Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I have seen the good, and the bad...I won't go into any stories I know.
Based on rankings and scores, it does not tell you much...we may have less highly qualified providers, but that does not mean care is compromised, a nurse practioner can provide routine, primary care as competently as a qualified doctor.
Specialty care is problematic in rural health care, not a lot of ophthalmologists in Glasgow...or any for that matter...
Don't expect cardiac care in Babb....unless it is shock from the bar tab.
Of course a big city like New York, is rated as better emergency care than Montana, as it is not far to an emergency room. But what happens when one gets to the emergency room, and the type of care once they get there is even more important.
When I lived in the Bay Area of California, I once went to the ER at Kaiser for pains in my side. I was 5 months pregnant and literally bent over in pain. They made me sit in the waiting area, knowing I was pregnant, for an hour before taking me back. I'm not kidding. My husband kept going up to remind them I was pregnant. When they took me back, I laid there for another hour 1/2. No one had come to see me, not even a nurse. By then, the pains went away so I got up and left without seeing anyone at all. I think they forgot about me there.
Back in May, I had passed out here at home. My husband rushed me to St Joseph's here in Polson. I was taken care of quickly and was treated very well in their ER. They found out I was severely anemic and needed an emergency blood transfusion. The ER doctor was excellent. He even sat with me in my room and talked to me. In all my life I have never seen that. My husband and I thought HE was the nurse!! Then I find out that he was the doctor. He was watching me and talking to me for awhile. Then he decided to admit me to see what was going on internally. They took me upstairs later that morning. Every single nurse was kind to me from the time I got there to the time I was discharged. Even the people who did my scans and blood work, everyone was good.
As much as I have complained about Polson in my past posts, their hospital was excellent. I didn't have heart surgery or nothing serious like that but I'd say that what I was dealing with was serious. They got a diagnosis for me within 2 days of my tests and I was treated there.
I had a good experience with Community in Missoula too. I was taken there with chest pains and they were pretty fast in figuring out what was going on with me there. The majority of the people there were kind. They found that the pain was coming from the gallbladder after a few hours.
My mother in law had heart surgery at St Patricks and she felt that they were pretty good with her there. So I don't think all hospitals up here can possibly be horrible.
I do like the doctors here in Polson, and the dentist Dr Windauer is excellent.
I have to say that after living in many places, big cities, rural areas... you get better attention in the smaller towns. That's just my experience though. I have heard some bad stories about the hospital up in Sandpoint ID so I don't know. It just depends.
I've been vocal about having bad experiences at St. Peter's in Helena. It's unacceptable in a region like this not to have competent emergency services. I lived in a more rural environment in Nevada which had better ER availability and medical options than Montana. I didn't move here for the medicine but it's rather disheartening to see the lack of it. As well as options and specialists for disabled kids. Heard from one too many moms, fed up, opting to leave the state to seek providers elsewhere.
Now, this isn't to bash Montana. It's a land where you better darn well figure out how to survive without services on every corner. But inept hospitals is no excuse.
I'm sorry you have had bad experiences there in Helena. Have you thought about relocating based on medical needs? I know it's not easy to just up and move, but if I were having so many problems getting good medical care, I would probably move after a lot of research into area hospitals or doctors. You are not too far from Missoula, so perhaps using their facilities is an option?
Veterans don't fare any better and can be worse; try 3 month waits for appointment at Kalispell clinic.
This wasn't long ago:
"At least 300 Montana veterans who need orthopedic surgery are on a waiting list while the Department of Veterans Affairs Montana Health Care System works to recruit a full-time surgeon to help ease the growing backlog of disabled — and often disgruntled — veterans.[LEFT]
To receive surgery, Montana veterans without private insurance must travel out of state for care or pay for it out of their pockets. To compound this problem, Montana veterans are being told that the VA facilities in Denver and Salt Lake City are too busy to accept Montana patients. Subsequently, they are being placed on a waiting list that is approaching two years..."[LEFT]
[URL="http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/montana-veterans-wait-for-orthopedic-surgery-as-va-tries-to/article_6a3b2018-8ecd-58e8-8b12-ac4d9d65d348.html#ixzz2r8gQLt5G"]300 Montana veterans wait for orthopedic surgery as VA tries to recruit surgeon[/URL]
.
My X Wife is the Head of her Dept (Part of the Surgery Dept) for the VA in Tampa FL, one of the Largest VA hospitals in the Country. They too have many scheduling issues and they too don't have all the Dr.s they need. there is a ridiculous hiring procedure to go through at the VA. they first have to get congress to allocate new money for each Dept each year and there are A LOT of Depts. and we all know how fast Congress is. She has told me in the past that they had to send some Vets across the country to get some work taken care of and that is no easy task to get them into another hospital. All the Vets are getting Screwed by Uncle Sam.
I'm sorry you have had bad experiences there in Helena. Have you thought about relocating based on medical needs? I know it's not easy to just up and move, but if I were having so many problems getting good medical care, I would probably move after a lot of research into area hospitals or doctors. You are not too far from Missoula, so perhaps using their facilities is an option?
Yes we are considering relocating because of the medical issues we have. Usually we are fairly healthy and don't heavily rely on medical services, only the basics. But stuff happens and now I see the internal workings of St. Petes and their horrific billing offices and over priced medical care. We just received a letter the other day that if my daughter's balance on ER bills isn't paid in full immediately, (she has been making regular payments but they aren't at the level the hospital wants), we will not be able to go to any St. Peter's medical group or service and will be denied SERVICE. I dug deeper into what that means. If we have an emergency that is life threatening, the hospital will take her. But anything else, they will turn her away. St. Pete's is the only medical group in town, unless I'm wrong. We can't suddenly come up with $2,000 to pay the hospital from a past visit. (She and I work full time). Especially when they MISDIAGNOSED her in the first place. I have $1800 in bills from seeing one doctor within the group (for 10 minutes, no tests, etc.) and visiting the ER for a near fatal asthma attack. I can't pay this in full. I have been trying relentlessly to work with the billing offices but they don't care and they are only willing to accept certain high payment amounts. I got $20. off for being a cash payment. Gee maybe I'll go out and celebrate. Medicaid has rejected us for bogus reasons here. We should of qualified and I wasn't hoping to make a life long thing of being on it - only until we can get back on our feet. But still it's impossible to get competent anything here. So we are thinking of leaving the state. My discussions with other people have decided to leave or in the process. For medical issues and also the 'outsider mentality here'. They are fed up and Montana is really the land for the rich Californian and Texan. I would add that my daughter works in a retirement facility and even the residents there who have lived in MT their entire lives agree the medical system here is crap.
I'm not going to Missoula to pay $1500 for a decent rental. Rent is way out of control for houses and living that is substandard. Just read Craig's daily and you will see. We have checked out homes (we have dogs and can't do an apartment) for $1400, $1300, $1100 and instantly when you go inside, it smells like 100 cats and animal excrement. Carpets are filthy. Paint is falling off walls. Garages that look like they are about to collapse. Apparently this is okay. I have ongoing fights with my own landlord because the entire heating system is filled with mouse excrement so we can't use it and they don't want to clean it properly.
Hey, welcome to Montana. The dark side nobody tells you about. And yeah, bash me, all of you for complaining but I'm speaking from experience and after having lived all over, this state has been the worse decision of my life. So I'm ready to hear all the comments about how it'll be great when I leave, I'm not wanted here and blah blah blah blah. You can keep the big sky state and let it rot in hell.
I thought that I heard that the hospital in Billings was way up on the list of US hospitals? Humm, here in Helena, they have a very hard time keeping good doctors. I hear there's a lot of politics involved at St Petes. The price of housing all over in this state is ridiculous, but comparable to CA. Real Estate in CA is somewhat decent since the bubble burst. Here, land, homes, taxes are sky high. Guess that's why it's called the big sky country? lol
I've seen the Billings hospital mentioned in the local paper but I don't remember what the story was about. Something negative. We would consider Billings but several times we have visited, we really don't care for the town. I think rents have also gone up due to the oil (Bakken) stuff in eastern MT. The affordable, 'left over' rentals are disgusting. Now with my health problems, I need at least a clean place to live without mouse infestations and left over pet crud like cat and dog urine in the carpet.
I am sorry for my previous rant but my frustration is running high. Daughter called from work today saying that her last attempt to talk to the billing dept with St. Peter's hit a wall. They want her making multiple payments (she is already making one payment which is bank drafted at their insistence), when she barely makes enough to scrape by and pay all her living expenses and college loans. They said then she will be sent to collections and will not be allow to see any of St. Pete's doctors, medical group or go to their clinics. Any medical need she has, she will have to go to the ER but could be turned away unless it's an emergency. They said today to fill out the Patient Assistance Program app but she already did and it was denied.
Her co-worker just explained that he is living through a similar experience with medical services in Montana. His wife had to go to Arizona for a competent doctor for her serious condition. When she has a 'flare up' she has to go to the ER here, but can't see any other medical office or doctor.
What kind of craziness is that?
We are seeking other states to move to, and regions with a variety of hospitals, non profit, proprietary, etc. Our goal is to afford insurance but with the current political climate and forced centralized health care - we have no idea what we are going to do. Montana doesn't want to expand Medicaid or set up a Obamacare exchange. Technically it means residents should get an exemption or subsidy but there is zero information on how to obtain that. So will we have the fines on our taxes?
Montana is really one of the worst states to live if you have ongoing medical needs. That's my final conclusion.
St Pete's billing office is atrocious! You need to keep talking to supervisors, then the dept head and then things never get resolved. Administration has made some changes but more is needed. Too much politics and cronyism.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The VA is a MESS ALL OVER
