Mel H

Review of Coliseum Medical Center

I went to the ER yesterday. It was my first time g...

I went to the ER yesterday. It was my first time going to an ER since moving to Georgia. This is the worst Emergency room I have ever been too. I was seen at an Urgent Care the day before but the pain had gotten significantly worse (possible pulled/torn Muscle in back/ broken rib/ blood clot concern). While i understand only one of these could be considered emergent I needed help which is why i went. I arrived at 2:15 and left at 5:30 While i would consider this a reasonable amount of time to be at an ER the whole experience was terrible. The posted wait times are based on how fast they can process you in triage and registration. The staff showed absolutely no concern for my condition at the time of arrival and while in triage It was like being processed at the DMV and absolutely no patient privacy. Sent back out to wait in the waiting room where i could not bend down enough to sit in their chairs. I asked the desk if they had a taller chair so i could sit down as being on my feet was causing tremendous paid and they said sorry thats all we have. I was walked back to xray And the whole time i was in tears from the pain and being manipulated on the table (i understood the importance) but i was never once offered a wheel chair or anything to ensure i wasn t causing futher damage or to ease my discomfort. I was sent back to the waiting room. I noticed my name on the screen that said i was in a room so i asked the desk if i had missed being called back and was told I was in their fasttrack room which is for non emergent and was basically the waiting room. For the next 2.5 hours i was waiting with no concern for my condition or discomfort. No one offered a chair i could sit in so i took it upon myself to sit in the security s desk chair. By the time i saw the nurse (not Doctor) my pain had significantly increased, she was the only good thing about this visit. I told her my concerns with my experience and she agreed i looked extremely uncomfortable and in a lot of pain and apologized for my experience and offered i speak to the director. At this point i just wanted to be treated and to go home. Im sure i will recieve an extortionate bill (my portion of deductible) for what can be considered an awful experince which left me in more pain than when i arrived. I have never been made to feel more like just a number than i did here. There is no concern for the patients comfort, privacy or wellbeing. I will never go back to this hospital.

I also want to add while i understand they experienced a flood in their rooms , i was disgusted at how patients were lining the hallways in gurneys. Not just one or two but Several people. I feel if you cannot provide the level of care, comfort or Privacy for your patients you should shut down your ER until repairs are completed.

I also recommend training staff to at least act like they care about patients. When i go to an Emergency Room i expect to be treated like i matter, that im important enough to be treated with dignity and respect. for over 2 hours staff watched me pace, sit and stand in pain and not one offered or asked if there was anything they could do to help. I have never in my life been made to feel as i did yesterday.