UPMC

When I moved to Pittsburgh from New York City, I felt relieved that I was coming to a city with what I thought was a good health system. I soon found out that managing one's care at UPMC is a full time job because the operations and logistics are the worst I've ever experienced, and I now have a few experiences within UPMC after two years that support this.

I had one harrowing, 9 hour Emergency Room wait for a suspected clot, I also scheduled a colonoscopy back in NYC after a positive screening result, and not being able to be scheduled for over 3 months, and I waited 4 months to get into see a physiatrist. While the doctors are good, the system is completely unfriendly to timely access and scheduling, and I was shocked to read that the CEO specialized in business operations! Maybe the executive operations are going well, but it's not good for patients.

This could easily be improved with focused quality and the right management, but none of my experiences, as well as discussions with the employees support this. In face the docs and employees all agree and they are victims of this very poor system, as well.

So this is the second time in about 5 weeks that I had my mother here. I'm sitting here right now.

I brought her in for stroke like symptoms. They did all the testing while in the ED. i went to get a bite to eat. I was gone for 40 minutes.

When I left my mother hit the call button to have someone help her to use the bathroom. When I came back she was laying in her own urine because no one answered the bell. She said she hit it 3 times. When I finally left for the night at 4pm the person that does the swallow therapy was to be in.

She was to be doing her rounds. Well here it is the next day and we were told that the order was done yesterday but wasn't put in until 808 this morning. And the doctor was only in for 5 minutes and told her that she was the priority. So the last time she was in when the doctor came in to see her that time...

for 5 minutes also. They didn't even know what she was in for. They siad she was in for diarrhea but she wasn't.

She was in for dehydration and UTI. So at this point I don't think I'll bring her out anymore to this hospital because they have dropped the ball to many time for my liking.

This is for Harrisburg area only. Pittsburg seems to have something that works.

What good is having a phone number to call if no one answers? . 3 calls to UCPA today approximately 1:30 listening to thank you for holding each time for 10 minutes. Only option 1 addressed appointments.

Option 2 nurse line no different. I could have used the Doctor line ( Im a retired ER doctor) but that is not right either. AND, the Portal doesnt offer enough customer service options to message either. What the alternative?

Im doing it. I cant see any other business ( that corporate medicine has become) staying in business. But, we are captives to the monopoly. Hershey is not an alternative , in my opinion, for physicians or availability.

UPMC does that well Im thankful. Whats the reason for not answering calls? Volume of calls? Short staff?

The bottom line in the budget ?

Enough. Thank you reading