2 Star User Review
I am writing this review in response to unacceptable interaction I experienced while attempting to advocate for a church friend whose husband was a patient at your facility receiving therapy following a stroke. My limited observation as to his physical treatment led me to conclude that the effort put into his care to be adequate and acceptable. The interaction with his wife and me was dismal. There was a discharge plan meeting scheduled for 10 AM on May 11. All the participants from our end were there before 10. We waited in the paitent's room until 10:10. At that time the person in charge of the meeting came to get us, and as we were going down the hall to the conference room, she began telling us that we had to be finished at 10:30 because there were other families waiting. The paitent's wife is handicapped herself, so by the time we reached the room it was 10:15. There was another delay that was not the fault of the staff. The wife requested that her daughter be contacted for a conference call. After failing at that attempt, it was now close to 10:20. We were reminded numerous times that the leader didn't want to be rude, but we needed to speed the process along. The OT gave a good report supplying needed information. The rest of the time was spent discussing the medical equipment that would be ordered for the patient to use after arriving home. There was little/no time to absorb the information, much less to form and ask questions. Then we were informed that the discharge person would not be at work on Fri. or Mon., but the leader said to contact her with any questions, as we were ushered from the room. It was in common vernacular a bum rush job. There was actually no legitimate concern for the family at all. Later, I left the leader a voice mail asking for a call back, which I never received. On Mon. afternoon I left the discharge person a voice jail requesting a call on Tues. morning when she returned to work. At 11AM, I called her. I asked her about the arrangements for the patient's transportation home. I was told that I was told that it would cost $50- $60 depending on how far he was transported. All I wanted to know was who was in charge of making the arrangements, her or the family. None of this would have occurred if time had been even close to adequate for understanding at the meeting.
This afternoon, I received a call from another friend whose husband and another gentleman had volunteered to transport the patient home. They arrived at the facility before 11, the time we were told he would need to be picked up. It seems that the nursing staff wasn't notified that the patient was being discharged that day, and there was some sort of computer issue going on. The patient, his wife and the others stood out in the hall for 45 minutes without any communication from the staff. The only way they got attention was that finally a "tie guy"/manager walked by and the wife approached him and asked what was going on. They were never even offered a place to sit and wait. I'm sorry, but this treatment is completely unacceptable. I realize that the staff is slammed everyday. However, they chose the jobs they have and should be ready to serve their clients accordingly. I was unaware of the rating of your facility until I came to the website. Then I realized that our situation was not a blip on the screen. It seems similar encounters are experienced by many of your customers. It is a shame that those most vulnerable receive poor, disrespectful treatment, especially since Charlotte Health… is a for profit organization. It is a lovely place which, if run with high expectations could become a 5 star center. I truly hope the effort and modifications are made with altruism in mind in order to reach that goal of being of service to those in need. Alice Bayne