I've been to the St. Clair ER on several occasions both as a patient and as the family member attending the patient. As far back as 2015 i've had horrible experiences. In 2015, I was with my partner who had a cyst under his arm that needed to be emptied. It was about the size of a golf ball. As the procedure began, 2 of the nurses were going on and on about what was coming out of the cyst and how large it was, one nurse took out her phone and said she was going to film it because it was the biggest she'd ever seen. I had to tell her, "ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Although my partner did not care, I saw this as a TOTAL violation of HIPPA and simply juvenile.
In 2017, I was in with severe abdominal pain. My father accompanied me to the visit (He is a physician with specialty in Addiction Medicine, and staff was aware of this as he is also my PCP). Ultimately, I was given laudanum. (I was suffering from Endometrial Hyperplasia and under the close care of a gynecologist who was doing everything possible to alleviate the thickening, short of a hysterectomy). A day and a half later, I was back in the ER (this time with my mother and 21 year old son) with the same excruciating pain. The staff was informed of my visit some 36 - 48 hours earlier and what was given to relieve the pain. They first said they could not access those notes. They said they were considering doing a transvaginal ultrasound... but that they would have to call someone in to do that procedure. I then explained (AGAIN) that whatever was given prior helped and that I had an appointment with my GYN in a few days. Ultimately, the RN supervisor on shift came into my room, did not introduce herself and said, "Is there a problem here?" Of course I went through the entire situation (while continuing to be in pain scale of 8-9) and she replied that the would NOT give me the same thing they gave a few days prior (guess they found the notes from my prior visit) and implied that I was doctor shopping. As I calmed my mother who was livid at this point, I calmly explained that no one in their right mind would "doctor shop" with their PCP (who knows more about addiction than everyone put together on the ER Staff) then come back in 36-48 hours later with their MOTHER AND SON to get more drugs. The staff continued to be rude and short with me and my family. They also opted NOT to call a tech to do the transvaginal ultrasound... because it was "The weekend". I left, still in pain and wondering if I was now somehow 'flagged' in their system as a pain med shopper.
My latest visit - trying to give them one more chance- was just this March 2021 when I was having an allergic reaction (including a closing/tightening of my throat) to the COVID infusion I'd received earlier that day. Not only would they NOT allow my PCP in the room with me, they were rude and loud in speaking with us while we were still in the ER waiting room. They implied that since I'd been COVID positive that I would be in isolation and that is why my PCP could not be by my side... in fact, I was in a room that simply had a sign (A PAPER SIGN TAPED TO THE DOOR TO MY ROOM) that I'd been positive for COVID. (Mind you, my PCP had received the vaccine 2 months prior to this visit). Staff was in and out and NOT wearing masks (again, what kind of 'isolation' is this? I received an intravenous steroid, waited to see that allergic reactions had decreased and was told that a prescription was called into my pharmacy. I asked "What pharmacy would that be?" And they said GE at Oxford drive. I said that was NOT the pharmacy I used anymore and asked that it be called in to the CVS in Brookline. As I'm having this conversation with the ER DOC (who was rude - possibly because my PCP was unhappy with the disrespect this same ER Doc displayed in the waiting room) ... the ER Doc is walking out of my room! Not looking at me, and obviously NOT LISTENING.... because when he was walking away and saying he would change it to CVS Brookline... well, HE DIDN'T! I went to CVS the next day at 5pm mind you.... and there was no prescription to be had. (I could not get it the day before because I'd been in the ER until after 9pm.)
All in all, it appears that if you ask questions, request info or in anyway question the staff, it definitely gets around quickly as each staff member comes at you with an attitude. Furthermore, if medical professionals cannot work as a team with another medical professional (who, by the way has been practicing medicine for over 50 years) and take an attitude of openness and possibly learning something... well that is NOT what I'd want for my family or myself. I've given St. Clair Hospital more than enough chances over the years and it seems that this is a culture in the ER. They don't even deserve ONE star. read more