Inova Alexandria Hospital (Arlington, Fairfax: appointed, homes, live)

[Flamingo13]

Anybody have any recent experience with them?

I'm really disappointed with them, yrs. ago I would have rated them at the top. These days - some stupid system kicks in that you are listed as DNA (do not notify - or something) unless you opt out (we were told: if someone calls asking for you, you don't "exist", i.e. no such patient is here) - nobody asked us anything about this. If someone calls, they are told "no patient by that name is registered" or some such. I was told that a patient is supposed to be asked if they want that designation, but we were never asked.

I am also really annoyed by the lack of personnel - good luck asking for anything minor (which makes me REALLY wonder about the major things) - nurse call button pushed today was never answered w/i the 5 hrs. I was there.

I'm just venting right now but I do intend to contact them about some issues.

[ChristineVA]

I use them a lot for outpatient stuff--never stayed overnight with them. They used to be the best when they were not part of Inova. When they went under Inova, many of the radiology techs that used to do my testing quit.

At any rate, they are now part of the Inova system, which for doctors and medical care is top rated. I'm afraid that if you went to Inova Fairfax, that hospital would be run the same and you might have the same experiences there.

[msjack]

DNA stands for Do Not Announce. It is a patient "protective" measure. Yes, they should have asked you or it should have been in your registration paperwork. You'd be surprised at how many people don't want anyone to know they are in the hospital. With the call bell...this is not an excuse, but most units are severly understaffed. If you were on a regular med/surg floor that nurse could have up to 8 patients. Which is a ridiculous amount. Just keep pushing that call bell, someone should come. Hopefully the experience will get somewhat better for you. Good luck.

[MKing]

Flamingo13 not sure if you or a loved one was/is in the hospital but I hope all is well and on the road to recovery!

It is sad how understaffed hospitals and nursing homes are, also I can't stand that most nursing shifts are 12 hours long. 12 hours is a long day for anyone especially in professional where lives can be put at risk due to a simple mistake.

btw please disinfect the remote control for the hospital bed and TV as those two items can harbor a lot of germs and are hardly ever cleaned!

[athousandlogins]

A friend of mine who is having a baby took a tour at Inova Alexandria. She was so put-off by it that she ended up switching to a doctor who delivers at Arlington Hospital Center instead. She did not feel very good about the staff or some of their policies.

But I agree, had she switched to Fairfax or any other Inova hospital instead, it would have been the same thing.

[Flamingo13]

Thank you MKing for your kind wishes (I wish I'd thought to wipe off that remote sooner, you're right).

It has been better there - the staff other than the day I was ranting (lol) has been much better. Either that was a bad day in general there or it was a bad nurse (we haven't had her again) - the nurses we've had since have been much better.

[vlh71]

Had a bad ER experience in December....my husband was rushed there in an ambulance. I was told to wait and someone would come out to the waiting room to get me....almost an hour of waiting and a nice lady also waiting told me I could just go back!!! I was appauled that no one came out to give me a status or anything. Then I waited in the back with him and slept in a chair all night in my party dress - no one offered a blanket, pillow, nothing. I had to demand toxicology tests or they wouldn't have done any....it was very disorganized. I felt we were just a number and unless you staying in their face you were going to be ignored!!!

[Flamingo13]

I have always been proactive with his health - unfortunately, I have found that it really depends on who is working at the time. I don't want to overburden the staff but you do have to ask (you should have asked someone for a blanket, etc.) - staff cuts I guess are across the board and I think they (staff) are certainly overworked. I honestly don't know if it's just Inova now or it's across the board - I really blame the medical insurers, they nickle and dime so much but don't take the person into consideration. Seems likes hospitals mostly have to do what they can on limited resources.