Name:	Firefighter -	Reply
Subject:	Russell Medical Center
Date:	6/4/2020 8:01:03 PM

My wife collapsed - could not move and lost her memory. I called an ambulance who took her to the Russell Medical Center Emergency Room. The doctor examined her and said her collapse and loss of memory were not a medical problem but was a social issue and I was to take her home. This was impossible. They tried to get me to sign the release papers which I refused. I left the area for a few minutes and was told my wife signed the release papers. Yes, they forged her signature. At this point two people pulled her off the bed, put her in a wheel chair, took her out of the emergency room and left her in the hospital lobby. By signing the release papers I could not get her into the hospital and not having a medical problem she lost her insurance coverage. I finally got her to a nursing center where she spent two months recovering with therapy. I talked to the hospital CEO to discuss my wife's situation. We had a pleasent conversation and he said he would review the incident and call me to discuss his findings. Well, he never called back after a few months so he didn't care either. This is the worst hospital I have ever been to. Others who heard my story said they understood and then told me their disasters at this hospital. I filed a police report against the individuals that forged my wife's signature and after the police investigation they told me that forgery is not a crime if the individuals who forged my wife's name did not benefit financially. Here we have a CEO that is not capable of evaluating his doctor staff and taking any corrective action. The speech theripist that evaluated my wife wrote a report that said my wife didn't respond to her questions and therefore didn't answer any questions on purpose. It never dawned on her that my wife most likely had a stroke and was unable to answer the questions. I decided to write this summary to let people know the risk of going to this hospital.

Name:	lakeguy -	Reply
Subject:	Russell Medical Center
Date:	6/5/2020 10:01:29 AM

God's blessings on you and your wife. I am so very sorry this happened. You should be enraged. I have been twice over the last few years and my family has said, never again. We will get you straight home to Birmingham.

Name:	MartiniMan -	Reply
Subject:	What is the best alternative?
Date:	6/5/2020 10:11:40 AM

Auburn?  We have a map to Russell Medical Center on our fridge because it seems the closest decent size hospital.  I would like to find a better alternative but don't know which way to go.  Our house is in Dadeville.

Name:	Talullahhound -	Reply
Subject:	What is the best alternative?
Date:	6/5/2020 10:40:46 AM

Probably Auburn if it is an emergency.  

Name:	Talullahhound -	Reply
Subject:	Russell Medical Center
Date:	6/5/2020 10:45:22 AM

I'm sorry that happened to you and your wife.  I'm glad that you were able to finally get the care that she deserved.

  I have long been concerned about the quality of care at Russell Medical and the general medical community here.  I'm not sure who is running Russell Medical these days  - I'm talking about the medical end here, not administrative, but i have heard stories.  If something serious happens, we're heading south or north, but not there.  

Name:	wix -	Reply
Subject:	What is the best alternative?
Date:	6/5/2020 10:52:48 AM

Be careful of Dadeville “first aid center.”  If you call 911, the Tallapoosa Cty ambulance will take you to Dadeville Hospital, a no,no!!  We go to East Alabama Med Ctr.  It’s about 15 minutes further than AC, and much better equipped to handle emergencies.  B-hood is fine, if you can live the hour and a half to get there!.....and enjoy the drive for follow ups.  We have had 7 surgeries at EA, with good care experience.

Name:	alatraveler50 -	Reply
Subject:	Russell Medical Center
Date:	6/5/2020 12:56:32 PM

When did this happen?

I have been to Russell ER 4 times in the last year and a half with heart/lung issues. Admitted twice, sent home once after symptoms cleared up and once punted to B'ham when it was determined that the problem needed a specialist they did not have at the time.  I've also had four procedures/minor surgeries done at Russell Hospital.  I've also taken 2 people to their ER; one table saw accident and one anaphylactic shock.

I don't purport to know your situation in the least but I have nothing bad to say about Russell except for their crummy scrambled eggs.

Name:	CranBob -	Reply
Subject:	Russell Medical Center
Date:	6/5/2020 2:06:07 PM

We took our daughter(she was about 30 at the time) there a few years back when she fell and hurt her ankle. We sat in the ER for 4 hours and did not mind when they took a heart attack before her but when they took other minor cases that came in after her first we complained. They finally saw her and when they found out she is an attorney (they first thought she was a secretary at a law firm) they performed  xray etc. They said she had a sprain and would be fine to travel (She had a meeting in Denver the next week). We took the XRAy back to Bham to our neighbor who is an Orthopedic Surgeon and one look he said broken and put her in a cast.

We decided at that point anything worse than a hang nail either East Al Med Center in Opelika or Birmingham.

Name:	Lifer -	Reply
Subject:	What is the best alternative?
Date:	6/5/2020 2:12:37 PM

I'm sorry but if your life depends on Tallapoosa EMS, your most like dead and just don't know it yet.   My neighbor took a fall a few weeks ago and his wife called T'poosa EMS.  The two kids that showed up looked very unprofessional, unkept even.  By thime they got here he was responsive and we had gotten him on the bed.  They looked him over, took vitals, looked in his eyes and decared his pupils equal, but no mention of reactive which is really more imprortant.  Tehy didn't mention it because they didn't even test for it.  When he said he didin't want to go the hospital they were like, fine, sign here, and off they went.  I know they cant force anyone to go but should at least try to talk them into going, but they said "he looked fine to them". Teh man fell so hard his head knocked a chunk of wood out of the wooden threshold between the Bed and bath rooms for gods sake and is bleeding from a nasty head wound above the eye.

He did agree to go if his wife took him.  She left at the same time as the ambulance and they took him straight to catscan and discovered a massive bleed covering his entire left brain, partly due to two blood thinnners he was on.  Taht was on Friday, he passed away on Wednesday the next week.  Granted nothing they could have done would have changed the outcome in this case, but who knows about the next time.

BTW- I understand most of those guys are paid very little, like 8 to 10/hr range. That is who is coming to "save" you and yours.  IF you want professional, you have to pay professional.  Its a shame that is the service we have here.

Name:	Firefighter -	Reply
Subject:	Russell Medical Center
Date:	6/5/2020 5:25:35 PM

I appreciate the above comments. On prior emergencies we went to our doctors office and he insisted we go to East Alabama Medical Center and they provided us with first rate treatment. Unfortunately in this case my wife's collapse happened over the weakend and I was unable to lift her off the floor. I admit it would have been better if I had called an ambulance to take her to EAMC but the long trip and waiting for the ambulance to come was a concern. There was no good option. Alex City depends on a poor hospital with a CEO that cannot evaluate his poor doctor staff and implement corrective action. I believe the Board of Directors at the hospital selected a poor CEO and inturn they have just become a rubber stamp.

Name:	Lifer -	Reply
Subject:	Russell Medical Center
Date:	6/5/2020 5:33:07 PM

First of all YOU determine what hospital you are taken too.  If you tell them you want to go to EAMC they must take you there.  

One of my doctors told me he left RMC because the board decided to buy a cheaper version of a medical implant device than what he wanted to use but they overrode him and bought the cheap ones.  

Name:	krtracker -	Reply
Subject:	What is the best alternative?
Date:	6/5/2020 6:11:18 PM

EAMC is a joke! here is personal experience.... l had atrial fib issue. dadeville hospital sent me by abulance to EAMC. arrived at 1am and sent to a room. heart doctor never saw me till the next morning, dr. a....  finally showed at 1030am the following morning. that night in the hospital i had a stroke. no blood thinner given, no dr. called. rn called a nurse practicioner who gave me a loritab to knock me out. next morning after seeing dr. a...  who wanted to do a heart cath l checked myself out (againist hospital wishes) and hauled my butt straight to UAB cardiology. had a surgical coronary ablabtion done there. the dr. there could not believe there was no intervetion with blood thinners, cat scan ect. so you want EAMC in opelika (there is no hospital in auburn) then go for it and flip a coin! you might and might not make it. this is not here say....its my personal experience that is documented in EAMC records.

Name:	realfast64 -	Reply
Subject:	Russell Medical Center
Date:	6/5/2020 6:55:44 PM

   I read your initial post and shook my head.  It wasn't long ago this was a good hospital and was operated well. I saw this comming and it has been a concern of mine for several years and it seems my fears have come to be.  RMC is fast becomming a pick up point for life flight and that will be a improvement.

  For years it has amazed me how patients become cured on Thursday and Friday and are discharged.  For those that don't belive me ride by on Tuesday and see the cars there after 5 then ride by Friday evening after 5 and see the empty parking lot.

Name:	gabby -	Reply
Subject:	Russell Medical Center
Date:	6/5/2020 9:57:32 PM

Uab is ok,if you like being a guinea pig after all it is a learning hospital.I had heart bypass surgery seven month ago and still not recovered .The surgery wound has not even healed yet.No contack either way,guess they have written me off

Name:	Talullahhound -	Reply
Subject:	Russell Medical Center
Date:	6/5/2020 11:20:06 PM

My MIL had open heart surgery at UAB, when she was 80 and had no recovery problems at all.  Three years later had hip replacement surgery and the surgery went well.  My husband had surgery at St. Vicents and it went well too.  I think a lot depends on the Doctor.  In all cases, I thought the nursing staff was superb.  

Name:	Lifer -	Reply
Subject:	What is the best alternative?
Date:	6/6/2020 5:31:55 AM

Yet they adveritise as a "heart hospital" with billborards about their cardiaac awards.

Name:	lubdalake -	Reply
Subject:	Russell Medical Center
Date:	6/7/2020 6:06:35 PM

No excuse, but unfortunately this is modern medicine.  I am a physician.  Not gonna blame any particular political administration but for the past decade or so there has been too much emphasis on checking the boxes, filling out the electronic medical records, and justifying every single lab test, xray, etc.  It comes down to reimbursement, not providing quality care.  It's not just Russell, it's everywhere.

You do have recourse though, you can file a complaint with JCAHO (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations) and if your wife is insured by Medicare you can file a complaint with them as well.  I assure you, the JCAHO complaint will get noticed at Russell, and you may get some satisfaction out of that.  Good Luck.

Name:	Carlson -	Reply
Subject:	Thanks doc!
Date:	6/7/2020 9:08:33 PM

But it has become a pattern from reviewers here.  I go to a facility while not local provides excellent response and service.  It's not convenient but they value good customer service and great results.  

obviously that value is not endorsed at Russell.  

Name:	Aaronooch -	Reply
Subject:	Russell Medical Center
Date:	6/30/2020 7:01:24 AM

First, of all, I condole on your wife's incident. And i am playing for her that she will be better soon. Also, you can get best essay writing service UK reviews to manage thesis tasks easily. But how this accident happens, you did not attach any details of it. Share something about it so that we don't do that.