St Mary's Hospital

The emergency department tends to treat patients like they are some sort of prison inmate. When I was taken in via ambulance, my blood pressure was through the roof & I literally felt like I was going to die. The nursing staff was extremely rude as was the doctor. They spoke to me for less than 3 minutes and said that I was having an anxiety attack because I told them that I receive treatment for Generalized Anxiety Disorder. I have not had an anxiety attack in 3 years, and I called 911 because I felt like I was losing consciousness. This was the 1st time in my 31 years of life that I have ever called 911 for myself and was absolutely terrified and felt like I was going to die. I was not having a panic attack-- I've had plenty of experience with those and this was like nothing I have ever experienced before. As a woman in my early 30s, whose been suffering with a strange stomach bug for more than a week, I feel as though the urine sample they made me provide should have at least been tested and not just left in my room. I'm not sure they even tested my blood. My EKG was normal, but I told them that I didn't think it was a heart issue. My brain was beyond foggy and I was disoriented and felt like I was going to lose consciousness. The ER doc interrupted me while I tried to answer her questions- and after a total of 2 mins worth of conversation- she told me to go home and take my tranquilizer rather than the hospital giving me any. I told her that I wasn't drug seeking and that I felt something was very wrong. She told me to cut the stress out of my life. Gee, thanks for the advice, but can you make sure there isn't a more serious issue? I was sent home in less than an hour of being there. If something happens to me, I will be suing Carondelet. If you think you're having a serious medical issue, and you can get to a different ER, please do so. I wouldn't recommend this hell hole to anyone. Perhaps the employees should have much more training in bedside manner and communication. I left there having a panic attack and cried for hours. more

I was recently hospitalized at St Mary's and was really amazed at how good the nursing care was. All the people I met were truly caring and very competent. A Tech in the emergency room actually took the time to go out to my car and bring in my bag as I was unable to do so. The nurses were very kind to me and never gave me the impression that they were too busy to help or treat me. The x-ray tech who did my 2d echo took a lot of time to explain to me what she was doing and seemed to genuinely care about how I was feeling and coping. All in all the 3 days I spent were as good as they could have been. All in all, my 3 days spent there were as good as they could possibly have been. more

I am giving this hospital 2 stars in a fit of generosity. My father was at St. Mary's in early Dec. 2007, for an endoscopy and gall bladder removal. He is 91. The surgeries went well and there have been no complications so far. Thus the 2 stars. However, there was almost no after-care. He was not walked after his surgeries. He walked himself on his walker. He was not given the food that was ordered, and remained on broth a day after he should have had solid food. Although a doctor stopped by every morning (for 6 days), he never looked at the surgery. Neither did anyone else, except for my mother. Given the problems with infections in hospitals, this behavior is extremely bizarre.\r \r Fortunately for my dad, my mother (83) commuted from Green Valley to be there every day. If she hadn't , I truly believe he would have died there, because of the lack of care after the surgery. She had to try to see the doctor after surgery (he couldn't be bothered for a few hours), get the nurses to see that the correct food was delivered, help Dad to the bathroom, and so on. One nurse was very competent and helpful, but the others were either very overworked or incompetent, or both.\r \r Dad was taken by ambulance to St. Mary's from Green Valley. He requested a different hospital, but was taken to the closer one. If this happens to one of your loved ones, and if circumstances and money permit, have him or her transferred from there to another Tucson hospital. You will avoid a nightmare. more