Watauga Medical Center

WORST HOSPITAL I HAVE EVER BEEN!. I could give them a ZERO STAR if I could. To start with, the admission nurse did not seem to ask for the medications I take. When I suggested for her to note them down, she dismissed it as unimportant. Then she showed about 10 minutes later to take my temperature; which she forgot to do as part of taking the vital signs. Sometime later the nurse practitioner, ( not a real docto) showed up and as I tell her my symptoms and give her the history of why I was there, she replies that I needed to go back when I am experiencing the symptoms. Evidently, she did not hear a word I said. Then, she checks my ear, orders a blood test panel and after getting the results she comes back and said there isn’t anything wrong, just high levels of inflammation markers; which she did not even explain what could be causing it. I had to dig more information out of her in order to at least have a clue of what may be going on.IF I COULD CALL THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND REQUEST FOR THEM NOT TO GET PAID, I WOULD!. THEY JUST TOOK MY MONEY AND DID NOTHING!!!!. Unfortunately, I live in this community and I am stuck with that scary place!.

I have only had the worst experiences nearly every time I have gone to Watauga Medical Center. The doctors and nurses are often very good, but the hospital administration is poor at best. The simplest of administrative things are difficult and troublesome, nearly every time I go there. This week I went to outpatient surgery with my wife. They have a numbered ticket dispenser at the check-in, which would rationally mean, ‘ grab a ticket and we’ll call your number when it’s your turn.’ Well, the ticket dispenser was empty, so there was a sign by the opened door with an arrow pointing in that reads “check-in.” When my wife tried to go in to check-in a male who was standing in the waiting area in the waiting room (along with others standing) put himself between me and the door and said, “there is someone in there already and there is a lot of people in front of you,” attempting to stop us from checking in. He obviously thought we were trying to cut in front of him. My wife had an appointment, so how do they know we have arrived if we don’t check in? I walked into the check-in office anyway and asked the admin how she knows we are here and she said she knows by “watching the people walking off the elevator.” That’s the check-in process. I’m not joking! Even the imagined neanderthal’s could come up with a better system to benefit the patients who are already a little anxious concerning their up and coming procedures. This is one example of a system that was ONLY for the admin and NOT the patient. It is typical at this hospital.

Considering the circumstances, I had a wonderful experience here. Everytime I went to speak to nurse, despite them being a full house, they were polite and were speedy to treat my boyfriend who was sick. Special shootout to nurse Peyton she did a wonderful job and had a perky and polite attitude the entire time.

Worst place ever! After having to go to the ER once for myself spraining my ankle and then for my son having a 105 fever then being sent home, undiagnosed, WITH E.COLI, I will NEVER go here again if I can help it. With my sprained ankle, we waited 2 hours, with my 5 month old and my anlle is still jacked. With my son, took him in when his fever had been bad all week and it finally got up to 105, when we got there it was down to 103. We had him exposed in just a diaper to try to get his fever down. While there the 5 HOURS, his fever went back down. No fluods were given, just a bottle of Pedialyte of which he drank only half. His fever went down to 99 then they sent us home. Finally found out a few days later that he has had E.Coli!!!! This hospital is a joke! DO NOT EVER GO HERE IF YOU CAN HELP IT!!!!

My husband had an outpatient surgery with Dr. Voglewede. Wearing off the anesthesia wasn’t easy for him, but the nurses and staff went above and beyond expectations to make sure he was comfortable. During the procedure, we got calls every hour updating us on his progress! It was as wonderful as the experience could have gone.