Jo Bowen

Review of Banner Thunderbird Medical Cen...

Our Banner Thunderbird Medical Center ER experienc...

Our Banner Thunderbird Medical Center ER experience was an absolutely horrible and extremely upsetting one. I doubt there is anyone in this world who would be happy with having their attention taken away from their very sick child in order for the medical establishment to get payment even though valid health insurance details had already been taken. We would advise others to look at an alternative ER.
People we have told about our experience have been shocked and disgusted at what happened while we were in the ER room with our seriously ill daughter. On March 15th, our daughter was put on the bed in the ER room and nurses were setting up an IV. I was holding my daughter's hand to help keep her from being distressed and reassure her that she would be okay, when what I presume was a hospital administrator wheeled in a computer and said we had a $3,000 deductible and asked us for payment. I was shocked and asked "what now?" to which she nodded her reply. OUR DAUGHTER'S CONDITION HAD NOT BEEN STABILIZED AT THAT TIME. She did not offer to deal with this at a more appropriate time. She did not move and even the nurses and doctor were having to step around her. This person's highly inappropriate action drew our attention from our very poorly daughter who needed us. My husband and I were so shocked and embarrassed. We felt as though we had been put on the spot and with the simple desire to get the person out of the ER room as quickly as possible we offered an amount to be paid then and there, including me having to sign more things electronically. I know that the medical staff within that ER room were also very uncomfortable with the situation, keeping their eyes lowered to the floor to avoid eye contact with myself or my husband and not one of them spoke up on our behalf. Our daughter had an urgent and very serious condition which needed further treatment in the Pediatric ICU.