LJ Hilbert

Review of Poudre Valley Health System

Scary to be in a town with a chronic illness and t...

Scary to be in a town with a chronic illness and this as its only health care system. I moved from Seattle where they actually have medically trained people and facilities.

If you can - go to Loveland: Medical Center of the Rockies where they actually have trained medical staff.

The entire system, from family PCP's to the ER is a freaking nightmare. I haven't had healthcare this bad since the east coast 20 years ago. The staff are illiterate and the doctors are incompetent. (actually some ER nurses are nice but they're stuck working for total jerks).

After having many fine appointments with Dr Loy at Family Health Care of the Rockies over the past year, all summer I've been unable to schedule with her. She is either out of the office or booked. They allow you to call at 7AM to see if there's a "same day" appt available - who is that convenient for???? But they don't have any other regular availability.

Beware - it is hard to find a good doctor in this town. There are not many to choose from and therefore the ones that are here know they don't have to serve their patients well - there's no competition.

I came from Seattle where I could get a same day appt no prob.

Recently I developed a recurring bladder infection. I had blood in my urine. I was not able to get an appt with a Doctor so I was forced to go to Urgent Care and wait. and wait. and wait. Finally got in and got an RX for antibiotics. They didn't work. I was able to get in to FHCR and see another provider in Dr Loy's office. This doctor accused me of having gonorrhea or syphilis, despite being married for 6 years. She insisted on testing me for it ( they were neg. of course). She also chastised me for stopping the medication which caused the UTI (and was RX'd by a different doctor when I know full well it's ok to stop a med that's causing me problems). She finally rx'd me another antibiotic which worked.

A month later, after trying the med which caused the first UTI a second time on the advice of my neuro, it gave me another UTI immediately. I went to Urgent Care again on a Sunday. They rx'd me an antibiotic. It gave me side effects. On Monday I called my PCP to inform her of the side effects and ask for a new med. They refused to help me, didn't have any appointments with any doctors and told me to call Urgent Care, even though they had my medical records and lab results and RX's in their computer system. (in Seattle, (and in any civilized doctor's office) my PCP would have changed the rx over the phone). I called Urgent Care and they, of course, told me to call my PCP.

Since neither office would see me, I went to ER and waited 5 HOURS. Finally, after the ER doc failed to submit my tests to the lab after 5 hours of waiting, I told them I had to leave and can I get my different antibiotic now. So they told me they would email it to my pharmacy. I waited til the next AM and went to the pharm to pick up the RX. They never received it from ER. OF COURSE. So I called the ER who refused to help me and were too illiterate to read my computer chart/records. I called my PCP and told them what happened and to ask to be seen or for a new RX. They refused to help me (wouldn't change my RX or get y in for an appt) and put me on hold forever. So I drove over there. I went into the office and said "you had me on hold so long, I'm here to fix this". They said, "oh, let's make you an appointment in 2 weeks when she's available." I said "no, look in your computer at my lab tests from the past 2 days and give me a new antibiotic." They refused. I saw Dr. Loy walk right by the front office and ignore me. I said "I'm not leaving until you fix this" and so they threatened to call security.

I've never been treated like a criminal by my medical providers in Seattle. I've never been treated so bitchy or negligently by a medical provider ever. Do I really have to go through this to get an antibiotic that doesn't give me side effects for a recurrent UTI? Basically, I was refused medical treatment by the entire PVHS in Fort Collins. Negligent.