This review is for two stays, June 3rd-June 7th & most recently, June 13th-June 19th…read more
I have been a patient of chronic osteomyelitis (bone infection) & a large healed wound for over 10 years now. My primary care docs aren't affiliated with Hopkins, but they helped me find Dr. Greg Osgood (Orthopedic/Trauma Surgeon) & Dr. Damon Cooney (Plastics & Reconstructive Surgery). These two doctors are at the top of their specialties. I came in very early on June 3rd for my right femur to be drained, cleaned out & infected bone removed. The surgery went well, though I was very apprehensive before, the staff in the OR area helps relax you. I stayed four nights & received amazing care from 11 East (Ortho/Surgery Inpatient) in the new Zayed Tower. Wonderful rooms, you can actually have one 24 hour visitor, there is a small, pull out sofa & a comfy recliner. I returned home after working with the great Physical Therapy team. Then on June 13, I guess my femur couldn't withstand being very weak after years of issues & it fractured in half. I returned the night of June 13th after my femur crumbled as I tried to get into a cab that morning & was taken back to surgery early the following morning, June 14th (Dr. Osgood was on vacation & the surgery performed by one of his colleagues). I was not happy with anesthesia this time around. Before, I took a few of my at home meds at 5:15 am with a sip of water as instructed. When I told them I was concerned that I hadn't taken all my meds, they decided to give it thru my IV (never easy to place on me). When I woke up, I couldn't breathe & had 20 people over me saving my life from being overmedicated. So I had a little one night stay in the SICU, those nurses are angels!! They come right away when you're in pain & watch you very closely. After being overdosed, my blood sugar skyrocketed & I am not a diabetic. So I had to be treated with insulin and those lovely finger sticks every few hours. I was moved back up to 11 East again to recover (this time a rod had been placed in the bone to steady & align it) the recovery was more painful but they did a terrific job. My advice though, if you're going for inpatient surgery, know your pain med times!! Sometimes the nurses get overwhelmed & you can lose all control of your pain. Most of the nurses would bring me medication without me even having to call. Another note: I was on a decent regimen of pain & other meds for years before these surgeries and required stronger pain meds than normal. Your pain is now one of your vital signs, don't hold back & let them know! It's very frustrating for Physical Therapy to come to take you when your pain is out of control, they need to coordinate these things so that you're comfortable & can do the required tasks. Especially if you had pain issues before any surgeries. This time required a week long stay. The food is decent, depending on what you order (the menu is a good size), but you can also have family bring in food from other places if you'd like. One huge issue for me is the ridiculous $10 charge per day for TV & phone. Come on, really?!? They offer quite a few Direct TV channels plus some relaxation channels, but $10 a day? You can also bill it to your home phone for $15 per day...Bad, bad, bad...I fortunately brought my iPhone as they do have guest wifi, so I could call home (long distance from the Johns Hopkins Hospital grounds) and surf the internet, unfortunately for some reason, I couldn't access my Netflix app. They most definitely need to offer free TV & phone!
In finishing, Johns Hopkins most definitely deserves its reputation, I have yet to run into a snobby doctor or uncaring nurse, they take good care of you. It always depends on your personal issue & the treatment course they choose for you, but I would highly recommend this hospital to anyone. I cannot review the ER as I never used it, only the Outpatient Clinics at 601 N. Caroline Street. I was actually injured on 6/13 in Laurel, closer to my home, and taken by ambulance to Laurel Regional Hospital (a huge joke of a hospital & after this incident, I will be consulting an attorney) I will write a separate review. They sent a JH ambulance to pick me up from Laurel after a 10 hour stay in that ER. And if you have prescriptions to be filled upon discharge? They call it down to the pharmacy so you can pick it up on your way out the doors going home!! I went ahead & gave 5 stars, because save for a few small things, especially the anesthesia incident, I would definitely choose to come back & will have to to finish a couple more surgeries to get my leg as normal as possible.