Carthage Area Hospital - Carthage (NY)

3 /5 Jamie Cartin: I had a so-so experience. I first started as a radiology patient that then was sent to the ER for a potential obstruction. The radiology reception/check in woman was wonderful! Very empathetic and friendly. The ultrasound tech guy was also very kind and friendly. Radiology was great over all! The ER reception/check in woman was also fantastic. She was very kind and explained things well. Another positive was definitely Dr. Wu! He came in and was very empathetic to my pain while trying to understand what was going on. He never made me feel like a burden and was great about doing his part. The guy who did my CT scan was also cool. Unfortunately, I can’t name any of the nurses or anything. No one introduced themselves to me. I think my main nurse was the guy with the beard, because he tried to take my blood at one point (I had already done a blood test that same day) and informed me I needed a pregnancy urine sample prior to getting a CT. I think he forgot about me, because I waited 40 minutes after giving my urine sample before anyone even came back to check on me. The woman who did check my vitals said, “You’re unhooked!” And I informed her I got unhooked 40 mins prior when I went to pee and no one had come back since then. She was cool enough and had a good sense of humor, which deescalated the situation a bit. I also heard her asking the male nurse if he had forgotten about me. When he came in a few minutes later, he claimed the lab was backed up? Which is concerning since it was a simple pregnancy dip while in the ER. I know none of the nurses names. At one point a third nurse came in and handed me medicine. I asked what it was for, because she hadn’t told me. Her name tag was flipped so I couldn’t see her name. It’s true that you can hear everything going on while there. I don’t mind people having fun at work; in fact I encourage it! I’d rather have people enjoying themselves than miserable, but it was a bit surreal hearing nurses talk illy of people and talk about drinking and partying with certain patients they recognized. I felt like a burden, especially when I’d left the room for tests or to urinate and no one looked up from their computers or acknowledged me in any way. Not only this, but there seemed to be no streamlined communication. No one seemed to know if I had been to my CT yet, so I had the doctor come in confused about why I hadn’t even been there yet. Then I had some random nurse tell me I’d be getting an IV and be sent to my CT scan soon, when I had already been there and the doctor had already come back in to read my results and do further checks. I never got that IV, which probably would have helped with my dehydration and headache haha. Overall, it was a mid experience. The worst ER I’ve been to, but I’ve only been to a few so that’s not saying much. Maybe invest in a streamlined communication method and some empathy training?

1 /5 Tim Hamel: This place is a low budget band aid station. Hours in the ER while nurses discuss what they are going to eat for dinner, or on the computer playing Solitaire. The Doctors at best, must have got their degree from an online degree program. If your loved one needs anything above a band aid send them somewhere else. I keep going back like its a place that will change, but they wont. Close the doors and send everyone to Lewis County Hospital or Samaritan.

5 /5 Heidi Marshall: Brought my mother-in-law to the ER this evening. 1000 thanks to all the staff that treated her kindly, with compassion and with.dignity. I thank you so much PA Wade, X-ray tech Beth, admin Emily & Michelle, Nurse Mitch, Phlebotomist Caitlyn, and ER tech Kelly all get 5 stars from me!

1 /5 Trinity Bigness: My father and I came into the emergency department, and he’s having shortness of breath, very in and out of consciousness, (has history of illness I will not state for privacy reasons) I had to wheel him in using a wheelchair, we waited in the waiting room for 25 minutes, I noticed people coming in and out so I went up to the intercom and told the nurse what was going on, she was extremely rude, told me there was no room and to go somewhere else. My dad is severely sick and was definitely considered an emergency. Yet they still refused to help. Absolutely disgusting behavior, whatever nurse spoke to me, shouldn’t even be a nurse. Thankfully we went to lowville before he died and they immediately got him in. Carthage Hospital is certainly not the place you want to go if you’re having an emergency or if you want to be treated like a person. My father is severely sick, and Carthage Area hospitals behavior towards him was absolutely inexcusable and disgusting. Called to make a complaint and they didn’t even bother picking up.

5 /5 Dale Roy Davidson: Came in on a Saturday evening and was seen within 30 minutes. The attending nurses from check in to care were amazing with comfort, bedside manner, and just being good humans. The doctor was wonderful as well. He was direct and explained everything well.