Our recent experience at Sierra View Hospital in Porterville, CA, raises serious concerns about the…read morequality of their emergency care. The staff exhibited alarming unprofessionalism and a clear lack of coordination.
My husband was transported to the ER by ambulance due to symptoms I strongly suspected indicated a stroke. After I informed the medical staff of my suspicion, his diagnosis quickly solidified as "possible stroke," and the hospital initiated various tests, including a CT scan, echocardiogram, therapy, and an MRI.
However, a troubling incident soon followed. A technician entered my husband's room to discuss the CT scan results. He directly asked my husband if he had previously suffered a stroke. When my husband stated he had not been informed of any past stroke, the technician insisted that the neurologist had identified signs of a previous stroke on the scan.
Shortly thereafter, his registered nurse came to perform routine care. I immediately questioned her about the technician's assertion of a past stroke. After reviewing the portable computer cart she wheeled in, she definitively stated there were no notes in his chart indicating any previous stroke. When I reiterated what the technician had told us, she responded, "Yes, I know, I heard him tell you that - but it's not true." Upon the physician's arrival, I once again inquired about the previous stroke the technician had suggested. His response was unequivocal: "No, there are no signs of a previous stroke."
"But then," I asked, "why would the technician say such a thing if it isn't true?"
The doctor looked me squarely in the eye. "Was he a doctor?"
"No," I confirmed.
"I am the doctor," he stated, his voice carrying undeniable authority. "Ask me the questions. No one else here knows anything." The central issue stemmed from the neurologist participating in the CT scan analysis via live video conference--a setup that led immediately to a crucial realization: she was the one who called attention to the finding. The emergency room doctor stated there was no history of stroke, which contradicted what we had been told. This discrepancy left us feeling confused and frightened, unsure of what information to trust regarding my husband's condition. The overall atmosphere of the ER felt unprofessional and disorganized, adding to our anxiety in a situation where my husband desperately needed competent care. Our two-day experience at SVDH was marked by significant neglect. Throughout his stay, his hospital room was not cleaned, and his bedding and gown were left unchanged. He was also denied the opportunity for a shower. The constant, jarring alarm of his IV monitor, sounding every half-hour without resolution, ensured he received no rest, day or night. This was an unacceptable level of care, and we will never consider SVDH for emergency services again.