Philip Smith

Review of Maui Memorial Medical Center

While staying in Kaanapali, I had what turned out ...

While staying in Kaanapali, I had what turned out to be an alarming atrial fibrillation which felt like a heart attack (very common here with new arrivals exhausted from travel, hot days, excessive sun exposure, dehydration, and alcohol intake if applicable ). The paramedics did a great job and were even able, after placing electrode leads and starting an IV line, to diagnose the problem and rule out a heart attack. Then, after phone consult with the Doctor, they were able to encourage the reversal of the fibrillation by giving me oxygen and fluids in the ambulance. From Ka anapali to the hospital is an hour ride in the ambulance so I was very pleased and grateful that the paramedics knew their job so well. By the time we got to the hospital I was feeling pretty good. The job of the ER was then to make certain that my condition had stabilized and to decide whether to do more diagnostic tests and keep me longer or release me with specific instructions. The physician I spoke to was wonderful and spent quite a bit of time explaining my options and the rationale for the different choices. I had a lot to consider and chose to not go through a battery of additional tests that would take many more hours unless the symptoms returned. Everyone I spoke to including the financial person, was professional, respectful, thorough, and well-educated in performing their specific duties. The other patients in the ER with me seemed very well cared for also and I heard no complaints from anyone and no friction between workers. If its necessary to be in an energency room on an Hawaiian vacation, I d highly recommend this one.