St. Mary’s Medical Center

Check out the ER when you’re in pain. They let you rot in the waiting room for more than 3 hours after triage. And don’t forget to bring your insurance card so they can bill the wait

It’s Midnight on a friday night and I should be out and about partying it up but that was not the case for me. While everyone was experiencing san francisco’s night life, i was experiencing extreme allergies and i needed oxygen asap.
Anyway, compared to all my other ER visits i’ve ever had in the past 6 years, this was the fastest and most accommodating ER ever for my asthma. From the nurse at the check-​in to the doctor to the end of my short visit.
First off, the nurse at the check-​in window asked me a few questions to discern the situation and let me know that they would get me in right away. Albeit, tonight did not seem like a busy night, I still appreciated the sense of urgency because I really needed to know.
I could be considered an easy case but the doctor was very attentive and his bedside manner was very warm. Got my breathing treatment, prescription for my prednisone, and left feeling better. I feel like they have a good work flow on slow nights and everyone is in tune with one another. My boyfriend was very grateful that they got us in quickly and got us out within an hour or so.
I’d come here again, plus my only other options that night were SF General and St. Luke’s …

The imaging staff leaves much to wish for as they are cantankerous and inefficient. They look like they are miserable and hate their jobs. They ask the same questions over and over even though you’ve already filled out all the registration paperwork. It’s no wonder that there are only old patients here. The service is rotten.

Had a hip replacement. Great top floor courner suite, wife stayed with me whole time in her own bed n they also feed her as well. Excellent service, doctors great bed side management, great pain control. Wish I could stay there for the coming recuperation weeks. Food well its a hospital so you know but they have many choices but nothing to talk about. Confused why hospitals have to serve corporate industrial food. Hey it San Francisco get some sf chefs to set up the food or allow patient to order in.

I recently had several image related tests done at the St. Mary’s Hospital/​Medical Center facility in San Francisco and the amounts I was charged for not only the regular x-​rays I had, but also for the cervical and lumbar MRI’s which were done were beyond exorbitant. I set about trying to determine what the accepted California fees were for these services and to see if I could have had these x-​rays and MRI’s done elsewhere for less. As I suspected, I discovered that I could have had them done for a mere fraction of what I was charged by St. Mary’s.
I was charged a total of $ 1,981 in connection with the regular cervical and lumbar x-​rays that were taken on 1÷19÷16. What my research has shown is that the «accepted» fee for CA (as determined by insurance companies … which is avail. to the public BTW) for cervical x-​rays (w/​a minimum of 4 views) would be $ 71.25. A «complete w/​oblique and flexion views» would be $ 91.44. As respects the lumbar x-​rays, the accepted fee would be $ 91.44. As you can see, combining the cost of those 2 types of x-​rays would have been somewhere around $ 200(+/-). So how St. Mary’s can justify charging me almost $ 2,000 is beyond comprehension.
In addition, St. Mary’s charged me a total of $ 9,004 for the cervical and lumbar MRI’s. My research has indicated an even greater disparity in what the «accepted» fee for CA would be and what St. Mary’s charged me. For the lumbar MRI the accepted fee would be around $ 700 (+0). St. Mary’s charged me $ 4,502. The accepted fee for the cervical MRI would be around $ 1,000 (+/​-​). Again, St. Mary’s charged me $ 4,502.
I also recently learned of a company (named
) that represents facilities all over the US where people can go to have x-​rays, MRI’s or CT’s done. As soon as I learned of them (via an NBC network news story a month ago) I went online and checked to see what I would have been charged by them. I learned that there are at least four facilities in the Lamorinda area (covering Orinda, Lafayette and Moraga) where I live where I could have had the 2 MRI’s done for a total of around $ 1,000. Granted, this would have had to have been a strictly «cash» transaction, meaning no health insurance billing would be involved and I would have been responsible for paying that $ 1K myself. Nevertheless, I would have far preferred to pay them $ 1,000 rather than the over $ 3,000 I now owe St. Mary’s.
It’s my belief that St. Mary’s/Dignity Health utilizes a «third-​party» billing contractor and it looks to me like they set their own ridiculously high fees to see what the market will bear … in other words, let’s REALLY overcharge people, let it fly and see if it sticks. I’m personally in the process of writing a letter to St. Mary’s protesting the fees I’ve been charged. What’s worrisome is … how many patients are there out there that don’t realize that they have a right to dispute these charges and demand better? This is exactly what’s wrong w/​the American medical system.

I went here recently following a motorcycle injury because it was convenient for me to make an appointment with the ER, rather than waiting in line. While I did interact with some good workers, their overall performance was really terrible. I came into the ER with road rash, bruises, and what I thought was a broken thumb and pinky. They took x-​ray images of my right hand and confirmed the broken thumb, but even after I asked them to double check my pinky, they failed to notice the break. It was only when I came in two weeks later for the check up that I urged them to reexamine the pinky, and they finally confirmed the break. The only doctor that I worked with was a plastic surgeon, even though my main injury should have been addressed by an orthopedist. Thus, when I came back in for the checkup, the plastic surgeon was only able to refer to another appointment with an orthopedist, rather than splinting the thumb there. Thus, they failed in respecting my time (or money) and assigned me the wrong specialist for the injury multiple times.

I was in St. Mary’s as an inpatient for the same operation (knee replacement) almost exactly a year apart (Jan 23, 2015: left knee and Jan 20, 2016: right knee). My post surgical experiences were markedly different. Part of my experience was allied to how comfortable the room was! Also, the staffing during the second stay hsd changed. The nurses seemed less pressured, more attentive, everything better organized. The room was cleaner, even! When the person who identified herself as the nursing supervisor stopped by to ask how things were going, I was surprised, but used the opportunity to tell her that the staff, nurses, aides, janitorial, all were effective and efficient, and more than that, KIND and considerate, which was different from the prior year, when they had seemed detached, harried, and less invested in the outcome of their care. I am a very satisfied patient, because I was encouraged towards wellness by skilled, professional caregivers, who undoubtedly contributed towards my wellness. I was out of the hospital a day earlier in 2016 than the previous year, partly due to their excellent care. I don’t think any of them were actors. They spoke about themselves in genuine ways, in response to my conversational interest in them as people, that humanized my experience. Thanks to each of the women and men who demonstrated a balanced approach to care that combined good medical with good personal care, during a time where I was limited in being able to do self-​care, and helped me get well.

You really have to make sure this hospital feeds you. When I visited the hospital, I noticed that the nurses are understaffed and overworked. The morning after my mother was admitted, she told me that they didn’t feed her breakfast. She asked for water as well and wasn’t given any apparently because the nurses were too busy. She hadn’t eaten in over 24 hours because we were in the emergency room for over 8 hours just to get checked in late at night. I called to complain and the nurse said she’ll make sure she gets an early lunch. I called again at night and still she said she didn’t give her anything until I complained a second time and only then was she given a puny hamburger. This hospital might give good medical care but if it wants to get their patients well, you really got to nourish them as well with FOOD.

I recently underwent a same-​day procedure to remove a foreign body (glass) from my foot.
Overall, I was really happy and impressed with the hospital. I’ve never had a surgery before, and although this wasn’t a major or serious surgery at all, I was really scared. I was really comforted by all of the kind medical staff.
For starters, the room was simple but more than adequate. The tv was old and the sink required you to press a pedal (which was both painful and difficult due to my foot situation) but those complaints are rather minor. I appreciated having my own space while I prepared for the procedure.
The nurse was very nice but didn’t seem to listen to the answers of the questions she asked, which was really frustrating. Other than that, the medical staff was superb– from the tech who performed my pre-​surgical EKG to the nursing staff who regularly checked on me to the friendly transport tech who took me to and from my room to the OR holding area. The anesthesiologist was great and thorough, and answered all of my neurotic questions. Drs. Vartavarian and Reyzelman were my surgeons, and they were absolutely wonderful.
Every single staff member I encountered asked me my name, birthday, and what procedure I was having. Admittedly, it became irritating, but it was necessary for my safety and much appreciated – and I can’t imagine how many times they have to ask those questions per day, so I’m certainly not going to complain.
I went back to my room to recover before receiving my discharge instructions and thorough follow up care. Overall, I was really impressed with the facility and the medical staff. I would not only feel safe and comfortable having a procedure here again, I would choose this medical center over many others.
Im definitely a satisfied customer, for now. After reading the reviews, I’m pretty nervous about what my bill will look like. I will update.

I went to the ER July 2014 for pneumonia, by that time it was pretty bad. They kept me on an IV drip for 4 hours and sent me home.
3 days later I could barely do anything anymore and went back to the ER. This time they kept me waiting 10+ hours, while I spoke to several trainees, doctors and PA’s. I guess they were trying to figure out if I was worse enough to take in but I felt like death after 5weeks of pneumonia. I arrived at 2 or 3pm. At 1am I told the staff I was gonna go home because I just couldn’t be there anymore. All of the sudden, literally within 2 minutes, they took me a hospital room. I have nothing good to say about this hospital.

Our biggest complaint is with the treatment he received at the ER when we took him with a severely swollen knee. The nurse practitioner/​physicians assistant told him he had gout in his knee, gave him a shot and sent him on his way. She ordered no xrays nor did she call in an orthopedist. The poor man had to suffer for another two weeks before a specialist was able to diagnose a fractured femur right above the knee.
While he was hospitalized, the in-​patient nursing and medical care was great. The nurses were very kind and caring. The food was awful. Luckily there are a lot of good places near by.
It was after he was home that we got a bill for $ 14,000+ for charges not covered by insurance. This was a mistake as it was all covered by insurance except for a small deductible. When I called the number to get try to get the bill corrected to reflect that we just owed the deductible amount, they were not at all helpful. Luckily I found a helpful person at Blue Shield who was able to work with them. The hospital had billed the insurance company using incorrect information but of course they had threatened us with collections, etc. No stars for the business end of this organization.

The male nurse who checked me in was helpful and nice, but made some micoagressive comments towards me regarding my precieved race and ethnicity. Although it know it wasn’t intentional it did make me a bit uncomfortable, I understand it wasn’t intentional but the impact out weigh the circumstances.
The nurse who discharged me was extremely helpful and nice, she took care of my needs and helps do things I didn’t even asked for which was nice. She tried her best to make my discharge as easy and comfortable as possible.
Dr McDonald was a bit rude and unprofessional during the surgery. I understand the nature of the operations and sensitivity of it but felt that he could had offered more care and support. I told him that I felt pain and there was a lot of pressure, he told me «no you dont, you shouldnt feel anything.» His statement angered me and caused anxiety to go up. I told him that I was having a hard time breathing due to my anxiety, he acknowledge it and did not do anything, he stated, «oh really,» and continued on. Then he told me that I needed to stop talking because I was causing vibrations during the surgery.
At the end of the procedure, the surgical guard adhered to my face was RIPPED off causing me pain and an adhesive burn across my forehead. I yelled out in pain. Someone made a comment of how sweaty I was and no one checked in with me except my discharge nurse who tried her best to make sure I was taken care of with liquids, snacks and pain meds.
The best part of my experience was registration and discharge, everything inbetween was a horrible experience.

1 star because I can’t go any lower. I went here to check on a cut near my lower left eye after a bad fall and 1) I waited in the lobby for an hour when it wasn’t even busy 2) I waited in the room for about 45 minutes when it wasn’t even busy 3) I asked what the estimated time till I see someone and they kept on saying «soon» 4) when someone finally came in they told me it’s a small cut and there’s nothing they can do and it will heal on its own. I was okay with that and left expecting a bill between $ 200-​$ 250 at most after my insurance coverage. Especially since all I did was wait for almost 2 hours and talked to someone for less than 5mins with no procedures or anything.
Side note:
I called ahead of time to make sure they take my insurance and they said yes.
Fast forward a few weeks later:
I get a fat bill of $ 1,550.09. I know our health system is flawed, but seriously this is beyond ridiculous.
Don’t go here.

This review is looooong overdue. In short: I will never get treated here again!
I was admitted to the ER in 2013 for a pretty severe illness. ER doctor was apparently a novice and about to send me home when something happened that said otherwise. Fortunately my family and girlfriend were there because they came to my aid, not the doctor (I’m told by my family because I was unconscious at this point). They rushed some tests and I woke up in ICU. Ok. So far, minus the ER doc, guess you can’t ask for more as a patient. This is where the stars start dropping.
As my first major hospital stay of about 4 days, it was average. So let’s start with 4 stars — nothing exceptional. Facilities were average and bland — not the colorful and vibrant UCSF when I visited a friend there the year before. Now I was in and out so this goes from what my family and girlfriend experienced. First star gone when my girlfriend called out the nurse started an IV drip and inputted my weight of 190 lbs as 190 KGs!!! That makes me 418 lbs! Thank god it was nothing severe than a saline drip. I’d be dead if it was morphine!
Next star is for the ridiculous billing dept. my company insurance has a max out of pocket that I definitely met on this visit and over 1 year later, I’m still getting bills for over $ 2500 more! Haven’t heard from them or insurance in a while, but I tell the same story every time they contact me. As of now (2 years later), I haven’t gotten a confirmation of whether this has been resolved or if they are still hunting that money down.
I started with 1 star, but the young gal doing the MRI got stellar comments from my girlfriend who was chatting with her. Apparently, no one had told the MRI gal that I was waiting for one until a few hours later and she came to get me.
There were a few other things, but this review is long enough and I think I’ve made my point. If you can, consider other options.

Should rename this place Judas Medical Center. They definitely have sold out for thirty pieces of silver.
Had some basic blood work done. It cost about 50% more than anywhere else I have gone in the city. Of course they don’t tell you that. Perhaps the automated machine that they stick your vial of blood into is somehow better trained than the automated machines used by every other lab. Perhaps they turn your blood into wine first. I don’t know.
I definitely would not have had my blood work done there (as opposed to any of the other nearby facilities) had they mentioned that they charge so much more, but they don’t bother to let you know about that until you get the bill. Called them to find out why they could possibly charge so much more for routine tests, and was essentially told «that’s what we charge, and there isn’t anything you can do about it. Go somewhere else if you don’t like it.» Oh, St. Mary’s you definitely put the dignity into Dignity Health.

Warning: TMI. This review isn’t for the squeamish. But I feel like I need to share what we experienced.
My father was admitted to this hospital and he stayed for two weeks. He came in because he fell ill due to pneumonia. His condition became a domino effect for more things to come. The next day, my mother found him bleeding out in his bed (already too weak to begin with from the pneumonia, so he was unable to press/​call for help (he couldn’t even speak), he was bleeding out from ulcers, which he’s never had a history of) and my mother was completely freaked out that he was left there to lie in his own blood with no one to help him. We later found out from a helpful nurse that if my mother did not find him at that particular moment, he would have DIED. My dad was transferred several times (ER, another patient floor, then ICU, then ER (bc of bleeding), then ICU, then regular patient floor again).
Ok nurses at St. Mary’s, why do you not check on your patients? How about walking into their rooms and actually checking to make sure they’re doing all right instead of the bare minimum (if you even poke your heads into the rooms?)? You’re being trusted by the public to take care of their parents, grandparents, children, sisters, brothers, husbands, wives, etc.) WTH. I’d like to give the nurses the benefit of the doubt at this particular hospital, but more terrible customer service ensued during his entire stay there which makes me pretty damn upset and sad for all the patients that trust this hospital…
On a couple of occasions, my mother found my dad sleeping under a pile of wet blankets and towels (I’ll let you figure out what that wetness was and leave out the details). Again, my dad was too weak to call for help and unable to speak due to tubes coming out of his neck and his throat was damaged. You would think the staff would check on the patients and would be more thorough. It’s like pulling teeth when you ask them for something. We asked for more blankets/​towels/​water and I felt as if I was requesting too much of them (although ONE nurse was quite helpful).
I tried to reach the doctor on several occasions. I did speak to one on the phone, but later on, did want to speak to another one in person for more status/​details regarding my dad’s condition. The timing was always off and each time I was left with different staff I spoke to which made the whole experience very frustrating and hopeless. I spent two weeks trying to get answers and felt like I wasn’t getting any straight answers, until FINALLY… the day they were supposed to move my dad to the nursing/​rehab center… BUT get this…
I came in early to see my father with my mother. The nurse comes in (new nurse again) and tells me that they’re moving my dad. My reaction: I stared at her and gave her this «WTF» face. Her response, «Oh, you didn’t know?» Uh. NO. No one bothered to call me or my brother, the two guardians listed on his file, his nursing board, etc. WTF? They were moving him in the next couple of hours… If I had come later, I would not have known where they were taking my dad. UGH. Then the fun times begin where I had to push to see the doctor («Oh, but he’s moving anyway» which was the nurse’s response when I asked to speak to the doctor for the hundredth time, «I WANT TO SPEAK TO THE DOCTOR.») I honestly have to give myself credit for not blowing the hell up in front of the entire staff. But I mainly contained myself due to my poor mom (who does’t speak English, and looked scared/​worried enough).
I must also add that when I called the front desk on one occasion in an attempt to follow-​up on a phone call, that they told me they had no record of my dad. They couldn’t find him. I gave them his full name, birth date, etc. Nope. Nada. I later found out that it was because they entered my dad’s birth date incorrectly, something I caught in their computer system when I glanced over the nurse’s shoulder. That explains a lot. They don’t even have the process of due diligence…
They only deserve ONE star for one apologetic as hell case worker, the ONE nurse that seemed to actually care. Glad I was finally able to speak to the knowledgeable (thank goodness) doctor.
The customer service is extremely horrendous and they need to work on it. Total nightmare. I’m thankful they saved my dad, but if my mom wasn’t there we would have lost him. They claim that their patients come first, «Dignity» health. Uh. No. Get your sh*t together please.

Warning, Warning: $ 125 charge for every 15 minutes of physical therapy! That’s $ 500 and hour. And the clock is ticking.
This is a review for the out-​patient Physical Therapy services at St. Mary’s. I had some carpal tunnel issues so went for a few visits. They were nice enough and provided some helpful tips, though I thought their facilities were a bit old and that they could have spent a bit more on their handouts of instructions, which looked like they’d been photocopied in the 1970s.
However, I was shocked to find out that they charge $ 125 for every 15 minutes. I thought I would warn you all since I wish I’d known that before I went. I would have been more picky. I mean a lot of my appointments were mostly discussions.
And I wouldn’t have known about their $ 125 per 15-​minute charge if I hadn’t received a $ 75 bill. I couldn’t understand what the charge was for so I asked for a detailed bill and they sent it.
I was surprised to see $ 375 charge for each visit and thought it was a mistake. But I called around (did they really charge $ 375 an hour?). Well, yes, they told me, it was actually $ 125 every 15 minutes. Wow.
So that time when she was 5 minutes late? I want my $ 41 back! ;D
Just thought you should know.

Went in on a sunday morning with only one other person in the Emergency Room. Between the receptionist, triage nurse, and doctor, service this hospital gets is two stars in my book.
One star for being seen within 30 minutes.
One star for correct diagnosis by MD and having chinese nurse on hand to translate.
Areas of improvement:
More empathy for people that are coming in for help. This isn’t a broken laptop, we are dealing with human life. The vet for my dog was more empathetic than the people checking us in.
Nurses that have been on the job for too long could use retraining of customer service. The nurse asked the same questions repeatedly and was impatient when my father’s struggle with English responses.
MD wrote a prescription but did not correctly sign off on it so the pharmacy we took it to would not fill it. I would ask the MDs be more attentive to detail as this is a basic function of their job.
Be warned that translator services are spotty and were not readily offered. In a multi-​cultural city of San Francisco, I would expect a more diverse staff to work with the community. This was a major disappointment.
Will not be coming back here as UCSF is not too far away and has 5 star service all around.

IF YOU NEED EMERGENCY HELP FOR AN EMERGENCY… ST. MARY’S IS THE PLACE.
I can’t recommend st. Mary’s Emergency room HIGHLY ENOUGH. Unfortunately I visited the emergency room twice in 9 months. Their promise of being seen in 30 min or less was a Godsend. I was in a car accident then injured my shoulder. From admissions to the doctors’ evaluation was swift, compassionate with excellent outcomes. Don’t remember the docs’ names for first visit but Dr. Cheng was the best. Responsive, thoughtful AND with a sense of humor.
I’ve been asked why St. Mary’s not UCSF or SF General. Because I needed IMMEDIATE CARE and didn’t want to wait for hours on a gurney.
The follow up to a concussion with small brain bleed was cautious and thoughtful.

Everyone was super friendly and very attentive. hard to say if it was all necessary but better safe than sorry I suppose.
Rooms are kind of stuffy but have a nice view. Close to lots of good food to bring your patient.