DCH Health System Review

My 82 year old dad was rushed by Ambulance to DCH with 105 fever and pneumonia... The ER Team worked together in total excellence bringing a calm to my dad. The experience in the ER room was efficient and professional in every way that got my dad the immediate attention he needed to save his life. Everything was clean and staff was friendly and helping.
The doctors, nurses, physical therapist, respiratory therapist were all warm, caring and detailed to every need my dad had fighting pneumonia. I highly recommend Tuscaloosa DCH for any family loved one who needs emergency care you can trust.

DCH means Don't Come Here. The absolute worst hospital in Alabama. It has to be. Never a good experience. Not one single visit. And I only came here because Northport's ER was damn near standing room only. I think I will actually drive to Birmingham before I ever come here again.
Anyone giving this hospital a good review is suspect. There's absolutely no excuse to be sitting in a waiting room for 4 hours and not a single person has been discharged or taken back. The nurses are standing around playing with the blood pressure machines. People are sending others out to go get food and drink! They literally have more security for their poor service than they do medical staff I guess. Just don't do it. Stop patronizing this horrible horrible horrible place. If it wasn't for the fact that my 14 month old can't sleep and was screaming bloody murder, I would never ever have stepped foot in this place. And I never will again.
And lord knows I can't be trying to get drugs for my 14 month old. That seems to be a common complaint. Yet after 4 hours of waiting, they still called someone ahead of him and sent them back to a room.
I'm 5 months pregnant, have been up for 24 hours now and can't even pretend to fall asleep like everyone had because, again, my 14 month old starts screaming bloody murder every hr or so. Dear Lord, I won't even visit this city again.
I wouldn't bring a dog here.

Updating as we go so you know just how bad it is: it has now been 5 hours since my arrival with my 14 month old. When they finally started calling names, they called 5 ppl and none of them were my son. Only 1 out of the 5 names called was still here and he had been sleep the whole time while my son cried on and off until he finally went to sleep after 4.5 hours of waiting. Even tho none of the people they call are here, that room must have magically disappeared. Then she comes back out and recalls the other 4 names 15 minutes later. At this point, I feel like we are purposely being screwed because I have been asking questions so my baby can be seen.

Was good up until the point I was told I was being discharged and have no answers. Was told many different things uti and cyst . Then was told being treated for a uti just to be told I don t have one! But yet I am still having pain vomiting and head ache but no answers.

UPDATE:
Here for the the second time in less then two weeks!!! Still no answers really!! I am sick of being in pain. Do not go here if you want real answer and actions taken! Still having stomach pains head ache vomiting and now have a catheter in and when they took it out I couldn t pee not once but twice so they put it back in and are going to send me home with it in! Really??? You know how easy I can get an infection?? Who do I need to speak with I need help! I need answers!

I was there in the ER FROM 2:30p to 9:55pm. The wait time was extremely long. There was no privacy measure in place to protect HiPPA. Staff was not friendly at the front desk. However I must say Dr. Vaughn, the female NP, Nurse, and lady that transported me to CT were great.

I'm new to the south and as a result have this hospital as my most nearby hospital. I am 35 weeks pregnant and went to there ER with SEVERE bleeding they took me up to labor and delivery and tried to make me drink a Mountain Dew to "wake up" my baby! They didn't perform an ultrasound or any blood tests after I had my husband drink the Mountain Dew instead of me they said his heart rate and activity was normal and that the bleeding should stop sometime that day. They were very dismissive about the entire thing and I left STILL bleeding and unsure of my babies health. 0/10 stars worst experience Ever.

The services they provided were at it their best , and on a timely manner. I've ever encountered in any hospital and labor and delivery was awesome.

Background: My 7month old at the time had 104.7 temp after completing a 10 day course of antibiotics for sinus infection. Which symptoms improved on day 3 of receiving the antibiotics medication. 2 days after the completing the medication, New symptoms started.

Symptoms: vomiting, high fever, fatigue, and faint wheezing.

*The pediatrician office was not opened at 5:30am, which forced us to go to the E.R. because we were unable to break the fever.

PROs: We were taken to a room immediately, Staff was friendly and attentively, Room was clean, Saw a doctor within 1 hr of being taken to a room, the results were back within 1 hr of being taken, We were there for 3 hours.

Cons: Had to follow up with the pediatrician later that evening for a more detailed diagnosis. Different course of treatment. Had to pay for the E.R. medical bill when they diagnosis that was given was wrong.

Conclusion: Thanks to the pediatrician my child had a better outcome.

Horrible staff!! My husband sat there in the waiting room for 4 hours and never called him back!! Other people there before him also there still waiting also never called back! Nurses just not doing anything like they should ! Worst hospital ever!!

This morning My baby had a temperature of 102! DCH we went. (DCH has a pediatric unit). No wait in the emergency room because of her heart defect. We waited for two hours in the back before anyone came to ask any questions about our reason for visiting. Her temperature was 100.1 (we had given her Tylenol before coming to the ER) and a chest x Ray was completed and the practitioner tells us August has pneumonia! And her right ear seems to be infected AND we are going home with antibiotics. Now I start to freak because your telling me that you are about to send an 8month old child with a congenital heart defect and a high temperature home with pneumonia! 4 hours into our hospital visit no one has come to take her temperature or check on her. I take her temperature myself and it is 103! 103! I immediately call the nurses station. 20 minutes pass and no one come to recheck her temp or check on her period. We pack her things to leave for Children s Hospital, when we are basically chased down by the nurse begging us to allow them to give her Motrin and antibiotics. 5 1/2 hours! We allow them to administer the medication without any nurse or physician rechecking her temperature and we leave. Children s hospital 7 hours later, August doesn t not have pneumonia or an ear infection! The medicine that was prescribed by The physician at DCH was not correct and the dosage was 3 times less than what she needed to adequately fight any infection. Moral of the story avoid DCH

Slowwwe. I waiting for hours and had a friend waiting with me. ended up feeling better and just leaving.

The nurses and Dr. was professional and timely. They pit my mind at ease and made me feel at home.

The service was quick, however the nurse practitioner stated a time frame for keeping me off for school and work but the date was wrong on my excuse and they would not go back and change it to the correct date. So im getting punished for their incompetent typist and of course the on call nurse practitioner isn't available to give her input because she is not there....

Efficient, knowledgeable staff. Friendly but professional service. We highly recommend DCH ER.

I was admitted to the hospital in March the doctors there actually save my life. They did a awesome job on taking care of me. I had to admitted to ICU.

Room not clean. In an 8 day stay for leg , only one nurse ever asked to see the leg . When calling for nurse, person on desk does not always inform nurse of call. If you can' t reach your food when it's brought to you , too bad . The tray carrying person sits it wherever the table is & you get it the best way you can. They call you by whatever name they choose to call you because no one ever writes on the board who you are, who they are, or what day it is. It's a terrible place to be sick It's a terrible place to be sick in .

Dont come here. Your loved ones will probably die waiting. And that's not being funny at all. I wouldn't joke around about that stuff. Been in the room called exam 7 and my son needs fluids asap. While hospital personnel is sitting around horseplaying and fiddle-fartin around.

If i could rate zero stars i would. Not even including the fact that everything takes forever, This place communication skills between nurses and doctors is horrible. Every time you ask them something they don t know. I ve been in the hospital for 2 days for something that should ve only taken 3 hours at max. One doctor said i was able to go home but yet I m stuck spending the night AGAIN because they can t get in contact with the other doctor. Even if i got shot in the leg, no car and dch was across the street, i still wouldn t go. Worst hospital I ve ever been to.

The doctors, nurses, and other staff were very attentive and efficient when I arrived at the ER with blood all over my arms, shirts and pants, due to a puncture wound from an accident in my kitchen at home. Stitches were done and I was sent home within about an hour. Great job!

Don't come here. Drive to Birmingham. The hospital is filthy and little precaution is taken for medical safety. I had warned nurses or technicians about blood on the floor, which they promptly ignored, the last saying: "it's ok, I'm used to it." A friend told us that no precautions were taken for a patient being test for tuberculosis. I highly advise against anyone coming here unless they want a Staph infection. If you're going to be giving birth, go to the Northport Women's facility. It's nice, clean, and effective, or drive to Birmingham. If you have any other problem, drive to Birmingham. If I broke my legs, I'd still drive to Birmingham.

Most of what I went through was positive except getting into a room, was told many things that did not happen, or was supposed to be.
I called several times to see what time I should be there. When I finally got through to someone that could tell me told me I should be there now. I told the nurse I did that the last time and reported as told at 0900, and did not get into a room till late in the afternoon. Well it was no different this time, it took so long to get things done, and I sat all day in the staging area like the first time. Why is this so when I have a scheduled time? It was a hurry up job, and nothing I was told was done. Why?

My child needed staples on Memorial Day, not the time I wanted to go to an ER. DCH was quick and compassionate. In and out in less than 2 hours.

Nurses and all personnel were very helpful, kind, and caring both in the ER and on the floor. Dr. Call was most kind and unrushed in asking questions and explaining things to me. Every area of the hospital I was in was very clean. I felt good about my experience.

Very disappointed with this facility and if emergency treatment is needed in the future will certainly try to direct the ambulance to another hospital.

The wait wasn't bad at all. Dr. Was polite, and concerned! I also like the renovation. The fact that you wait for any results, gives others less wait time as well. The nurses was nice as well.

Was there during a terrible time. A family member was in serious condition. Spent many hours at DCH, but me and my family were treated well during our wait. These photos were taken in the cafeteria. The food wasn't the greatest, but it was what was to be expected in a hospital.

There was one person in the waiting room when I arrived. I had to wait two hours before I went to a room. It was about seven and a half hours before I left. This is not acceptable to me for any hospital.

Came to the ER wheezing, having an asthma attack, needed a breathing treatment as directed by my father who is a general surgeon. Waited an hour in waiting room after complaining to the nursing staff up front numerous times. After finally being taken back into a room, I waited another 4 hours before finally getting seen by a doctor. None of the nurses even took my VITALS! Long story short, I waited 8 hours for them to tell me I have asthma (which I knew) and to be yelled at and told to change by nurses because I was wearing shorts!! Absolutely will never return. I'd much rather drive an hour to Birmingham before ever returning here...DCH stands for Don't Come Here!

The hospital was clean along with professional and friendly staff which included the security guards as well as the hospital staff. I did not have to wait long and my daughter received perfect care. I personally want to thank the RN's Ms. Teresa Kirk and Ms. Morgan Moore, and PO Sve Giamo.

Went to emergency room after a car accident and assumed I d be there for at least 4 hours before being looked at triage They evaluated immediately and everyone was very efficient and explained each process before. Excellent service from the point of entry to exit. Very surprised and pleased . Great job DCH.

Spent 7.5 miserable hours there last week, 2 of which were just waiting to get into a room while I had heart palpitations. After about 6 hours, the doctor finally told me I was getting discharged. It then took a nurse well over an hour just to come unhook my IV so I could go home - and that was after we paged them a couple of times. I understand that they're busy, so I wasn't that upset - until I saw that they double-charged my debit card for my copay ($125, so kind of a big deal). Called several people at DCH today and left messages and no one has been able to help me or called me back regarding a refund.

I wish I could rate this hospital a ZERO.

The nurses here are terrible. They gave my mom the wrong medicine and the nurse blamed herself for it.

This place needs investigation and better staff.

Do NOT bring your loved ones here.

Overall, I had a very good experience at DCH. The staff was courteous and responsive. However, I was in great pain due to a car wreck and the attending CRNP was very rude and would not x-ray my lower back also.