience of my life….

Originally Posted by ScottS (Post 1951893)

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.

Originally Posted by Jayhawk (Post 1951956)

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.

Originally Posted by Nucky (Post 1951939)

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.

Originally Posted by Kgcetm (Post 1952102)

I'm sorry you had this experience. You should not have.

The Villages Healthcare System (Hospitals, Emergency Rooms, et al) is without question the worst system I've experienced. I will not go there again unless blood is flowing and I can't make it to Ocala or Tavares. The quality of the support personnel is appalling.
The know little and do even less. They seem to get paid for doing a job that is a major inconvenience to them.

I've had doctors make medication decisions without consulting the admitting physician. I've had doctors I don't know, didn't ask for and didn't need examine and prescribe medications for me. And finally, we have had tests (they love their $1400 MRI) performed that we specifically directed them not to perform.

The Villages Healthcare System is a disgrace to the community in which we live and should be a consideration to those who might be thinking of living here who have acute medical issues.

The acquisition by the University of Florida is a great step in the right direction. That said, it's the people who make the decisions regarding our treatment and our health. It will take at least 10 years for UF Health to restaff our Hospitals with more competent staffing. I know there will be those who respond by saying what a wonderful experience they had at the Villages Hospital. Frankly, we should all have that experience and great many of us do not.

I would not go there unless I was going to be DOA.

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby (Post 1951964)

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

Originally Posted by ScottS (Post 1951893)

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.

Originally Posted by bp243 (Post 1952033)

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

Originally Posted by kanoa1kale2 (Post 1952144)

How is a layman to define what is an emergency and what is not? Btw, most Urgent Care centers around here close between 5 and 7pm. There are a number of very competent ER facilities very close by.

Originally Posted by scottomjs (Post 1952160)

Sounds A typical avoid the emergency room if you can particularly if you’re not bleeding anywhere on the body

Originally Posted by cj1040 (Post 1952083)

File a complaint letter with the hospital director.. that is the best way to bring it to their attention.

Originally Posted by graciegirl (Post 1952169)

I always read the posts on here with a lot of skepticism. Most posters insist on remaining anonymous, so they can color their experience with any color in their crayon box. Sometimes things just sort of "scream out" as overkill. That is my reaction to this OP.