University of Chicago Emergency Room

I’m typing this review from the ER… I have been waiting for over 3 hours. I have a migraine… I am hungry… and I am in pain. I can hear EVERYTHING in the neighboring «room» because we are separated by a thin curtain… About an hour ago the nurse handed me a flannel gown to put on that had a bandaid and a crusty cream colored substance stuck to it (GASP!!)… She was visibly frustrated, most likely because of the volume of patients she had to juggle.
It appears I have waited 3 hours for a nurse practitioner who is not qualified to conduct the procedure (where are the doctors???) and only an orthopaedics resident is available (where are the doctors???) who is also unable to help (where are the doctors???).
Alas, I am sent home with my pain… and now, aggravation. I would’ve been better off staying at home and taking Motrin.

Solid place if you go for the right reasons! If you are SUPER sick and need to be there, they get you back as fast as they can and wait times seem appropriate. They take the sickest people first which is the right thing to do. If you have time to be reading Unilocal reviews, you probably don’t need to go to the ER so contact your insurance company and find a regular primary care doctor. If you don’t have insurance, please seek out appropriate resources. This place can definitely be frustrating with long wait times! A LOT of that seems to be because people on the south side are not using the healthcare system in the most effective way. Going to the ER for non-​emergencies (eg. chronic back pain that is unchanged or high blood pressure without any other symptoms) sort of clogs the system. It just does not make sense but people do.

Because of family, health problems and just generally a desire to keep on living, I’ve had a few visits to emergency rooms and this was the WORST. First off, the place is full of unfriendly and unhelpful staff. When my partner needed to go to the bathroom she put on her light and nobody answered. During that time our nurse was sitting at the station and ignored the light. When I was looking for a cafeteria (no signage to guide me) I asked two staff at a desk where it was and they said «go ask the police officer, he’ll tell you». The were totally unhelpful and RUDE staff! My partner was YELLED at when she expressed concern a dressing she was getting for her hand wasn’t sterile, and then treated SARCASTICALLY when a sterile one was put on. The University of Chicago has a reputation of intelligence, but it looks like they hired all the stooges to work at the emergency room. Another problem is the place is filthy. FILTHY! We were there for 4 hours and not once did we see cleaning staff scrubbing a thing. There was gunky STUFF on the base of all the instruments and it appears that at best staff starts cleaning at one foot above the floor. The chair I sat on in the area my partner was kept dripping this filthy liquid off the arm. If your emergency isn’t life threatening (and maybe even if it IS) I’d suggest you find a better place to trust your life. Rude and filthy. We would have been better off at St. Elsewhere!

Before I begin, I need to make a distinction between the U of C regular medical center, which offers the best service all the time and I would give 5 stars to, and the Emergency Room which offers hours of waiting and make you question whether if it’s worth it to just stay at home at let your own emergency pass through your body and call it a day.
First off, it’s not a good sign when you walk into the emergency room and you have to wait 25 minutes, just to do the GENERAL sign in of your name and date. There were no chairs left in the waiting room, so I was in a chair, by the door, near the more hospital looking lady behind a computer to the left, and a tough security guard lady sitting next to her to the right. I understand they have to deal with people who are needy, and bitchy, and crazy family members asking constantly of what’s happening with my so and so and how do I find my grand-daughter’s room, but what they said out LOUD in clear hearing distance was this:
Patient– «I need to be seen by a doctor…»
Lady behind desk-«hold on, hold on, have a seat and we’ll call your name to sign in.»
Patient– «Oh ok, well where’s the waiting room?»
Lady– «This is IT. This IS the waiting room.»
conversation continues… I’ll spare you the reading… patient sits down…
Computer Lady to Security Lady-«I’m shocked at the people that come in here and the questions people ask.»
Security Lady– «You know, I just love to say No. People come in here asking for things and demanding whatever and I get to just tell them no and deny.»
Computer Lady-«Yeah, it’s a good feeling. It’s powerful and people need to be told know and understand how things work around here.»
Now, if I was in a right mind, (I had a fever and bad symptoms all week) I would have automatically turned right round and walked out the door, but luckily then I was called in to hand over my i.d. and my health insurance card.
I was then checked for my vitals and asked what was wrong and then sent back to the waiting room. There were about 35 – 40 people in the waiting room, plus those spilling out to the right and to the left waiting in other little nooks and chairs.
I waited 4 hours, until 6:45 when a nurse came by again to check my vitals. She noticed how bad I was and sent me off for x-​rays. After x-​rays, I was sent back to the waiting room to wait another hour. Finally a resident came by and took me to the nurses station to tell me I have pneumonia, hurriedly spoke to me for two minutes, said give me the quick run down of what’s up, and then wrote up the prescription.
So I waited 5 hours in the waiting room with an untreated fever, never even made it to an er room or bed, and then was just sent on my way.
If you don’t have to go to this ER, I suggest trying another one.

I went to the UC ER because I woke up in the middle of the night with what I knew was a UTI. Having had a horrible UTI before, I didn’t want to wait until the morning to be treated, especially because the UC student care center is often backed up for weeks or even months and they don’t allow walk-​ins (another issue altogether). I’m a UC student and didn’t want to deal with the insurance policy’s «referral fee» so I went to this particular ER over others. I arrived at 2 AM and was checked in. Like someone else said, the ER is extremely cold, extremely crowded, and pretty noisy. After waiting three hours with no attention (my symptoms growing worse all the while) I finally asked how much longer the wait was going to be. I was told there were 13 people ahead of me. To be fair, maybe those 13 people had more serious issues than a bladder infection. However, I waited a total of SIX AND A HALF HOURS before being called up. Why does it take that long to see thirteen people? Is there only one ER doctor? UC with its exorbitant tuition prices can’t afford a second or even a third ER doctor? Seriously, this was completely mind-​blowing to me and the other patients, some of whom had been waiting four or more hours longer than I had and had still not been seen. In total while in the waiting room I was seen by three different nurses. When I finally FINALLY got back to the actual ER, I was seen by a med student, who was very friendly and thorough, but who had to consult the resident before anything could be done. This took half an hour. Then the resident looked at me and said a nurse would be with me. Then I saw three more nurses and an attending, all of whom asked me to wait while they put things in the computer, consulted with other doctors, etc. All the while I’m inexplicably in a gown (when all they did was listen to my heart and feel my abdomen) in a huge, freezing cold room separated only by curtains. While I was changing, random nurses came by through the back part of my curtained section and said nothing to me. Overall the actual ER session took over an hour, to diagnose what I had said all along to every single nurse and doctor was a bladder infection. While I appreciate their being thorough, after NINE AND A HALF HOURS I just wanted what I originally came for, a prescription for antibiotics to cure my bladder infection. To sum up, avoid this ER if at all possible. When you finally get to see some doctors, they’re good at what they do and are generally friendly; however, this ER is packed and freezing and you will be there for hours and hours and hours unnecessarily.

How long do you think it should take to diagnose and set a broken foot? Apparently the U of C ER doctors think 7 hours. It took 4 hours just to get the digital x rays looked at! My fiancé’s 87 year old grandmother fell down Friday night, and we took her here because it was the closest Emergency room, and her doctor is on staff here.
The new er doctor (it was his 4^th rotation ever, and his first night shift) did not listen to anything the patient said. He clearly didn’t believe her when she said she was healthy and didn’t take any medication other than vitamins. Maybe that’s why he dismissed the compressed disk in her back, even though she kept saying her back was much more of a problem than her foot. Luckily for her, the ER staff at Illinois Masonic did not over look that, and immediately diagnosed and to work on her back yesterday when we took her to that Emergency room.
We should not have to take an 87 year old with good insurance to 2 different emergency rooms in order to get her treated properly!
I know U of C hospital is really amazing when it comes to research and treating complicated issues. But does that mean they can ignore all other medical issues?
Hopefully I never have to use the emergency room at the U of C hospital ever again!!!

The pediatric ER is superb! It is a wonderful service to our community that we have such a quality medical facility that is focused on children. We have had to visit this ER on a couple of occasions and am always impressed with the care.

I know here on Unilocal the 2 star review translates to «I’ve experienced better.» Now thankfully, I haven’t experienced too many emergency rooms in my life, but I would like to think if I had gone somewhere else last night I would have experienced better.
Due to a combination of the cold and walking in not-​made-​for-​walking shoes, I developed some terrible blisters on New Years Eve on the backs of both ankles. Normally just a nuisance that goes away with some bacitracin, band-​aids, and comfy shoes, these blisters swelled into red-​hot itchy messes – by last night my left ankle was the size of a grapefruit! Concerned, I logged onto Mayo Clinic’s diagnosis page and, after answering a few questions, learned that I most likely had cellulitis, which can kill you. Holy cow. Did I pick up a staph infection from my pedicure (pre-​blisters, but still…)? From the house party in Logan Square? From sitting on the carpeted steps of the Century Landmark to avoid the migraine-​causing front row seats when I saw «Slumdog Millionaire» on New Year’s Day? Who knows? So I walked across the Midway Plaisance to the E.R. around 7 p.m., hoping to get some antibiotics.
When I arrived, I was greeted by an albatross: «Don’t bother, turn around and go home! That’s what I’m doing! I’ve been here 6 ½ hours and haven’t seen anyone yet!» But, sigh, I have a highly infectious disease that needs to be treated. I was checked in by a nice man named David, who exclaimed over my swollen ankle. A little after 9, I saw a friendly enough nurse whom confirmed the
diagnosis, and warned me that it was going to be awhile before I saw a doctor. «But things seem to be picking up, so it shouldn’t be too bad,» she assured me.
Shoulda listened to my albatross. At 3 a.m., 8 HOURS AFTER I checked in, my name was finally called. Maybe because I rated my pain a «6» on the 1 – 10 scale? By this time, my poor ankles were so stiff and hot I could hardly walk. Hours before, my wonderful friend Shane stopped by and brought me my Sarah Vowell book and a soda. Shane also had the insight to secure two ice packs from the nurses’ station and help me locate to a spot where I could elevate my left ankle. By now, the too-​loud TVs were showing poker tournaments, my packs were hot, and my patience had all but disappeared.
While my doctors and nurses were overall great – damn, that was the smoothest I.V. needle I have ever had jabbed into my arm! – I was not discharged until 5:15. Yes, my I.V. filled with wonderful antibiotics took a half hour to drain into my disease-​ridden body, but I also spent nearly 40 minutes just laying there, drifting in and out of consciousness, shivering, wondering if everyone had forgotten about me. Sigh. A cab finally dropped me off at my apartment at 5:40 this morning. «Be glad you’re alright,» the cabby reminded me.
Yes. When I woke up mid-​day today, blurry-​eyed from my 10 HOURS of emergency room adventures, the swelling in my left ankle had reduced enormously, and the throbbing in my calf had ceased. So yes, I’m thankful for the U of C ER… however, I also can’t help but wonder if their location weren’t right on the edge of the ghetto, would they deliver a better product?

P-«I AM GONNA PUSH! I CAN’T HOLD BACK!!»
N 1-«Are we in labor and delivery?» N 2 «Nope, she just thinks she is, but don’t worry, she has nothing in there to push.»
***********************************************************************
P-«So, I coughed really, really deep and loud, it scared me. My girl and I got to talking about it and decided that my health was nothing to play with.»
N– «So when did you cough? And was it only once?»
P-«It was yesterday, and yea, only once, but man, it was a loud cough.»
N-«What street drugs do you use?»
***********************************************************************P= patient N= really patient nurse*** conversations overheard through the ER curtain– keeping me entertained through the day.
I don’t head to the ER, not by choice. Unfortunately, I get sick. When I don’t feel well, I call my doctor and give the symptoms. They then either tell me to go to the ER, or wait a couple of days to come in. Unfortunately, normally– I am sent to the ER.
This week, I was feeling horrible, to the point where the pain was past my tolerance level– and none of the meds I had at home could control it. I called my doctor, and they wanted to see me– immediately, in the ER. From experience, I know what fun is in store for me, but, I have no choice. My doctor alerted the ER that I was on my way, and I caught a ride over.
So I get to U of C, and the ER waiting room is cold and noisy, extremely. I got checked in pretty quick, but had to wait about an hour due to 2 people who were in pretty dire shape. Finally, it is my turn. I am immediately given pain meds and my view of the ER gets bumped to a much more positive light. I have to wait for my doctor’s staff to see me– yup even in the ER, he gets to call the shots. While I am waiting, I also get my first injection of morphine. Life is getting a bit more tolerable.
I meet with my wonderful doctors, we decide that the normal battery of tests is needed, Cat scan, X-​ray, and a poke and pour (spinal tap). I continue on with 5 more injections of morphine over the course of these tests, and decide, well, my head still really hurts, but, oh boy, once you get past that, the entertainment factor is rich– really, extremely rich.
As is par for the course here, I am well cared for. The nurses, doctors, and residents are caring, and somewhat curious. They treat me with respect. I attempt to endure the poke an pour with my usual grace, why complain? That only makes it more difficult for everyone (I amused myself by trying to count how many of these I have had in the past year… I think it is over 15, but not positive). After about 10 hours, I make a bargain and am allowed to go home– with the caveat that someone will be with me and I will contact them in the next two days– for sure– and immediately if things get worse.
All in all– not a bad experience ! My pain is controlled and I am sent home with stronger meds to help me through this bump in the road, I have been treated well. Who could ask for more?
Couple of words of advice:
1.Arrive early– if possible– this place gets more crowded as the day goes on
2.The kinder you are to people, they will act in return
3.The waiting area is cold– make sure to bring a coat or blanket
4.Crying does not get you anywhere. Everyone is here because they are ill and perceive that they need immediate medical care– carrying on about your condition does no good (YES, I am talking to you, Mr. Shut fingers in the car door!!). People deal with pain in different manners– you may scream and carry on– I get incredibly quiet and still– really, you cannot judge.