Alton Memorial Hospital

Reviews 3

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Kelly Rae

I would NEVER go to ALTON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL unless there is something completely obvious (broken bone, etc) wrong with me. This was my horrible experience: Presented with severe abdominal pain on 7/4/13 at Alton Memorial Hospital. The ER doctor discovered pregnancy (normal, 5 weeks) and an ovarian cyst. I insisted Id had PCOS and cysts my whole life, and had never felt such intense pain from them. He just argued, "Youve never been pregnant before, either." He prescribed Vicodin, and sent me home. Although I had doubts about his diagnosis, he was right that Id never been pregnant before, and hes a DOCTOR, so I thought that it *might be* possible pregnancy hormones/changes in my body could cause the excess pain...in other words, despite my own feelings, because he was a DOCTOR, I chose to TRUST him. BIG MISTAKE. The pain persisted, but was duller with medication -- for awhile. Then, it got WORSE. I could barely breathe and was pouring sweat due to the pain, when I went to the ALTON MEMORIAL ER again on 7/13/13. (Once in the patient ER room, I waited over an hour for any type of pain management drug, too!!) The same ER doctor did same tests and concluded same result. "Your cyst has grown; thats why the pain is more intense," he declared. This time, I was completely ADAMANT there was something else wrong. He wouldnt listen to me. He just prescribed higher-dose Vicodin and told me to rest at home, but I didnt go home. I went *directly* to ANDERSON HOSPITAL in MARYVILLE, where the ER doctor there found an abdominal hernia just by touch-exam (something the ALTON MEMORIAL doctor totally missed), and immediately ordered a CT, which found massive pockets of infection -- diagnosis: diverticulitis. I was admitted to Anderson hospital, where I stayed for 10 days. I had IV antibiotics, and they gave me a morphine drip to control the *SEVERE* pain. I had two surgical drains implanted, underwent more scans, and over the course of all this, I lost the baby. And even after the drains, they couldnt get all the infection without putting me under and slicing me open to irrigate. IF ALTON MEMORIAL DOC HAD CAUGHT THE INFECTION on 7/4/13, **NINE** DAYS PRIOR, theres a chance the infection couldve been treated with just oral or IV antibiotics, and I maybe I wouldnt have lost the baby, and maybe I wouldnt have had to have those painful procedures and surgery (which Im *still* recovering from, BTW). Nine days. The infection brewed for NINE more days than it shouldve. And, because I didnt know what not to eat (and I was pregnant, so I was eating healthy...eating all the things that would make tears in my intestines bigger, roughage...), the infection worsened. NINE days!!! I cannot express how terrible it feels to live 5 minutes away from a hospital, but I cant TRUST them, so I have to drive all the way from Alton to Maryville to get CARE. Hey -- I know doctors have been educated, but *some* doctors need to learn and understand that weve been living in our bodies our entire lives, and that should count for something. When I say, "that isnt this pain," and, "I *know* theres something else wrong with me", I expect a doctor to take that completely seriously. I wasnt demanding a specific test or telling him how to do his job -- I was only providing him with the patient feedback that shouldve suggested to him the possibility that his diagnosis was, at least, incomplete. And he totally overlooked/missed the hernia... Just dont go to Alton Memorial unless theres something obvious (broken bone, etc) wrong with you. They wont listen. They didnt listen to me --- TWICE, and I lost my baby over it.

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Melissa Hughes

Hi, I was a patient in the emergency department. Im am writing you this, on behalf of how I was treated by the Head Nurse, Doctor, & Nurse. I was in the waiting area, for about 10 minutes. I was sent back to a room, with horrible pain in my tonsils, & horrible cough, migrane, & runny nose, black salvia, & chest pain etc. The doctor came in before the nurse, & was very rude. He did not do a strep throat test. He checked my breathing, and that was it. I then asked, "are you going to do a strep throat test, or check for mono?" He did not. He had said, "Im going to just put you on antibotics, & Pain Medicine, then your good to go." Which I knew I wasnt good to go because my blood pressure hadnt even been checked by the nurse. I asked him, "what about my blood pressure?" He then was very mean, & had said I was being rude for asking questions. I didnt use vulgar language. I was sick, I just wanted to find out what was wrong. This ER doctors name was SAM. He left the room, (never came back), didnt even mind asking me what I was allergic to before he wrote me antibiotics. The nurse finally came in, blood pressure was just fine. But I was upset, he didnt look at my throat, and he acted like he was mad and in a hurry. They didnt ask me my weight or heighth. & the nurse asked me what I was allergic to, I told her PENICILLIN, then I asked the nurse if the doctor was coming back in the room I had a few questions. I then sit for 20 minutes, and the head nurse comes in, has my antibiotics written, she says you were being very rude to the doctor and I said why am I being treated wrong, Im the patient, I know youve might of had a bad day from recontrusting the building, but I dont deserve this. She said, you get what you deserve now sign the discharge papers so you can be discharged. I then said, he didnt even tell me what antibiotics he was putting me on. She told me. Then I notice the security gaurd standing at the door, I ask her, well can I get a strep throat test done? She says, NO sign the papers this is why the security guard is here you wont listen. I told her, I didnt even do anything except ask a couple questions. Security guard then says, "sign the papers your discharged", I signed the papers. & the security gaurd says " WHY WOULD YOU come here from Benld IL anyways?" That hurt my feelings. I was sick. I live in woodriver now just havent had time to change the address. I asked him, is there a paper or something I can fill out for how I was treated as we were walking out the door, he demands that the hospital doesnt do that, they will call me in a few days. I just want to let you know, your staff was very mean to me. Not to mention, I get ALL the way to Walmart to get my antibiotics and there was amoxicillin which has penicillin in it. I have never been treated so poorly. I didnt come there for pain medicine, I wanted to know what was wrong with me I felt terrible. I would say you need to talk to your staff about how they treat patients. It isnt right.

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Ashley Payne

My son is 15 months old and he had a fever of 103 temp and I was at work and got the call that he didnt feel good. I went to the alton memorial take care Center in godfrey and they didnt take my insurance and after I bundled up my sick baby for the second time I started freaking out crying. We went to the alton memorial er and was seen immediately and was treated with the utmost importance. All the nurses and nurse techs were very attentive and super nice and respectful :) it was nice to see all the smiles and friendly faces in there at my time of panic! The nurse techs name was Donna and she was my FAVORITE!! She assured me that I was doing everything correctly and that I was a good mother and that everything was going to be okay and gave me alot of knowledge on what to worry about and what was just a virus! I appreciate all of youre staff and receptions! :) thank you for youre kindness and youre time! I give you five thumbs up!