Gunderson Lutheran MC

Feedback posted by the public

Location	La Crosse, WI
Bariatric Surgeons believe to have operated at this hospital: Matthew Baker, M.D. Margaret M. Inman M.D. Shanu Kothari, M.D.

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View other hospitals in Wisconsin where bariatric surgery is performed.

Number of Contributors: 25

Subjective reviews below are relayed merely as a partial and incomplete research tool.

Survey Questions:

How would you rate its overall value? (“Overall Value”)
How well equipped was the hospital to handle overweight patients? (“Oversized Equipped”)
How sensitive was the staff to the needs of overweight patients? (“Oversized Sensitive”)
How safe did you feel that the hospital was well equipped enough to handle any medical emergency that might arise during your stay there? (“Multi Security”)
How much privacy did you feel the hospital gave you? (“Privacy”)
How responsive did you feel the hospital was in giving you pain medications? (“Pain Medications”)
How restfully quiet did you find your experience? (“Quiet”)
How accommodating was the hospital in allowing visitors to see you? (“Visiting”)
How responsive do you feel the staff was in helping you with your general needs during your stay? (“Staff Responsive”)
How would you rate the parking accomodations? (“Parking”)
How did you select this hospital? (“How Selected”)
How would you compare this hospital to others that you have been to? (“Competitors”)
What other comments do you have about this hospital? (“Comments”)

Posted by:	Katy B. (Posted on January 28, 2008)
Overall Value:	Excellent	Oversized Equipped:	Excellent	Oversized Sensitive:	Excellent
Multi Security:	Excellent	Privacy:	Excellent	Pain Medication:	Excellent
Quiet:	Excellent	Visiting:	Excellent	Staff Responsive:	Excellent
Parking:	Good
How Selected:	Recommended by physician
Competitors:	This is the best hospital I have ever been admitted to.
Comments:	I would recommend Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center to anyone in the area looking to have Laproscopic Gastric Bypass. Dr. Kothari and Dr. Baker are the best in the area hands down. The staff and nutritionists are phenominal and I couldn't have asked for a better experience.

Posted by:	Connie S. (Posted on May 7, 2007)
Overall Value:	Excellent	Oversized Equipped:	Excellent	Oversized Sensitive:	Excellent
Multi Security:	Excellent	Privacy:	Good	Pain Medication:	Good
Quiet:	Average	Visiting:	Good	Staff Responsive:	Excellent
Parking:	Average
How Selected:	This is the only hospital in La Crosse that does WLS.
Competitors:	NA
Comments:	Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center is a teaching hospital. It has state of the art equipment and the staff is fantastic. We also have an excellent nursing college in town (Viterbo) so we get the cream of the crop at GLMC.

Posted by:	Deactivated Member (Posted on January 6, 2007)
Overall Value:	Excellent	Oversized Equipped:	Excellent	Oversized Sensitive:	Excellent
Multi Security:	Excellent	Privacy:	Good	Pain Medication:	Excellent
Quiet:	Average	Visiting:	Excellent	Staff Responsive:	Excellent
Parking:	Excellent
How Selected:	Their bariatric program is very well known throughout the Midwest. I feel personally that they probably have one of the best bariatric programs in the country.
Comments:	The staff at Gundersen Lutheran has been nothing but exceptional, very caring, very concerned for patient well-being, all around completely wonderful!!

Posted by:	Vanessa H. (Posted on October 27, 2006)
Overall Value:	Average	Oversized Equipped:	Average	Oversized Sensitive:	Good
Multi Security:	Poor	Privacy:	Good	Pain Medication:	Very Poor
Quiet:	Poor	Visiting:	Excellent	Staff Responsive:	Average
Parking:	Excellent
How Selected:	Insurance, doctor
Competitors:	Cann't
Comments:	My bad incidents were single issues, but all rolled up into one it was a bad experience AFTER the surgery-- the surgery went great; it was the lack of getting my regular pain meds for my back, (The IV was going into my hand, not a vein!) and the bed was horrible to get in and out of... it was torture! stuff like that.

Posted by:	Dan K. (Posted on September 2, 2006)
Overall Value:	Good	Oversized Equipped:	Good	Oversized Sensitive:	Good
Multi Security:	Excellent	Privacy:	Excellent	Pain Medication:	Poor
Quiet:	Good	Visiting:	Excellent	Staff Responsive:	Good
Parking:	Good
How Selected:	The best in the area for this procedure.
Comments:	2 major complaints: The bed. NOT designed for someone of my height. This was never addressed and resulted in little to no sleep for 3 days. Pain control: I mentioned in advance that 4 hour meds last for about 2 hours with me. There was only one effort to bridge the gap over a 2 day period, regardless of my complaints. The whole 1-10 scale doesn't work very well for me, I always tend to understate pain and grit my teeth.

Posted by:	Deactivated Member (Posted on June 25, 2005)
Overall Value:	Excellent	Oversized Equipped:	Excellent	Oversized Sensitive:	Excellent
Multi Security:	Excellent	Privacy:	Excellent	Pain Medication:	Average
Quiet:	Good	Visiting:	Excellent	Staff Responsive:	Excellent
Parking:	Good

Posted by:	Catherine H. (Posted on June 18, 2005)
Overall Value:	N/A	Oversized Equipped:	Excellent	Oversized Sensitive:	Good
Multi Security:	Excellent	Privacy:	Good	Pain Medication:	Good
Quiet:	Average	Visiting:	Excellent	Staff Responsive:	Excellent
Parking:	Average
How Selected:	I work here.
Competitors:	We have the bariatric services.
Comments:	A renowned bariatric facility. Great progress with lap bypass procedures. Great outcomes.

Posted by:	Brenda S. (Posted on September 22, 2004)
Overall Value:	Excellent	Oversized Equipped:	Excellent	Oversized Sensitive:	Excellent
Multi Security:	Excellent	Privacy:	Good	Pain Medication:	Excellent
Quiet:	Average	Visiting:	Excellent	Staff Responsive:	Excellent
Parking:	Average
How Selected:	work here; know the doctor
Competitors:	have not stayed in any other hospital

Posted by:	Robin D. (Posted on May 20, 2004)
Overall Value:	Good	Oversized Equipped:	Good	Oversized Sensitive:	Good
Multi Security:	Excellent	Privacy:	Excellent	Pain Medication:	Excellent
Quiet:	Good	Visiting:	Excellent	Staff Responsive:	Excellent
Parking:	Good
How Selected:	Only place in the area to have the surgery.
Competitors:	Only hospital I've ever stayed at.
Comments:	Nursing staff was great. Very compassionate and helpful in treating my nausea after the surgery.

Posted by:	Kris A. (Posted on February 15, 2004)
Overall Value:	Excellent	Oversized Equipped:	Excellent	Oversized Sensitive:	Excellent
Multi Security:	Excellent	Privacy:	Average	Pain Medication:	Excellent
Quiet:	Very Poor	Visiting:	Excellent	Staff Responsive:	Excellent
Parking:	Average
How Selected:	The only hospital in my area that does surgery. Location along with Dr. Kothari being rated one of the best in his field!
Competitors:	#1
Comments:	Overall, I had a very good experience at Gundersen Lutheran.

Posted by:	Linda B. (Posted on September 24, 2003)
Overall Value:	Excellent	Oversized Equipped:	Excellent	Oversized Sensitive:	Excellent
Multi Security:	Excellent	Privacy:	Excellent	Pain Medication:	Excellent
Quiet:	Excellent	Visiting:	Excellent	Staff Responsive:	Excellent
Parking:	Good
How Selected:	I live not to far from this hospital and I doctor there.
Competitors:	The care and the concern of the nurses and doctors are very good.
Comments:	I had my surgery and I found that the nurses really care about you and the care I recieved was excelent to others I have seen.

Posted by:	Lara P. (Posted on April 20, 2003)
Overall Value:	Good	Oversized Equipped:	Good	Oversized Sensitive:	Good
Multi Security:	Excellent	Privacy:	Good	Pain Medication:	Good
Quiet:	Average	Visiting:	Good	Staff Responsive:	Excellent
Parking:	Poor
How Selected:	This is my local facility. I have everything I could need here and am fortunate I didn't have to look elsewhere.
Competitors:	This hospital is better that the other one in town. That is my opinion, of course.

Posted by:	Kara R. (Posted on April 18, 2003)
Overall Value:	Excellent	Oversized Equipped:	Good	Oversized Sensitive:	Excellent
Multi Security:	Excellent	Privacy:	Good	Pain Medication:	Excellent
Quiet:	Good	Visiting:	Excellent	Staff Responsive:	Excellent
Parking:	Average
Comments:	The only issue I had was with the toilets in the hospital. They had handicapped rails on either side that made them very difficult for me to access.

Posted by:	Richarda W. (Posted on December 14, 2002)
Overall Value:	Excellent	Oversized Equipped:	Excellent	Oversized Sensitive:	Excellent
Multi Security:	Good	Privacy:	Excellent	Pain Medication:	Good
Quiet:	Good	Visiting:	Excellent	Staff Responsive:	Excellent
Parking:	Average
How Selected:	They are the ones that the insurance company uses.
Competitors:	They were extremely nice at the hospital. I received very good care.
Comments:	They were great at the hospital. The nurses were very compassionate and kind.

Posted by:	Sue A. (Posted on December 6, 2002)
Overall Value:	Excellent	Oversized Equipped:	Excellent	Oversized Sensitive:	Excellent
Multi Security:	Excellent	Privacy:	Excellent	Pain Medication:	Excellent
Quiet:	Excellent	Visiting:	Excellent	Staff Responsive:	Excellent
Parking:	Excellent
How Selected:	It offered the procedure laproscopically and was within an hour of my home
Competitors:	Better than Mayo Clinic. Much better care and conditions.
Comments:	I had a wonderful experience with the staff and hospital. I would recommend this hospital without hesitation.

Posted by:	Melissa L. (Posted on November 11, 2002)
Overall Value:	Excellent	Oversized Equipped:	Excellent	Oversized Sensitive:	Excellent
Multi Security:	Excellent	Privacy:	Excellent	Pain Medication:	Excellent
Quiet:	Excellent	Visiting:	Excellent	Staff Responsive:	Excellent
Parking:	Good
How Selected:	Gundersen Lutheran is my hospital of choice. It's where I get most of my surgical procedures taken care of.
Competitors:	I think the level of care and consideration as well as the practices are much much better than my local hospital.
Comments:	I received excellent care with my surgery. Pain care was wonderful. The ladies that took care of me are the best! I'd recommend GLMC any time.

Posted by:	Teresa A. (Posted on October 18, 2002)
Overall Value:	Excellent	Oversized Equipped:	Excellent	Oversized Sensitive:	Excellent
Multi Security:	Good	Privacy:	Good	Pain Medication:	Average
Quiet:	Good	Visiting:	Excellent	Staff Responsive:	Good
Parking:	Average
How Selected:	It was the hospital in my insurance plan and I had also gotten recommendations from others.
Competitors:	It was better than my home area hospital. I thought the care came faster and they were just better equipped.
Comments:	I was very pleased with the staff, they were so curtious and eager to please me. My only complaint was that I didn't get my pain medication on time the first day after surgery. I finally got a pump and then I was fine. I understand that it was more a policy of the surgeon, rather than the staff, to withold the pump for a while. Over all, I was very pleased with my hospital stay and would recommend anyone to Gundersen Lutheran Hospital.

Posted by:	Laurie F. (Posted on October 13, 2002)
Overall Value:	Excellent	Oversized Equipped:	Excellent	Oversized Sensitive:	Excellent
Multi Security:	Excellent	Privacy:	Excellent	Pain Medication:	Excellent
Quiet:	Good	Visiting:	Excellent	Staff Responsive:	Excellent
Parking:	Average
How Selected:	my Primary Care Physician
Competitors:	they are both excellent ( I use both facilities)
Comments:	The day of my surgery the pre op nurses were awesome... went in to surgery and was up and moving by the end of the day. The Surgical nursing staff that cared for me postoperatively was wonderful. They were very attentive to my pain and there was one nurse on the staff that had actually had open rny the year prior so she could relate. The only thing that truly sucked was the leak test ( the stuff that they make you drink so they can see if you are having problems post op before they will allow you a clear liquid tray ) tastes disgusting... smells like lemon furniture polish. Oh and I forgot the gas pain postoperatively...

Posted by:	Jenny F. (Posted on September 5, 2002)
Overall Value:	Average	Oversized Equipped:	Good	Oversized Sensitive:	Average
Multi Security:	Excellent	Privacy:	Good	Pain Medication:	Poor
Quiet:	Poor	Visiting:	Excellent	Staff Responsive:	Average
Parking:	Average
How Selected:	This is the only hospital in my area performing this procedure.
Competitors:	It's comparable to other hospitals I've been in.
Comments:	The first thing that was a little upsetting was that before I was put on the patient controlled meds, it took forever to get the pain meds. I would hit the call button, 10 min later the nursing assistant came in, she went to tell the nurse, who then came in to see what 'level' of pain I was at, then go check my chart, and another 15 minutes later I'd get the medication. By then the pain had really taken hold. Then I finally got that wonderful button and I'm so glad they pinned it to me - I always knew where it was and had a pretty good day that day. The second thing that was upsetting was that there were times I wasn't able to find the nurse button so I had to just be at their mercy to decide to check on me (I had a private room). I felt they needed to be a little more pro-active. The last thing that was upsetting was that on the last morning I was there, I soiled myself thinking it was gas. Anyway the toilet in my room was flanked by the wall on one side and the sink on another. There was no room at all to clean myself. The nurse made an attempt to clean the surface but that was not near enough. Thirty minutes later they said how would you like to go home... I made it happen within the hour! I wanted out of there so badly that I left the soiled gown and a beautiful card and Mother Book that my daughter gave me. The only good thing I can say about the experience is that the surgery is over with and Gunderson actually mailed my gown (still soiled), card and book to me. I'm so glad Dr. Kothari's staff is nothing like this!

Posted by:	Whitley T. (Posted on August 7, 2002)
Overall Value:	Average	Oversized Equipped:	Good	Oversized Sensitive:	Good
Multi Security:	Good	Privacy:	Good	Pain Medication:	Good
Quiet:	Good	Visiting:	Average	Staff Responsive:	Poor
Parking:	Average
How Selected:	This is where my surgern is, So this is where my hospitial stay was.
Competitors:	Well I first feel that the initial care was ok, but follow through was lacking. It seems to me as though the right hand did not know what the left was doing. With the nursing staff, there were a few that were so dedicated and so in tune with your care, then the next shift, it was a complete change around. Some women I feel have choosen the wrong career, If you don't have the bedside manner stay out of nursing. So to the director of nursing please hire those who have the ability to interact with the patients, not just have the medical knowledge.
Comments:	I spent a lot of the time being uncomfortable, and frusterated with my care. I was very rarely "Offered" anything, And had to ask for the simple things, like more blankets, assistance in getting to the bathroom,When my drainage tube would leek I never once was offered a clean gown, or my sheets changed. I was lucky that I got a sponge bath, and that I had to ask for and give to myself the day after the surgery. I also requeasted sum chicken broth from the kitchen and I was told that they were unable to get it for me. Found that "ODD" And I guess that the worst part again was the right hand not knowing what the left was doing. So if looking for the TLC I feel that this was lacking here at Gunderson Luthern. By the way, I was also not given sum of my medications that I have taken all of my adult life, They are for Depression and I guess this again was an error that of communication, even after several times of reminding, it was never resolved. Kinda difficult to get over a major surgery and being depressed all at the same time. Make sure if this is the Hosp. You will using that your needs and concerns be in a written form including any medication that you may be on, so it will not get over looked. Because in the end, I'm paying for it. To the few wonderful nurses, I thank-you.

Posted by:	Stacy W. (Posted on June 2, 2002)
Overall Value:	Excellent	Oversized Equipped:	Excellent	Oversized Sensitive:	Excellent
Multi Security:	Excellent	Privacy:	Excellent	Pain Medication:	Excellent
Quiet:	Good	Visiting:	Excellent	Staff Responsive:	Excellent
Parking:	Poor
How Selected:	It was close to home and Dr. Kothari also did Lap RNY.
Competitors:	I have had family members use this hospital and I have also and I really felt comfortable with them. I would highly recommend them.
Comments:	I was very impressed with Dr. Kothari and his staff. He was to the point and made me feel very comfortable. I never felt like a freak and his staff was very supportive.

Posted by:	Shelli K. (Posted on May 3, 2002)
Overall Value:	Excellent	Oversized Equipped:	Excellent	Oversized Sensitive:	Excellent
Multi Security:	Excellent	Privacy:	Excellent	Pain Medication:	Excellent
Quiet:	Average	Visiting:	Excellent	Staff Responsive:	Excellent
Parking:	Average
How Selected:	This hospital is my primary care hospital as dictated by insurance, but it is the only hospital I would want to have my procedure done at. I have been a "guest" at Gundersen Lutheran before, for a prolonged amount of time, and I felt my care there has always been excellent. Although I am only an hour away from the Mayo Clinic, I would still choose Gundersen Lutheran, as surgeon Dr. Kothari performs the laproscopic RNY, and Mayo does not.
Competitors:	I have never been a "guest" at any other hospital, but I did need to go to the other hospital in town and believe me, I certainly prefer Gundersen Lutheran! The other hospital does not perform any bariatric sugery (to my knowledge) and will not give blood transfusions, which has been neccessary for me in the past.
Comments:	During my stay for the Lap RNY EVERYONE treated me very well. Everything was explained to me, and I was never treated like a "freak". I had some unusual anatomy for Dr. Kothari to work around, and everything went perfectly. The hospital is large enough to provide any services neccessary, but all of the staff I encountered made me feel at home. Even staff I had encountered during my previous stay (4 months) came to see me during my bariatric visit. That says a lot about the environment there. I will need plastic surgery and a hernia (previous illness) repaired at some point, and I have no reservations about going back to Gundersen Lutheran.

Posted by:	Melissa M. (Posted on April 30, 2002)
Overall Value:	Good	Oversized Equipped:	Excellent	Oversized Sensitive:	Excellent
Multi Security:	Excellent	Privacy:	Excellent	Pain Medication:	Excellent
Quiet:	Average	Visiting:	Excellent	Staff Responsive:	Excellent
Parking:	Good
How Selected:	My surgeon works out of this hospital and I have been to Gunderson before.
Competitors:	They are a top-rate facility.
Comments:	The hospital and staff went out of their way to make my stay a comfortable one.

Posted by:	Mary K. (Posted on March 23, 2002)
Overall Value:	Excellent	Oversized Equipped:	Good	Oversized Sensitive:	Excellent
Multi Security:	Excellent	Privacy:	Good	Pain Medication:	Excellent
Quiet:	Good	Visiting:	Excellent	Staff Responsive:	Excellent
Parking:	Average
How Selected:	I chose Gundersen, mainly because Dr. Kothari was there, however Gundersen is an excellent hospital.
Competitors:	Above average.
Comments:	All in all Gundersen Hospital did everything, gave everything and supplied everything a person undergoing WLS needed.

Posted by:	Diane H. (Posted on February 2, 2002)
Overall Value:	Excellent	Oversized Equipped:	Good	Oversized Sensitive:	Good
Multi Security:	Excellent	Privacy:	Good	Pain Medication:	Excellent
Quiet:	Good	Visiting:	Excellent	Staff Responsive:	Excellent
Parking:	Poor
How Selected:	It is in my hometown.
Competitors:	I was very happy with the hospital and staff.
Comments:	The staff was great!

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