Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island

My wife gave birth here in February 2016 and it was an incredible experience from start to finish. The Dr’s and RN’s were fantastic, my wife’s labor room had a tub that helped with the pain before she went to the bed to push her way to victory, and afterwards you’re helped by an awesome team as you recover. The meals are good too as they provide you with a menu that has a lot of tasty options. My only negative on the experience is that our room was showing signs of wear (it needed a coat of paint, the reclining chair was extremely uncomfortable, the TV was in a terrible location, etc.), but the birthing center is scheduled to close this year so that must be the reason for the lack of upkeep.
Care New England has announced their intention to close this center as they need to keep on feeding the Women & Infants machine. As this is a traditional birthing center, I wish they could think of innovative ways to turn it into a profitable birthing center as the experience is the direct opposite of giving birth at W&I. It’s sad but PROFIT PROFIT BLAH BLAH! Sigh.

I’ve been to the ER here twice. Most recently on Wednesday. I’m surprised to hear negative reviews since both times I was there I had a positive experience. The nurse are kind, professional and check on you often while waiting. The Doctor was a female (first name Diane) and she could not have been nicer. She was extremely patient and answered all my questions. The ER was busy so I did have to wait a little longer than I expected to be discharged by the nurse (hence 4 stars). I also had a PA student (physician asst.) named Brittany who was excellent! She was young, very bright, and so kind. I was referred to a specialist which I plan on seeing knowing he is affiliated with Memorial. I’m grateful to find a good hospital near home since moving here 4 years ago from Boston. I’m also an RN so I’m pretty picky where I go for medical care being a nurse and also since Boston has top notch hospitals. I’m happy with my choice of Memorial and thank them for the wonderful care provided to me.

What I will say is FOOD is good! Everything else is always screwed up over there. I once waited an entire day while people with no insurance went in front of me, though I was there all day for an MRI and then they almost told me they couldn’t do me. They did but did it fast. The MRI did not come out right. I refused to go again. If I didn’t have any insurance, you were a better risk than me. I had Blue Cross & Blue Shield but too many people without insurance are guaranteed pay off. If you are poor, with Obama Insurances, you get better care. They will go before you, especially if they speak another language.
Here’s where to watch out. Memorial Hospital will tell you just a co-​pay. If it’s not internal to them and 3^rd party, you get whacked on deductibles, unless you are poor, of course. Then it’s FREE! There are two «Out of Networks.» One is internal to the hospital. The other is outside the hospital. The larger one can be real high, outside your primary Doctor’s hospital. Internal is a lower deductible– «to be used money.» The «to be used money» is the gravy train for VENDORS.
It comes out of your pocket. They can now charge Blue Cross or your insurance and take what they want out of your piggy bank. «Thank you Mr. President for that!» It does cut down on people seeking treatment and unnecessary tests. Maybe that’s the big reason for deductibles. However, some middle class people are dying because they can’t get the help due to having no money to pay the exorbitant charges!
Anyway, you do not want to do Cardiology there. Stress tests are covered with your expensive Blue Cross but Holter Heart tests are not. Now, they take from your deductibles, it’s a cream puff so LifeWatch can now look at your 10k deductible pile and charge you now. Another words, add to what Blue Cross will not pay them. Yes, it’s political that our country has changed charging the middle class more making the vendors even richer and the poor get it all for FREE!
So, it’s win for the VENDORS and a win for the poor and your deductible is a gravy extra train. It’s a LOSS for you. I’m not putting the poor down. I favor medical for all, everyone, and take it out of government and stop this MADNESS. I would rather pay more taxes and not deal with this medical expenses. I actually envy Canada. At least, it’s fair for all.
What’s this got to do with Memorial Hospital? I thought I was smart. This time I asked the Doctor, Dr. Broderick, what this test for just one day, mind you, the cost. He said it was covered to my face and I had it twice before. Dr. Yammine left just a few months prior and he gave me the same tests. Dr. Broderick took over. He wanted to see if it changed. The first time I did it one day and got charged $ 75. They told me $ 25, the co-​pay. I paid it because I’m a SAP, not too bright in my old age.
Now, I’m smart. Well, at least I thought so. I put on my thinking cap… do it right this time. I asked the Doctor, he said it was covered. I asked the staff there, they said just co-​pay. I called Blue Cross & Blue Shield and almost died of waiting to talk to someone and they said «covered.» I asked the staff where I wore the holter for one day, not the usual 7 days, and they said covered. I wanted it in writing.
They would not. Then, Blue Cross pays and I get charged an extra $ 220. That’s nothing, I spoke to another person and his bill was over $ 1200 out of his deductible. The bottom line, is the laws are stack against you. Now they are protected. It’s up to you to figure out how much you will pay and there is absolutely NO WAY to do it ahead of time. Oh yeah, and this comes from a person very familiar with the ways hospitals work. My wife works for one and we are totally lost.
Here’s what we do now. We don’t go to the hospital unless we are dying. We’re poor middle class. It’s different if we were poor because it’s all covered. Watch out, I don’t blame the Doctors so much. They have a hard enough job. I will say there were about 13 Cardiologists at Memorial, now about 4 are left.
The Doctors are not happy either, I’m sure, to see patients they could help not go for treatment because Care New England that absorbed Memorial Hospital uses Brigham and LifeWatch as 3^rd party services. Watch out at Memorial Hospital. You never know what they will be charging you. It’s enough to give you a heart attack. Protect your heart and your wallet. STAY AWAY! They will lie to you straight up.
Your credit rating and bill collectors from LifeWatch will be coming after you, not Memorial Hospital of Pawtucket, RI. Yes, our medical system is broken and Memorial Hospital, once a great place with still great FOOD, is now a terrible, uncaring place to go too. No wonder the day I was there it seemed so light, over 30 chairs and two people, myself being one. They keep wanting me to come back when they can’t find much wrong. You are just inventory, friend, just inventory, and they want you to keep on eating those fried foods, sorry to say.

If I could give no stars i would. I was there for kidney pains… Sat there for 4 hours and NO ONE came to check up on me. They told me I couldn’t have water in case doctor decides to run tests… So I disnt and my pain got worse and worse… And they still disnt have a doctor or nurse to see me. Eventually I walked out. Everyone was so indifferent and careless; nothing about this place is professional.

Came in with pain for a chronic problem. Super high blood pressure. Nothing for pain. Finally got something for nausea. Sending me home which means I’ll wind up at another hospital in a few hours. Horrible here.

The maternity ward here is great I had my son here and they were amazing. Also I was rushed here with appendicitis and they took me right in and I was in surgery within the hour. Dr. Phillip is the most amazing caring surgeon I’ve ever encountered :) no problems at all and a scar thats barely visible. I recommend this hospital highly

If you are pregnant and looking to have your baby (or babies) at a hospital that has nurturing nurses, the best doctors around; Dr Jennifer Buckley delivered my baby with so much grace despite it being quite a challenging labor and dr morton did the circumcision and he was amazing! he really put me at ease about the whole process. Dont let the outside dinginess of the building fool you, this is hands down the best hospital in rhode island to have your baby. I did my research, visited all the hospitals that were within an hour or less from me. From the minute i took a tour they were welcoming and very encouraging of my intention to have as natural a birth experience as possible as well as very pro breastfeeding. I really appreciated that. It is small but fortunately the secret is not yet out too much about how wonderful this hospitals labor and delievery is so there was no problem when i had to be brought in for an emergency induction due to preeclampsia. They were able to induce with the cervical pills rather than pitocin which was great because i didnt want the pitocin. I didnt want any drugs and they only asked once about an epidural and that was it. Because they were concerned about me getting seizures due to the pre e they had to give me magnesium and put a catheter in which i hated but after a lil while of it I asked Dr. Buckley to take it out and she did. I got the larger room with the tub and space to walk around for natural birth but couldnt use it because of having to lay down on the magnesium. The nurses insisted i stay in the room even though i couldnt move around. Dr. Buckley honored my birth plan (which was like four pages lonng lol) as much as she possibly could!!! My sons head was stuck for like a half hour and he was 9 lbs and 14 ounces and 19 inches long. No c section no drugs and most importantly no forceps or vaccuum! My husband said she was calm as a cucumber the whole time. She massaged around his head to get him out ! She is unbelievable! And not to mention super sweet and kind; you feel like the only patient she has when she is with you; she is sooo present ! They imediately did skin to skin so my son could breastfeed right away. Then they let my husband cut the cord (also they waited for the cord to stop pulsating until they did it like i asked in my birth plan). After the cord was cut tho my son stopped breathing. They did everything they needed to do and he began breathing again. Apparently he had merconium that needed to be sucked out. So another graceful amazing part of our experience. Not once was there any panicking or coldness and feeling like a number. They are truly the best! They also let me use their hospital grade pump because my son had to be in the nicu for five days because of low blood sugar levels. They allowed me and my husband to be in there as often as we liked with him (which was just about always!!) and i even had to go back a few days after being discharged because i had an infection. They were awesome then too! I highly recommend! My baby is now 17 months and thriving!

After having my second child (first in Rhode Island) at Women and Infants it definitely left more to be desired, I decided to have my third at Memorial Hospital. I cannot say enough good things about this hospital. Especially the nursing staff and dietary. Very underrated hospital, when I moved to the area I was told Women and Infants was the place to have babies. I have lived all over the northeast and not only was the hospital’s care comparable to a major metropolitan facility but it had the care of an intimate small medical center.

Been here for a week, everyone is re best. This hospital is the best no more Rhode Island Hospital for me…

Ended up here because of an emergency case of compartment syndrome. My over all review would be much higher except for the fact that the floor nursing during the day was slow on response, and at night there was always a lot of chatter outside my door. I was immobile and don’t know what was creating all the noise but it was every night.
The OR care could not have been better and recovery was fantastic.
Food was actually quit good and the food service was right on the mark.
Staff doctors were great at explaining everything and follow through was geared for the patient.
Physical therapy were friendly and attentive.
If the floor chatter and slow response were corrected they would have a real winner.

This is where I was born, so I called to ask if I could visit and peak at my birthday brothers and sisters, and see the actual building where I entered the world.
The Hospital was built at the turn of the last century due to a $ 200,000 charitable donation by William Sayles and his son Frank’s decision to invest that in a hospital where all could be treated regardless of financial ability. When the hospital opened the average cost of an operation was $ 10. In 1912 there were 120 emergency admissions. In 2000 there were 31,545.
There were two babies in residence when I visited, but privacy laws prevented my taking pictures. I watched a young man in a rocker stare at a tiny pink baby cradled in his arms for about 5 minutes. Tiny new life really is awesome in the true sense of the word. Another little guy was wheeled by. Baby Aquarians.
I was glad to hear the maternity ward now encourages mothers to keep their babies with them at all times. There is no longer that corral like room where all the babies are in their little boxes together away from their mothers.
To my surprise, two of the women I had spoken with bought me a birthday cake, assembled a tote bag full of goodies including a beautiful pen, t-​shirt, coffee mug and other MH items and a package of historical information.
So I got to eat cake (from Crugnales, delicious and custard-​filled with tender citron) with all the maternity nurses in the hospital where I was born 50 years ago. :)