I went in on Friday because of a sore throat, what I suspected to be strep. The nurse did a rapid…read morestrep test, which came back negative. The doctor then came in, told me I had tonsillitis, gave me a steroid shot, and prescribed antibiotics. He neglected to go through symptoms with me and spent less than 5 min in the room with me. I trusted what I was told and took the antibiotics as prescribed. 4 days went by and my symptoms had only gotten worse, I could barely talk and the pain was so severe I was unable to even drink. I went back in on Monday, and after the nurse was looking at what I was prescribed and diagnosed on Friday, she was surprised and told me that it wouldn't have helped me get better. The doctor, different from my prior appointment, came into the room and analyzed every symptom I had complaints about and went through everything very thoroughly with me. Despite how busy the clinic was, she ensured to give me the proper care and time needed to help me get better. Due to the unfortunate circumstances I dealt with from my first appointment at West Wind Primary Health Center, I missed 5 days of work and was in severe pain that could have been prevented. Despite my negative experience with my first time there, as a whole, the clinic staff was top notch and very helpful.

I'm not sure how to frame this review, but I will do my best to give the employees at this hospital…read morethe benefit of the doubt during this difficult time. I am a veteran who has no other option than a civilian emergency room just like so many others right now. I arrived at 4:30pm to be seen for kidney stones. I developed chronic kidney stone syndrome while on my first tour in 2008 to Iraq and have since passed roughly 65-70 stones since then. Not All of them leave me debilitated, but this one.. This one has had me bawling and writhing on the floor in excruciating pain. Now, I have no idea what covid fear has done to the mass populace, but I stand firm that my immune health will be fine throughout.. I was triaged and registered, then told it would be a 3 hour wait. After an hour and a half of waiting, I get up and check my place in line and am told it is now a 5 hour wait. For anyone who has passed a stone (dudes, I'm talking to you) you Know it is the most excruciating pain a male can go through, comparable to birth. After dropping to the floor from dizziness, the security guard asked if I needed a wheelchair, which I took him up on. This was just prior to being told the wait time had jumped 2 hours. After about 2 minutes of deliberation, I called my wife to come pick me up so I wasnt basking in sick people's germs for even longer than I was originally told. I hobbled into the back to have them remove the IV and was asked to sign the "you're leaving against doctors advice" form. That was laughable. No doctor had seen me, no one had advised me. No one did shit except make me feel awkward for inquiring about my place in line. Based on the looks I received, it's my guess that my tattoos (zero gang affiliated ink btw) had something to do with it. It definitely wasnt my demeanor, my Please and Thank you's were in all the right places. As I'm having my IV removed, I state how sad it is that vets are given such second rate treatment at Every hospital, not just this one. I hobble out to the front where my wife had dropped me off and I collapse before reaching the curb, writhing in pain. I crawl to the curb with Zero "hey man, are you ok" from the staff. For about 7 minutes I laid on the ground, unable to get comfortable as my stone/s descended further and further. The car ride home was intense for my flanks, and once home I drop to the floor just shy of my bed and really let the waterworks out. It is now 8pm, and I would have had another hour and a half to go had I stayed. Like so many VA hospitals, this seems like the type that will let you die in the waiting room before receiving care. In conclusion, if you have Real pain or Real sickness/illness, don't put your faith in UMC. They almost certainly will leave you worse for wear. Thank God I wasnt actually stabbed, even though my guts are being torn apart right now, I probably would have bled out. That is the fairest review I could muster. Lesson learned.