Huntsville Memorial Hospital unsanitary extremely rude nursing staff (few exceptions) hours late with meds Huntsville Texas

I agree with the comments regarding HMH.  It doesn't have the best reputation and I have had similar experiences.  I went there with appendicitis and was left sitting in a wheel chair in the ER for four hours.  I ended up leaving. 

However, I am offended by the comment about the "kid" on the ambulance.  I agree he sounds young and inexperienced, but he was not trying to bleed anyone for insurance money.  Ambulance personnel (who are not by the way 'dropouts' as you put it and have to receive training to work on an ambulance including clinical hours) are required to get a signed refusal if a person involved in an incident is refusing ambulance transport to release the ambulance service of liability if said person ends up having injuries that should have been transported by ambulance.  There have been occurrences, thankfully rare ones, where a person did have a back or neck injury and refused transport and tried to sue because they weren't made to accept the transport.  A coherent person deemed to be in their right mind cannot be forced to accept any treatment regardless of the severity of injury if said person so chooses to refuse transport and/or treatment. 

If you want to attack HMH for being dirty or hospital personnel for being incompetent, by all means do so, but don't attack "the dropout kid" for trying to do his job.  He should have been more professional, but it sounds as though your behavior could have been improved on scene as well.  Those 'kids' work for peanuts because they enjoy helping others.  How would you like to perform CPR and save a life and make $8-14/hour while you're doing it??  Maybe all the "dropouts" should stay at home and let the public see what happens when they dial 9-1-1??  Truth is, they would show up anyway because that is who they are.  In ten years I have met one and only one who liked the lights and sirens more than the service to others and he is no longer in the business.  Like most toys, "kids" get bored with them quickly.  The rest of us are in it for the long haul even picking up unappreciative clients like yourself.

It's a shame this lady had such a bad experience at HMH (Huntsville Memorial Hospital). Between elderly parents, my husband, my son and myself I have made dozens of visits to this hospital and its emergency room. This is not a large medical center in a city. This is a small hospital in a small town. It's the kind of place you go with a broken leg, chest pain, or to have a baby. You don't go to HMH for open heart surgery.

One of the things I've always appreciated about HMH is that they know what they are good at and know what they are not equipped to handle. Several times I have had family either life flighted or sent by ambulance to larger hospitals in Houston because HMH did not have the specialists or equipment to handle their problems. For a small hospital it is well equipped, but it is just that, a small hospital.

The nursing staff is excellent. And because most of them are local they have worked at the hospital a long time. They are professional and caring. Like all hospitals today they are handling more patients than they would like, but they do an excellent job. The staff of Doctors are well trained and the ones I have spoken with are open to second opinions.

No hospital is perfect. I have, unfortunately, had the experience of visiting (as patient, or family of a patient) many of the large hospital's in the Houston Medical Center. These are top ranked hospitals, with top ranked staffs, but even they make mistakes. If you go to the hospital thinking they have some kind of magic, some fix for all your problems, you will be very disappointed. Complex medical problems some times require extensive testing and observation to reach a diagnosis. Some times Doctors have to try several things before they discover what helps. Some times patients die. That's just the truth of it. Hospital stays are stressful and we as patients, or family of patients, are often not at our best at those time. And all patients in all hospitals - I don't care how good they are - need a family member or friend to act as an advocate for them at those times. Accidents happen and you have to be vigilent that it doesn't happen to your loved one.

I am not employed by this hospital or even have a friend that works there. But this is "my" hospital, it's where I'll be taken if a truck runs over me tomorrow, and I have great confidence in them to give me the best care they can and it they can't I'll be getting a ride in the helicopter!

Hello Dorie,

Your comments come as no surprise. Many, Many years ago when I was a young college student at Sam Houston State University I was really sick. I had 104 degrees fever on a Saturday night. I managed to drive myself to the ER at Huntsville Memorial a Dr. looked at me gave me a prescription and I went home to my apartment. My fever went down to 101 and stayed there for several days. I could not keep any food down. 5 days later I went to a private physician, that was an older gentleman, and when I showed him my prescription that the ER Dr. at HMH gave me he laughed and said " I have not seen this stuff since the 1950's I didn't think they even made it anymore. Where did you get this?" He wrote me a script and I was well the next day. I will admit however, that I should not have waited so long to go to a private physician because I was not feeling better. That was my fault. Blame it on youth and a lack of understanding on my part. Now fast forward to the year 2005. I was involved in a minor car wreck. A Walker County Hospital District Ambulance was promptly dispatched to the scene which I am thankful for. It might have been needed. It was not however, needed by me or the driver that hit me. The pimple faced,chubby kid that worked on the ambulance told me to "Get in the Ambulance". We are going to "transport" you. I politely declined his services due the fact that I had no visible injuries and was in no pain at all. I told him the young kid that I would be transported to the ER via private vehicle at my convenience to be Xrayed and examined just to be on the safe side. The kid said "OK sign this" and pulled out a clipboard with a release form on it. I politely told the kid "I am not signing anything until my personal physician assures me that I have sustained no injuries". The kid then became enraged and started screaming"You have to sign this!" I then said" Young Man I do not have to sign anything".To say he lacked maturity and professionalism would be putting it mildly.

Then a very polite, law enforcement officer arrived and asked me to sit in his car due to the fact it was raining. He was very professional, very personable and took my statement about the accident. In the middle of our discussion the kid that worked on the ambulance came up to the passenger side of the officers patrol car and was taping on the window. I told the officer about the earlier incident and he said " Let me handle this" He stepped out of his car and I don't know what he told that kid but, he got back in his ambulance and drove off. The bottom line is this. Huntsville Memorial Hospital and the Walker County Hospital District milk the insurance companies for every last penny. The EMT's that drive the ambulances in this county will take you to the ER for a hangnail. It is all about the bottom line. I like to call it unneeded medical services for fun and profit. Lets be honest here. We all know those kids that work for the WCHD like to play with those pretty lights and that siren. Makes them feel "important". Makes them forget that they are drop outs and work for Eight or Nine bucks an hour or whatever low wage WCHD is dishing out at the moment. Unless it is a life threatening emergency drive 25 miles South to Conroe or even better to St Lukes in The Woodlands. The atmosphere and staff at St Lukes are terrific. They will treat you like a person and not a money tree to fund a mismanaged, unprofessional quack Hospital.Best of luck to you

Many people are aware of the mistreatment that goes on and the fact is that federal law for unsaintary conditions are in place. The violation of these laws "Health and safety Codes " are broken everyday by hospitals. I filed a report as to the dirty sheets left on my fathers bed after a stroke he ended up with MRSA
a staph infection that he contracted at a hospital in Anchorage Alaska. He died 3 months later. If you call your Congressman/state representative and report what you have witnessed
it makes them look at the situations and standing up for what is truth goes along way. Contact the powers that we have put in office to deal with these issues. Thats why they were elected to Serve the public keep notes and file the complaints. If we draw attention to the unsaintary conditions? To the people that have the ability to do something about it. Stand tall and don't give up Thank you for your report MAybe someday someone will hear us all. Debbie
advocate in Oregon