Lori Rice

Review of Haywood Regional Medical Cente...

I had to bring my son in to Haywood Regional this ...

I had to bring my son in to Haywood Regional this afternoon for symptoms of a moderate/severe allergic reaction. My son is on the autism spectrum and while he is legally an adult, he is not capable of fully answering medical questions and will have a meltdown when his anxiety is high. I asked the gentleman at the desk if I could stay with my son for this reason and was told that I could. The triage nurse then decided that I didnt need to be present because she "felt he can answer questions well enough". After a 40 minute wait (allergic reaction with swelling in the face, lips and throat, hives and severe itching) the charge nurse decides to come into the waiting room to tell me that I could not be present as a patient advocate for my son due to COVID precautions. That might be a valid arguement except that the charge nurse was not wearing a mask while both my son and I were!!! We left immediately and I took my son to Mission. My son was directly admitted at Mission once we arrived and treated for a severe allegeric reaction. Mission treated his condition as the true emergency it was. Thank God we did not continue to wait at Haywood Regional. I hate to think what might have happened if we had. I will NEVER go to this hospital again and will make sure to pass on our experience to anyone who will listen.