Katherine Young

Review of MedStar Health, Washington Hos...

If I could give this hospital less than 1 star, I ...

If I could give this hospital less than 1 star, I would. I work internationally, often in rural and remote locations, and I have NEVER been to a hospital as unhygienic than this one. I went for a simple new patient appointment to see a PCP on a day I wasn't feeling well anyway. I thought, great! Perfect timing. I live in the NE sector of DC, and the only way I could get to the hospital was by taking a $15 Lyft ride ($30 RT). Upon arrival, I was given a sticker with the Suite number which consisted of two number/letter combinations. Utterly confused, I followed the receptionist's directions as far as I could, before I was intercepted by someone who worked at the hospital and was clearly used to seeing lost people. It took 4 PEOPLE to get me to the clinic. Once I arrived, I found it was under construction. The "automatic" wheelchair "accessible" double door was broken, and although I am a strong 30-something, I had difficulty opening the door myself. I couldn't imagine how the very fragile patients in the waiting room had opened the door. I waited for a decently short time and was smiled at by the receptionist (hence 1 star), and then was led to the "triage room", which was nothing more than a large closet with oxygen tanks and old equipment from the 1960s that I assumed were just being stored, until the nurse started using them to take my vitals! Everything was covered in dust and grime. I couldn't believe my eyes. I was then transferred into a clinic room, and walked over a DEAD COCKROACH on the floor. Midway through my examination by the resident, the door opened (NO KNOCK) and a maintenance person came in to take out the garbage. The resident picked up the garbage can with her bare hands to give it to him, and did not wash them afterwards. She couldn't have washed her hands afterwards, though, because there was no sink, running water, soap, disinfectant. There wasn't even a kleenex. I was feeling so uncomfortable and unsafe, that after waiting for 20min for the Attending to see me, I left. $15 Lyft ride return. I will NEVER go to this hospital again, if I can help it. I was utterly horrified by the unsanitary conditions, and the bureaucratic nature of care. I felt terrible for the truly ill patients I saw there, and if I could, I would have swept each of those patients up with me and taken them elsewhere. No one deserves health care like this. I'm shocked to find this dismal facility in the capitol of our country.