Alvarado Hospital Hospital

Once nurse in particular was especially wicked, she really should not be a bariatric nurse. OFELIA! Beware of Her!!!

So far, the staff at the hospital has been fabulous. Im still early in the process, so Ill post more later.

The staff was great...the hospital was clean.

Excellent staff.

I have to say that I felt like I was spoiled the whole time that I was there. I had my own private "suite" (although, everyone has their own room- this one was far better) I was taking care of by the most caring and professional nursing staff (Ofelia was my day nurse and the one that helped me the most) and I was touched by the fact that she was supposed to have today off, but, had her schedule rearranged so that she could be with me on my last day on the ward. She was a great help to me in getting cleaned up, with pain management and over all her attitude was very pleasant!

NO COMPLAINTS

The hospital was clean, quiet, people were great and it was a comfortable place to be.

Very disappointed in the hospital billing department. One of my bills had part of my twin sister's test billed to me. It took them a year and half to straighten it out, ecen though, at the time we were so careful to keep everything seperated. My ins. company sent them a check for $70,000 and then, after a year and a half they still wanted $400 more from me. Considering how much my ins had already paid and I know my sister's ins. paid less that $20,000 to them since they were contracted with them at the time I would have thought they would have let the $400 go but they have not. Always be careful when dealing with a Tenant hospital, especially in their billing dept. because the accounts receivable dept will try and get you to pay for services you never had. Check your bills nd question everything!!! Just because it's on a printed bill doesn't not mean it is correct.

The staff on the bariatric unit at Alvarado Hospital were exceptional. Specially trained in bariatrics and WLS, they are sensitive and aware. Lilia stood out as an outstanding nurse, with a great deal of knowledge and a healing touch.

Poor care. Poor standards of care. Because of my medical training, it wasn't hard to see the poor quality of care. I think it would be difficult of an average person to spot it. Just because a nurse is nice, that isn't necessarily good care. Overweight people are so used to being treated poorly by the world, that when someone is nice I think many are just relieved.

My suggestion to prospective patients is take someone with you who knows something about good nursing care and have them with you as much as possible. If you can, take two people with you to San Diego. You and they should ask questions about everything. Keep staff on their toes. Expect respect. Expect them to spend time with you and explain everything.

Ask for pain medicine if you hurt at all. Insist upon it. You should not be in pain. And, you won't become addicted. No chance. All personnel should wash hands BEFORE they touch you. They should wash hands at sink as they come in the room. Ask them to if they don't. Ask them to wear gloves.

Be assertive. It won't come naturally because of the way you will be feeling, so make it your mantra before you go to surgery. Tell your surgery partners to be assertive for you, too. It will save your life.