Seton Northwest Hospital

Reviews 3

JE

Jeanne Williamson

There are so many issues here, but the bottom line is that this hospital exists mainly to make money, not to provide healthcare. It is a business first and a hospital last. I highly recommend that you seek medical care elsewhere. The staff members that call you the day before your scheduled appointment are like loan sharks or enforcers of some sort. All they want is your money. When I was called they told me that it was required that I have a payment of $315.00 before my procedure was done. I questioned that because I have insurance and they couldnt even file with my insurance company until the procedure was done. They said that the $315.00 was my co-insurance (not co-pay) amount. When I asked them how they came up with that figure they said that my insurance company told them that this was the amount I would have to pay. At this point I called my insurance company and asked them if they gave a monetary figure to the hospital regarding what my procedure would cost. They said that it would have been illegal for them to quote a price to the hospital. The morning of my procedure there were only three or four people in the waiting room. There was only one admitting clerk. I was asked to arrive at 6:30 in the morning, an hour earlier than I was originally scheduled. I did not get processed in for admission for my procedure until an hour and a half to two hours later, at this point there were over twenty plus people in the waiting area, several who arrived after me, but were processed through before me. During the admission process, the staff member was reading notes that were on my paperwork out loud regarding the conversation I had with the staff member the day before about the payment of $315.00. She said something about me refusing to pay the hospital. She said it was Setons policy to collect 25% of what a procedure would cost. The clerks attitude and interaction with me were nothing close to how anyone should be treated. I responded by saying that I wasnt refusing to pay them, I just didnt believe that the amount I would owe the hospital would be the amount that they were requesting. The percentage of what my responsibility (if any) would be with my insurance would have been less than 25% so I told her that I would pay them $100.00. If I owed them any more they could bill me. In the pre-op room a nurse took bloody gauze from me without any gloves after she checked my glucose level. This caused some tension, and I didnt even know how to respond to it. I felt like I needed to contact Seton Northwest to talk to them about my experience, which I did. It took a few days of calling and leaving messages before getting any response. I brought up the Seton Northwest website and the policies regarding insurance and the fact that nothing stated that co-insurance was required at the time of service. Since I first contacted Seton Northwest, they have changed their website. They have changed it so it now says that all deductibles, co-pays and/or coinsurances are due at the time of service. My insurance covered my procedure at 100%, they sent full payment to Seton NW on March 13, 2015. Seton received the payment on March 18, 2015. This means that Seton NW owes me $100.00. I called the billing department at Seton today to inquire about them refunding the money I unnecessarily paid them. The person I spoke to said that their system showed that they have a credit showing for me, and he would have the payment processed. I asked why it had not already been processed, being that they received payment three weeks ago. He said now that I have called the process will be expedited. If I had not called would I have received my money back? If so, how long would it have taken?

DU

Duana Welch

Seton NW extorts 25% of the patients fee up-front or refuses the patient access to surgery. Here, the letter I wrote about my experience on 1/6/2014 To Those It Concerns, I am writing in regard to one of your employees and her leveraging of an apparent hospital policy. Yesterday, I encountered courtesy, compassion, and professionalism from all but one of your staff and volunteers: Ms. Amanda Hall, Team Lead of Patient Access/cashier. Although I was concerned about pain from the 8mm kidney stone I was there to treat, and was additionally hungry and thirsty from nearly 2 days of restricted diet, Ms. Hall’s only concern was to get 25% of the hospital’s fee from me up-front. Indeed, when my husband asked to pay $100 down, Ms. Hall insisted that we either pay $260, or else not obtain the procedure. Specifically, she indicated she would call the surgeon and reschedule to another day—at which point we would still be required to pay $260 or not have the procedure. I re-stated that position to her to make sure I had heard her correctly, that I would be denied treatment without 25% up-front despite our explanations that Christmas has just passed, our taxes just paid, and cash is tight. She remained unmoved, instead approaching the anesthesiology team and getting them to accept no initial payment—leaving Capitol Anesthesiology Association (CAA) them with no money while she successfully extorted the fees from us. We had been prepared to offer each $100 up-front. This is a contrast to my experience two years ago with St. David’s Hospital, where I received start-to-finish compassionate, successful care for a severe mitral valve prolapse. We paid them $100 up-front and had the rest of our bill paid to them within 3 months. I don’t see that occurring here. Our plan, in light of CAA’s compassion and Seton’s lack thereof via Ms. Hall, is to pay CAA as promptly as possible and not to hurry ourselves too much about Seton NW’s financial concerns. Perhaps Ms. Hall is not truly at fault, though. She was, according to herself, only enforcing hospital policy and had no latitude to do otherwise. She didn’t seem to feel any apology, shame, remorse, or wish that the policy was different, mind you; I got the impression she enjoyed making sure she got that $260. But if Seton NW rewards greed over compassion, it is no surprise she has reached a position of leadership. Thus, it seems proper to alert you to the possibility that your non-profit, Catholic hospital lacks the heart of some local for-profits; and that I feel compelled to convey all of this to every person within my influence. Ms. Hall should not bear the brunt of my disillusion if she is only following orders, however willingly; those who set the policy and promoted her as its gatekeeper share the blame. In the meantime, my family and I will seek surgeons who have privileges at St. David’s. They saved my life, willingly and with an attitude from the start, even at the cashier’s, that that was their first concern. Imagine that: a non-religious, for-profit hospital that puts the patient first. Sincerely, Duana C. Welch

CO

Courtney Rue

Been bring my baby over 6months now, and I couldnt ask for a better loving staff, nurses, and doctor. I only wish I had my baby at this hospital too. The reason I didnt at the time was because I was worried (over nothing)that her and I would be separated if anything was wrong with her, but now I wish just so bad that I could have had her at this hospital. Her dad was born at a Seton hospital too, and never had a bad experience back in his day. Im kicking myself in the butt over not having her birth here. I did take a tour and the RN with 4kids and many degrees gave us the baby-tour, and she was really awesome. She answered all my question about the birth. But they didnt hand me a form that was in English to register my daughters birth, but polite baby tour non the less.(In English) The pediatrics is really good with my daughter, informantive, I found out more about my babies health from him than I did in many books I read to prepare for her... He is like family to us! He always answers my questions, even my moms questions, and my sisters questions, and dads questions when he was around. Were on the same page, and he sets out good a treatment plans that work well for my child as she grows for her needs, and just all around great doctor, really really like them! The nurse Rosey, lights up my babies smile with her red scrubs, and baby books. This time she hardly even cried after her vaccinations! The ladies at front desk are just so sweet, and helped squeeze me in for an appointment that fits my busy schedule. If I had to cancel, or get my babies presriptions, and they made it really easy to get her refills at the pharmacy for her thrush without going all over town, and the diaper rash. I absolutely couldnt ask for better service, or a better doctor. I am so glad I came here for my childs care. I highly recommend if u have a child looking for a new place for pediatric care; this place has you covered. Its clean, and my daughter loves looking at their decorations of space ships , butterflies, and nature in the offices, and gall ways I never had a bad nurse here. They all love kids, one gave me a diaper , and wipes when I left mine in the car when she was a newborn. I felt like a mess, and tgey made me feel comfortable new mom. Just such a talented hard working team they got going. They absolutely go above and beyond to attend to every patient, however they do get pretty busy. I feel my baby has the best care available in Austin, and just so thankful/blessed to have them part of my childs care.