Banner - University Medical Center Tucson Campus

Reviews 3

KR

Kristen Codianni

Terrible care on so many levels. My mother has been in and out of Banner several times recently and is also going to the Cancer Center affiliated with them. Communication is almost nonexistent between patient, family, staff and doctors. They actually released her once without letting her oncologist know (the doctor said he was checking with him but didnt) They gave her a schedule upon leaving and as per schedule we went to start chemo the next day. Once there the cancer center said they thought she was still in the hospital. She was NOT to start chemo AND she needed blood! They had not checked it that day but from the labs in the hospital the day before it was clear she needed it. WHY did the hospital send her home knowing she needed a transfusion???!!! She was in terrible shape and couldnt even stand on her own. She improved after blood. The hospital also released her (another time) when she was unable to walk due to gout. She was there a week and the last 3 days could not walk due to swelling and pain in both feet. They knew this (had to help with bathroom etc) yet NEVER looked at her feet, diagnosed or addressed the issue. She had to return by ambulance at 1:00am the same night she was released because the pain was so unbearable. They are quick to give you a soda or some jello but youll have to bring your own if you want anything nutritious. Sugar feeds cancer, jello has NO value, how do I know these things yet healthcare professionals do not?! She had to order a veggie pizza and pick off the 3 small veg pieces in order to have some cooked veggies. They have salad but raw veg and nuts aggravate her condition.Then there is the testing and drugs. Ordering tests that are 100% unnecessary. She couldnt eat for a day so they could do an ultrasound because she MAY have a liver issue. Well...she does. Has for years and its all documented in THEIR records. Cant fix it and her cancer is terminal so they wouldnt even if they could. She is weak and doesnt eat enough as it is so 9 hours without food for a test not needed was RIDICULOUS. Insurance pays them big for that test though. Also telling her she might need a pacemaker and freaking her out about a heat issue that they acted like was some new thing when again is already known and documented. Offering drug after drug with no regard for if it was truly needed. Then getting a script for outrageously priced drugs ($6k/month) and then once learning she couldnt pay either these drugs were no longer needed or in one case the drug company gave it free. Seriously. Give only whats needed and price it realistically! One doctor explained something well, ONE. One doctor in the ED looked at her records and had some great info and questions for us, ONE. Is she a difficult old woman? YES. Is this somehow a unique experience to her/us? Is it all somehow our doing? NO. The examples Ive listed are seriously a SMALL sampling of the last 4 months. Its been a horrifying eye opener. Keep yourself healthy and PLEASE educate yourself so you can know what to ask and when to say yes or no etc. Some staff are very nice. Its clear their systems are not working and maybe they are understaffed. The patient is responsible for a lot which is ok if thats so but no one communicates that to the patient or family. Waiting 3 hours in a room for a doctor when you were there on time for your appointment, sick and sitting there with no one even coming in to say anything..... crazy. Ill leave it at that.

SM

SmartSysta Knows

Poor Services and Very Unprofessional! Pros: I went through the wrong section of this center because I thought it was the entrance to the Childrens emergency room. A staff member stopped what they was doing, put up the "be right back" sign, and personally walked with us to the correct destination. Their actions made a great first impression. Cons: However, upon arrival, the front desk was manned with two staff members that completely ignored us. I stood there several minutes watching the main person do paperwork without acknowledging me, and the other staff member held a conversation with a co-worker. This person finally looked up and asked for the name of my child. I tried to tell this person we were new to the facility and needed new patient paperwork. We went back and forth about this until this person realized I was correct. Once the paperwork was completed we were called to the back immediately for vitals. Unfortunately, the nurse wasnt interested in my childs condition, and stated that we would have to wait in the order of priority. It was finally my childs turn after an hour wait. As we got up to follow the nurse, a parent walked in with a baby. This same nurse asked us to hold on. The nurse proceeded to listen to what the baby needs were then took the baby into the back. The same nurse returned and told us that the rooms werent ready and the baby had to be taken before us. This was understandable at first, but two different nurses did the same thing to us TWICE! Yes, both attempts to be called to back ended with another being taken before us. I obviously believed my childs condition was serious enough to warrant a visit to this facility. Being treated like this made us feel like we were less than human, and my childs needs wasnt serious enough for warrant treatment. This situation also made us feel like being a minority was a problem as well. The lobby was not full during our wait. In fact, we were the only two people sitting in the lobby for the majority of the 127 minutes we were there. My child ended up going into severe anaphylaxis, which is very life threatening. So, I left this place immediately and went to a facility nearby. Needless to say, if I could give a negative rating I would, but I can only go as low as one star. I will never visit this facility again. This was an awful experience that no one should have to endure. If the horrible treatment was done by one staff member then I would chalk it up to unprofessionalism, but my encounters with SEVERAL staff members was poor, and I equate this to POOR SERVICES rendered!

CL

Clayton Roan

My opinion is, If you think you need to go to Banner UMCs (or any other) patient advocasy/patient relations department, or are referred there or approached by them for any reason, consult a lawyer instead. And never fill out a patient survey form after treatment, by them or any departments or doctors. These advocay departments and surveys are set up as an infirmation gathering arm of their legal department. By documenting a complaint, you are alerting them of a potential legal oroblem, and giving them the unformation they need to cover it up. Even positive reviews can be used against you if you discover a problem later. The legal department scripts the administration and medical staff on what to say based on the very information you have supplied them. And, Banner UMC is state tax funded, and special rules apply to them. You must file a notice of intent to sue within 180 days of discoverying a problem, which they defend rigorously,, and, unlike any other hospital or medical group in Arizona, there is a 1 year statute of limitations instead if 2. Banner UMC may have the latest equipment and technology, but their treatment is diminished by lagging information between sometimes scores of doctors who outrank each other. NEVER leave your loved ones side. Keep a written log with date, time, vent, caregivers name, and any problems or conflicting information that transpires, medication changes, dosages, etc. Three shifts of doctors and nurses misdiagnosed my wfe, while a 1st year D.O. at a rural clinic identified in about 15 seconds as being a blood clot running from the I.V. site up to the base of my wifes skull. There js not enough room to write about my wufes and my horrifying exoerience at UMC, and the legal mameuvering and lies that were used to cover it up. These types if occurrances permiated her treatment. This system cost my wife her life and precluded UMC from being held liable, in my God sworn opinion, And, this is a teaching hospital, so this is how the students are being tutored...when the rubber hits the road, image is everything, and create that image any way possible, from tooting your own horn, to lying and scapegoating the patient, and unscrupulous legal policies and procedures, God help us all