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Cedars Sinai Medical Center
Category: Health and Medical Hospitals Hospitals [Edit]
8700 Beverly BlvdLos Angeles, CA 90048
Neighborhoods: Mid-City West, West Hollywood
(310) 423-3277
- By Appointment Only:
- No
97 reviews for Cedars Sinai Medical Center
97 reviews in English
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Review from Tess M.
11/19/2011
An ER is neither a Friday night date nor a HH but if ya gotta go, this is the place to go for efficient, state-of-the-art treatment.Thorough is the MO from the get go!
My neighbor had an emergency that required immediate attention. She had to go and I was designated driver. From parking - $4 with validation for ER patients -, to triage, to examination, to treatment, this extremely busy ER takes patient care with care. Nursing staff rotates but is both compassionate and professional.
A non-relative, I was still allowed to accompany her throughout her treatment process and that eased her anxiety. Wifi allowed me to catch up on Yelp while we waited for portable x-rays, blood draws, and intravenous meds.
The ailment, semi-serious, was not life-threatening. Her stay was just short of five hours. It was a bummer that their pharmacy was closed and we had to fill prescriptions at a 24-hour pharmacy but that's a small price to pay to be OK. -
Review from Ani P.
Updated - 2/6/2012
Obviously Cedars did a great job with delivering my twins vaginally. I had to deliver in the OR b/c apparently anything could go wrong with a twin delivery. I had 2 teams for each twin ready to go.
But here's the thing, the vibe I got from them was distinctly standard operating procedure. They're pushy mofos. I had to argue with the nurses to opt out of an IV and get just a hep lock. They literally wouldn't back down until my husband showed up.
I just don't think this place is conducive to a natural birth without drugs (i.e., epidural). I'm pregnant with my third child and I plan on delivering at UCLA Birthing Center in Santa Monica -- it's supposed to be more conducive to a natural mama. I'll write a review in May (or when I'm not dead tired from balancing 3 kids under the age of 3).Listed in: I Don't Mind Walking
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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4/12/2010
Labor nurses: AWESOME. I could be bffs with all of them. They seriously love what they do and it… Read more »
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Review from Stacy T.
San Francisco, CA
1/4/2012
I have Crohn's disease and have been on Remicade infusions every eight weeks since January 2011. I relocated from SF to LA in October of 2011 and upon the recommendations of others, switched from my SF medical provider to Cedars Sinai for Crohn's maintenance. I received a Remicade infusion at Cedars Sinai in November 2011.
First: I sat for two hours past my appointment time on a gurney bed in a hallway before my treatment began due to overbooking/overcrowding. I didn't appreciate being scheduled for a 1:00pm appointment when they couldn't actually accommodate me until 3:00pm. That's time I could have been working, and the delay also caused me to miss a social engagement scheduled for that evening. I've never had to wait even a fraction of that time at my place in SF.
Second: the nurse practitioner decided to put the needle in my arm before the medication had arrived from the pharmacy, so I sat in that hallway with an IV needle protruding from my arm for a significant portion of that 2 hour waiting period.
Third: the outrageous billing. I knew Cedars was expensive and anticipated paying more for having the infusion done there, but whereas the total infusion process cost on average approx $3,000 (pre-discount and pre-insurance) at my last place, Cedars billed approx $11,000 pre-discount and pre-insurance for the exact same infusion I'd had performed numerous times elsewhere. Never met a doctor at Cedars.
Patients on biologics: consider yourself forewarned. -
Review from Kinipela I.
La Jolla, CA
12/4/2011
I think this hospital is wonderful and has the most professional staff, but I question its security; i went in and out 3 times with no security check, straight into one of the rooms in the north east tower. Also, while they have rules in the ICU, they look the other way when they see people eat food or see that visitors are present for more than the alotted time. It may be them being nice, but the rules are made to secure the safety of all the patients--- folks in the ICU are the weakest, I feel the rules SHOULD be upheld and enforced; not merely present. Maybe I watch too much CSI or crime movies, but if someone really wanted to be malicious and take "flowers" to see their "friend," they could without being stopped!!! YIKES!!!
But, aside from that, a GREAT hospital with the best quality healthcare delivery. -
Review from Hanie B.
Studio City, CA
Hellooo 8south :-)
Listed in: Work n Home related
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Review from Kym B.
Inland Empire
2/2/2012 14 Check-ins Here
I've read the reviews for this facility. I have to disagree based upon my treatment and after care. I received both compassionate and professional treatment from the staff beginning with the receptionists through to the physicians. My treatment was over a month long and continues. While it was necessary to reside in the area for an extended period of time during my treatment, Cedars-Sinai arranged for a hotel close by within walking distance. Social services was extremely accommodating and expeditious in preparing and finalizing my stay. I cannot speak highly enough of this hospital / research center.
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Review from Kathy W.
1/18/2012 2 Check-ins Here
One of the largest and biggest hospitals I've been to. There are multiple parking lots which may be really confusing if you are not familiar with the area. It is nice that the hospital has several shuttles. There are many eateries as well other than the cafeteria. Some of them are independently owned and many in the medical center building. The floors are also fairly nice. If you stay in the highest floor the rooms are large and spacious. The staff members are also really nice. The main downside is the parking and the congestion in the area. Overall, good places to go if you need medical attention...assuming you can afford it. You also know it's good because this is the place that celebrities go as well.
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Review from Appolinaria T.
Los Angeles, CA
1/3/2012
While no one ever wants to be at the ER, it happens sometimes. For me, it was yesterday. I caught a stomach flu that made me extremely dehydrated to the point that I couldn't even keep ANYTHING down. I knew I needed fluids and I had no other way of getting them except for going to the ER. I was in at 5:30, but had to spend 3 hours in the waiting room, which is a minus. I know what I had wasn't life threatening, but I hadn't eaten anything all day and everything that I once had in my system was no longer there. I was also soooooo thirsty as I sat in the waiting room, but feared in taking anything - I really didn't want to throw up again! Once I was in, all the nurses and doctors were very nice. Since I was dehydrated and my veins suck to begin with, it took 3 different nurses to draw blood and stick an IV in me. So 5 punctures and an hour later, I was on the way to recovery. Darryl wasn't even my official nurse, but he saw how weak and pale I was that he did his best to get me started. It helped that he used humor to make me feel better and take my mind off of the fact that I was starving and thirsty and so uncomfortable.
Although I had to spend my time out in the hallway instead of a room, that can be forgiven. All I really needed was an IV, none of that other fancy medical equipment. It was too bright for me to sleep, but did doze off for a bit. And again, this is the ER, they can't give everyone their own room. My nurse Carrolyn checked up on me every so often, which was perfect. I didn't feel abandoned nor did I feel like they were checking up on me TOO much. I was out of there and home by 2 a.m. -
Review from Geneva L.
Lake Tahoe
12/16/2011
It's simple- the best research hospital in the United States. I don't think that native Angelenos necessarily realize what they have in their backyard...but the staff and approach to patients here makes it one-of- a kind in the world.
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Review from Todd P.
Los Angeles, CA
9/21/2011 2 Check-ins Here
In my opinion The Best hospital in LA. The staff are great and very kind and helpful. The Doctors are the best of the best. The cafe is bright and inviting. The food is GREAT and very inexpensive.
The hospital parking is reasonable and if you are visiting for a long visit or many times you can get a weekly parking pass from the parking office for $30 per week. -
Review from Tammy G.
Huntington Beach, CA
12/13/2011 1 photo
I had an excellent experience with pre op, surgical, and post op care. My stay was excellent, my care was personal and attentive - and all staff I came in contact with was friendly and helpful. I highly recommend Cedars, they have their stuff together!
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Review from Patricia N.
Los Angeles, CA
10/16/2011
I had the unfortunate occasion to visit Cedars Medical Center, and when I say unfortunate is for the obvious reasons, who wants to be sick, right?
Well, I give 4 stars because I am a live and healthy, my doctor is fantastic. and the nurses were very sweet and helpful. The only missing star here is the lack of time they spend with you to explain your procedure (they used to do that) to let you know what to do next and how to take care of your post operation. The lack of that communication, took me back to the doctor within 6 days with an infection. Very expensive facility and very scary to think that if I am paying top dollars and have this kind of rushing out of surgery, I can only imagine what goes on on public facilities. -
Review from quentin c.
Los Angeles, CA
8/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Go no where else. There isn't another hospital in Los Angeles that compares. I'm always shocked to discover that other cities don't have a comparable institution. Where else would you so obviously go? When I'm between doctors, I use their emergency room as a primary physician. If you time it right, it's less wait than you'd think.
i've also been brought in with second-third degree burns covering my left hand and those people rock. they know how to prioritize a waiting list and they know how to dull the pain (it was somewhat complicated, because a medication i took had an opiate blocker component, so they had to titrate iv dilaudid until they eased the pain, but didn't kill me.)
oh, and i love the er rooms turkey sandwiches. damn it, i love that whole damn place...thaliens and all. (my god, they have candy stripers bring you a list of their videos, so they can bring them up for you to watch.)
it's not just the doctors i'm raving about. i also love the nurses, the charge nurses, the volunteers...hell, i love the guy who works the parking garage. -
Review from Brian S.
Los Angeles, CA
11/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is a great hospital,top of the line staff and technology, I would only complain of the expensive parking due to the cost of living in this area. If you are a opulent individual than this means nothing. Im a blue collar kind of guy so its important to make my visits brief. Some of the staff is very friendly and some aren't. During the afternoon shift you might find that they want to rid all visitors or limit them,unless you are on the special floor and the person you are visiting is a celebrity or someone well off financially. Its a great hospital overall.
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Review from Leonard A.
West Hollywood, CA
Updated - 4/20/2011 1 photo
This will be short:
I was in Cedars for a week, getting overhauled. Did you know that every single patient room has wi-fi? So I was able to keep at least one tentacle hooked into the real world with my laptop, which went a helluva long way toward keeping some sanity by avoiding terminal boredom (hospital television goes just so far). Just another reason that Cedars-Sinai is so great. :-)
AN ASIDE: While I was there, I had a chance to make some mental notes:
Some of the patients are incredibly nasty to the nurses and the aids. They take their frustrations and fears out on them. It's human nature, but it's not really their finest hour. Cedars-Sinai is a world-class hospital, there is nary a doubt. But many people equate "world class care" with fun and comfort. World-class care can be QUITE unpleasant. Hey, you people who shit on the hospital staff: a world-class hospital isn't a friggin' CRUISE SHIP! So take your lumps and be properly grateful!Listed in: The Old Dependables, Medical/Dental/Nutritiona l…
3 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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9/13/2009
My God, is there NOTHING Leonard won't do to increase his UFC count? Apparently not. Otherwise, why… Read more »
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Review from monique h.
El Cajon, CA
4/12/2011
The Staff in the Emergency Room are Exceptionally Amazing! I must of made it in at the perfect time, there was little to no wait what so ever! Everyone was extremely accommodating and just super nice. I mean even the security guard was really nice, and this was all pre drugs! hah!
It all came down to this: Gold Glitter Platforms and this girl don't mix well, especially after mojitios galore meet a slippery ground of a frozen yogurt joint in West Hollywood at 2am!! I fell and it wasn't fun or pretty! My ankle swelled up to be 4x of its actual cankle self! I tired to sleep it off , that only worked for a few hours, until I made the bestie wake up and take me in. I'm not a fun person to be around when in massive pain, so off we went!
As soon as we pulled up to the ER doors, the Security guard got me in a wheel chair and took me right in. Within mere seconds I was inside talking to the nurses of the triage. Who by the way we're very positive and personable. I explained my fall and what not, they asked me what denomination of doctor I preferred , I was kinda taken back by this at first. its certainly not what I'm used to coming from Grossmont Hospital down here in SD. Anyhow, got signed into the ER within seconds I was in my own ER room!
After stumbling around and trying to get on a the bed, some curse words came out, and in walked my nurse Erin, she laughed with me as I made a joke out of it all and apologized for my sailor mouth! She was super cool and had a very welcoming presence about her. I don't think I was even laying there for 10 minutes before Dr. Fishkin came in to see me. He was awesome, nice, great single Jewish doctor! would of made my father proud, but alas, here is his dumb-ass hungover daughter with a broken ankle! Had to let that one pass ... haha
So after X- rays, and I was given a few muscle relaxers and what not, my Jewish Dr, became Dr. FuSchnikens of the hip hop world. I couldn't call him anything else, and when I did call him Dr. Fu' I giggled to the point of beyond giggles! He didn't get it ! So after all the giggles, I was bandaged up , given a brace and crutches and sent on my merry way back into the world with a fractured ankle!
All nurses and even the discharging ladies were very accommodating and really nice. All paper work was explained to me in a way I could understand, they speak to you like an adult , a human , and in normal words, not all hoiyty toity DR talk! I was very much so impressed and stunned with just how stellar of a hospital Cedar Sinai is! I wish they had hospitals like this in San Diego! -
Review from Justin K.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
10/14/2011 5 Check-ins Here
Best hospital in country
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Review from Aditya R.
4/24/2011
Cedars Sinai was my home hospital when I did my kidney transplant. The staff took great care of me and the support staff, including nurses, technicians and insurance case workers were very helpful in making sure that my surgery and post-surgical care went smoothly.
On an overall note, the hospital can be a little confusing since one never knows which building to enter and how, if it all, the buildings are connected. However, they have a decent cafeteria for patients' families and doctors on break.
When it comes to research, I know that they took a lot of interest in my case and in order to make sure my transplant went smoothly, they did plasma pheresis and immune therapy that was really state of the art. I felt like I was in sci-fi movie!
For kidney & pancreas transplants, I would certainly recommend Cedars, at least if you are in Los Angeles :-) -
Review from Carlo C.
Torrance, CA
2/9/2011
Totally Overrated. This hospital did not even get ranked in the Upper Tier of US Hospitals in US News Magazine. There's a lot of publicity surrounding this hospital, but does not publicize important information to the public. Compared to other hospitals, it also has a 30% mark up.
The higher ranked UCLA hospital is much better in quality of care and attention to detail. Infection control at Cedars is subpar and is constantly under reported due to manipulation of data.
Just look at the most recent incidents of Dennis Quaid's twins almost dying from a hospital mistake, the over exposure of radiation to patients from their medical machinery, and the multiple citations of the Joint Commission against them.
Don't believe the hype. Cedars is in the middle of the pack for hospital care and definitely not worth the 30% mark up. Their most notable department is Public Relations and their ability to gild over their dirty past.Listed in: Did I just go to Hell?
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Review from Abigail H.
Los Angeles, CA
3/10/2011
This review isn't for my experience as I was not a patient here. However my friend 13 was and I spent a few nights/days keeping him company. The staff here is AMAZING. They were all so very nice and caring. He had his own room so we stayed up watching tv, playing cards, and the bed was actually big enough for me to lay down with him. The nurses came by every few hours to make sure everything was okay and didn't say anything about me spending the night or staying way past the visiting hours.
I've only been hospitalized once and it was at Kaiser in the Westside and even though their staff was incredible, I think the Cedar staff were much more personable. -
Review from Timothy H.
Los Angeles, CA
2/4/2011 2 Check-ins Here
They shot me!
They sucked my blood!
but they do have free wifi... -
Review from Kali A.
Los Angeles, CA
11/16/2010
I went to Cedars last month to donate platelettes but didn't qualify due to low iron levels. Out of courtesy their staff gave me 4 movie tickets and insisted I take home some snacks for having gone through the long drive and hassle only to be rejected. Although I felt somewhat guilty for accepting the tickets, I couldn't believe how generous they were being. I was expecting to drive home just happy that I didn't have to pay for parking (like at UCLA Donations).
I will definitely try donating at Cedars regularly. I just hope I won't be turned away a third time for leukocytosis, calcium deficiency or some other reason. -
Review from What W.
Los Angeles, CA
12/24/2010
I had to go to the ER one Tuesday evening (12/7/10) and got to Cedars realizing this was the absolute worst time to go. No joke. The place was SLAMMED. They told me weekends and Tuesdays are usually packed. I
I've had some godawful experiences at Cedars but it appears that they really got their act together since the last time I was there (circa 2008).
This time everyone was extremely nice to me and paid a lot of attention to my needs. Despite the fact that they were slammed they got me in pretty fast.
Anyway I came in and was seen by a doctor almost immediately. This doctor, Dr. Bibb was the NICEST healthcare professional I've ever met. He explained everything to me and seemed to be very gracious to the other patients as well. I was really impressed with how great of a doctor he was. Dr. Bibb made sure I'd leave with a list of doctor referrals for doctors in the CS group and reassured me I'd be taken care of well.
I'm used to the ER being a traumatizing experience but this time was amazing. O also... if you do go to the ER and are hungry.. you have to try the cafeteria..!!! it's soooo good and affordable. If this place were an actual business i'd eat there every day. :) -
Review from Jesus C.
Los Angeles, CA
2/16/2011
I went in for platelet donation (keep in mind you must make an appointment) and the staff was extremely friendly and courteous. My nurse looked like the guy from "Half-Baked." It took about 2 hours with all the screening and whatnot (apparently my heart pumps fast or something). They have this computer/screen for you to watch movies or just surf the 'net. They were very attentive and gave me water and blankets to make the donation go smoother. Afterwards they brought me cookies and orange juice right to my bed (Lorna-Doones :D) When I was done, they gave me 4 movie tickets. They all thanked me and wanted me to return because I had such a high platelet count.
I will be returning -
Review from Michelle V.
San Jose, CA
7/27/2010
I have to been to this hospital numerous times. A couple years back when my mom was still going through dialysis and then finally got a kidney donor. I drove her here once a week to get her blood tested and of course if we had any sort of emergencies at home in regards to her gazillion pills she still has to take to this day or anything wrong with her health, I'd have to rush my ass in the car driving about 100mph to get to Cedars in less than 25 minutes (It's about a 50 min. drive to get there from my mama's place).
The staff here are all really friendly. The facility itself is HUGE! Like really really huge. The cafeteria in the main building is pretty cool. Lots of variety of food and they also had protein shakes! =)
My mom had her kidney transplant here and everything went smoothly. While she was in recovery for the first night, I actually walked across the street to one of the Beverly Hills malls. Pretty cool that the hospital is centrally located between tons of shopping centers.
I would give this hospital 4 stars if parking wasn't always a pain in the ass. Expect to pay a fee in garage parking or any of the parking lots surrounding any of the buildings. -
Review from MIKE W.
Redondo Beach, CA
8/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
They treated my wife so good, cant wait to return to delivery our baby there.
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Review from mary b.
Pasadena, CA
5/18/2010
I almost died here. True story. My body keeps finding a brand new yet very old injury from my childhood
I spent New Years Eve with my biological father 5 years ago. (We had just met) We shared a bottle of Tear's of dew, my favorite wine.
Driving through the grapevine from my dad's house to mine new year's day is when the pain sets in.
Anyone who has ever done the drive from the bay area to Los Angeles has been there. The inevitable ear ache. Ear ache right? Except for this ear ache has me checking into cedars Sinai hospital in the middle of the night screaming.
The ER doctor sends me home with the name of a Beverly Hills ear nose and throat doctor to follow up with, not even tylenol from the pain, no tests done. I followed up immediately to question the sound of my heart beating loudly in my ear.
"We can give you a sharper chin and turn your nose up a little." the doctor says while he makes big plans for my bank account to stop the sound. "It's a deviated septum" he says with confidence.
Back to Cedars Sinai am I to fix this crapper of a face of mine and end the agonizing sound, and ten years of blinding migraines. (Or so I thought.)
I'm in the hospital gown, I've filled in the pain "one to ten" questionnaire and right before I start counting down backwards from ten, the anesthesiologist needs a credit card.
What for? The portion of her services not covered by my PPO, the cosmetic portion. Eight thousand dollars? No one told me that the ten thousand dollars already paid to the doctor didn't cover the part that knocked me out!
Thank God I didn't have a credit card to my name. I'm just a kid, just a musician, always terrified of incurring a debt that I couldn't get myself out of. I'm sent home.
Should I get a second opinion? You bet your ass I should, and so should you when the Beverly Hills dude on Roxbury drive starts seeing anything but good stuff when he is scoping out what God gave you. Don't mess with perfection.
I almost died. I wouldn't have survived the "nose job". The sound in my ear was a blood clot in my brain and that little ear ache was the collapse of my circulatory system.
My advice to anyone ho ends up in the emergency room screaming, be vigilant! and don't let them send you home without running a few tests. Like in my case, the MRI that revealed a 3 by 7 centimeter arterial vascular malformation (AVM) in my brain that was killing me. Or just go to UCLA in the first place. Which is where I ended up because I wanted to live.
See the outcome at the UCLA review.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...Listed in: LA's west-side story, My life story with Yelp's help
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Review from Tara L.
Los Angeles, CA
3/31/2011
Cedars-Sinai...*sigh*. I could write a 500 page review after all of my experiences here over the last 5 1/2 years.
It's difficult to condense as much that I know about this hospital in one review, but here's trying:
1) The secret to getting good medical care at Cedars is determined greatly by who your primary care physician is, and the quality of your relationship with him or her.
If you really want to be a patient at Cedars, then do your homework and find a good primary care physician--not just good, in that you like him or her, but good, in that the day you end up in the ER (and you will one day), mentioning your doctor's name inspires respect in the ER personelle. They will never admit this, but the truth is, so-and-so doctor's patients get treated better then this doctor. You obviously want the doctor who gets respect around there.
Once you find the doctor you like, go see him or her twice a year, so they're familiar with you so if you have to go to the ER, the doctor can remember you. Send gifts during holidays. Doctors don't make as much as people believe.
(In defense of Cedars, this mafia like structure is evident at almost every hospital, it just seems more ruthless than average at Cedars. Anywhere you live, you want a good relationship with your doctor. At Cedars, it can be deadly if you don't.)
2) Cash counts. And the more, the better.
I can't stress this enough. You're kidding yourself if you think you can be poor and get good care around here. You're better off going somewhere else.
3) Nursing staff is very mixed.
There are great nurses here, and (like other reviewers have pointed out), there are very mean and negligent nurses as well. I've also had experiences calling for help (which I rarely do), and been completely blown off. I actually had a nurse be really rude to me, even while an IV nurse was in the room! Obviously, the nurse answering my call didn't know that, and after this woman was done being rude, I just turned to the IV nurse (Rochelle--whose a rockstar, if you happen to be a hard stick), and I just looked at her face full of disbelief and said, "See what I mean?". I had just confided in her I'd been being treated horribly by some of the nursing staff during this hospitalization, and as if on cue an angel sent the
proof..
4) The in-patient lab staff is very rude.
I understand they are told to draw my blood at 5am, but do they really have to knock on the door as hard as they can, then barge in saying my name with a full volume voice? Strangers have more respect.
5) Skip going to this ER.
As reviewers write in reviews below, they make a lot of major mistakes around here, because most of the doctors and nurses are too busy assuming everyone is a hypochondriac until proven otherwise. These mistakes are not considered medical malpractice, if there isn't any harm. So if the patient has the strength of character to go somewhere else to get another opinion and lives, then there's no lawsuit. And then others (like myself) who do have potential lawsuits I could have filed, but don't for (whatever) reason.
I have had some good experiences in this ER, but they've been in the minority. And just because you call an ambulance, doesn't mean even then they 'll take you seriously. I showed up in an ambulance for the first time ever, and still had to sit in the waiting room no less. "that's her again". Cut to a few hours later? They discover I have an elevated d-dimer, and are now doing lots of tests...and I'm still having problems with my heart rate a few weeks later.
6) Food and parking
Food? If you like cheeseburgers, ok, but I wish they would actually serve foods that are good for you...
Parking is a nightmare, but I didn't factor that in to my rating. If you 're really ill, you'll park in the middle of a zoo to get good medical care. That doesn't matter.
So why do I stay at Cedars?
Because the nature of my medical case is so complicated, it would take a new doctor months to get caught up. I'm a 'see it to believe it' kind of case, so any new doctor usually doesn't believe me. And if I want to stay alive, I need doctors who are going to act on my behalf--order medications, tests, even surgeries when I look healthy/have normal blood work. That's only something that comes with time and trust.
And, like the positive reviews, i've seen that side of the hospital too. There are extraordinary people here--in all aspects of medicine. You just have to know who they are (because they are not the majority), and keep them close to you. And by extraordinary, I mean people who listen, care, have respect for you as a human being, and are good at their job. They are the reason I keep coming.
Though I have to admit, I've seen so much negative this past hospitalization, I'm starting to re-think, and wonder if the bad is starting to outweigh the good..it'll come down to whether or not they fix my problem. So far, they haven't. -
Review from Michelle G.
Los Angeles, CA
12/9/2010
As far as Doctors go - I love this medical group.
Ive always been referred to great people, warm and welcoming. Quick to help. Medical issues are always stressful, so its nice to have a place that doesn't make it worse.
I switched insurance bc of a job change and had to leave them last year
:( The last year has been hell for me-
Awful referral's to new Dr's. Horrible locations. Terrible service. They tried to send me to a run-down OB/GYN in an area that wouldn't even be safe to walk down the street.
I am switching back this year and paying for my own insurance out of pocket to go back to Cedars. -
Review from Aimee J.
Los Angeles, CA
10/31/2010
I don't like doctors very much to begin with, so when I started getting and ear infection my first move was to try some home remedies. Nothing smells better than vinegar ear. Sexy.
That failed and the infection kept getting worse. My own doctor couldn't take me, so I had to go to urgent care. All things considered, it was a nice experience.
I arrived around 4 pm, signed in and sat down. I was called up to the window and JANELLE (who may be my new favorite person in the world) took my insurance information. I handed her the card that was in my wallet, cause surely, that must be the right one. I mean, right?
I went in to see the doctor a bit later. It was a somewhat longish wait, but nothing excruciating. DR. DESHI took his time and checked out my ears. he even pulled up a picture of an ear on the room computer to show me exactly what was going on. He wrote me a prescription for some ear drops and sent me on my way.
That's when things took a turn and got frustrating -- but because of me, not because of the lovely people at Urgent Care.
I went to fill the prescription across the hall at the pharmacy and was told that my insurance had expired. I thought that was weird, but I had just started a new job, so I figured maybe I was using my old insurance card. I totally was. I called a coworker and she told me what insurance we had and the pharmacist looked it up. I got the prescription and ran back to Urgent Care to give them the right information.
Janelle helped me out and it turned out that I wasn't covered at Cedar's under the insurance that I actually had. It was frustrating to end up paying the bill, but I was glad that I got it sorted out and Janelle was very nice and didn't make me feel like a burden or a complete idiot.
I left the office in a hurry to make sure I got to Saw 3D on time and I got a call on my cell phone shortly after. It was Janelle saying I'd left some papers. She was nice enough to just shred them. But I thought it was really nice of her to call.
So, if anyone over at Cedar's is listening, give that girl a raise. I might come in to urgent care more often just to see her. -
Review from Bradford C.
Los Angeles, CA
2/15/2011
I have yet to see Cedars live up to it's great reputation. My mother died there, so if course I'm biased against them, but here are a few examples of negligence:
1) At LEAST 3 times during my visits there, doctors came into the patient's room with the WRONG PATIENT FILE. Who knows how many times this happened when there was nobody there to correct their mistake? This is inexcusable.
2) Dr. Keith Black, acclaimed head of Nuerosurgery always walks around with his "assistant", who has enough makeup to be a Tijuana hooker. When he spared two minutes to explain what had gone wrong with the surgery to my pretty sister, he couldn't get the goofy smile off his face. His team had stretched my mom's optical nerve, rendering her eye useless until the end.
3) While we were there, no mention was made of the pending class action lawsuit against GE and Cedars, for using improperly calibrated MRI brain scanners, exposing the patients to unsafe levels of radiation.
4) Immediately after my mom was pronounced dead, the nurse came in to check her vital signs. When we told her that she had already been pronounced dead, she rolled her eyes and said coldly, "I'm sorry for your loss", and walked out. No eye contact whatsoever.
5) After she had died we were referred to Tony, who was to help us make arrangements for a mortuary and cemetery. He presented me with a list of more than 50 mortuaries, so I asked for recommendations. The first place he recommended had been closed for years and was now run by an entirely different company. He assured us that they were trustworthy, so we went ahead. When the company showed up, it was a 20 year old kid with piercings all over who looked like he had just stepped of the set of Twilight. Not the kind if person you want handling your loves ones' remains. Then, when I wanted to supervise him and a hospital security moving my mother into the hearse, I was told that I wasn't allowed.
In summary, the coordination of information between the various doctors and nurses was so poor I was baffled at how this place got it's good reputation. If you care about somebody, send them to St. John's in Santa Monica instead. -
Review from stephy s.
San Francisco, CA
8/18/2008
I hate hospitals.
I've never had a good or happy experience at one and they are frankly, depressing. You see people lying on what is often times, their death beds. You hear strange beeps at varying levels of intensity. You find yourself counting fluid bags with numerous tubes going in and out of people's bodies and ultimately, well, I feel sick to my stomach just being in a hospital and being a part time hypochondriac, I usually convince myself that I am going to leave sick.
So imagine my joy when one of my best friend's found his way here in really bad shape last week. It's an enlarged heart. He might die. He needs a transplant. You better get down here.
Yep, it didn't take more than those scary words to get me on the next plane down to LA to be there for my people. After a bottle of wine, a restless night's sleep and a few anxious tears later, we headed to the hospital the next day and as we were pulling up, the knot in my stomach was in full force. Not just because of nerves over his state of being, but because I was going to have to go into a hospital and I HATE hospitals.
After we parked we headed through the maze that is Cedars and made our way towards the Saperstein Tower. Once in, I was instantly impressed. It didn't have that same creepy feel that hospitals in my past have had. It felt really new and modern and clean. As we rode the elevator up, we got to a third floor lounge that was even nicer with beautiful views of the city. Now this wasn't a bad waiting room! I can deal with this.
Once we made our way into the room, I was pretty impressed to see a flat screen TV on his wall. Hell, i don't even own a flat screen TV, period! The room itself was a hospital room and on the dark side, but what really stood out to me was the overall vibe of the place. There were a lot of old people that looked like they were suffering, but the energy there still seemed light. The folks working here smiled and were super helpful and actually had sense of humors. That is so key!
From what I can tell they are taking really good care of him here and my fingers are crossed that all will turn out well. Either way, I am pretty confident that he is in THE BEST hands possible and for as scary as this situation is, at least that is comforting. -
Review from Akiko T.
7/27/2007
Had an allergic reaction to an antibiotic... A BAD one. A humbling experience. I had a rash that literally looked like I took a red Sharpie marker and drew dots on myself with it. Then went online and typed in "allergic reaction to Bactrim" and oooohh. Got completely freaked out looking at pictures of a severe case where a person taking the same antibiotic resembled a burn victim.
I had never been to an ER before, but it was a late Sunday afternoon. I'm pacing the living room. Should I wait until Monday morning to see my doctor? What if it becomes worse! I thought that ER's were for heart attacks and that they would just laugh me off. Then, I started having problems breathing. The rash was on my limbs, all over my arms and legs and being the vain person I am... took the plunge.
At the time, I lived walking within distance to Cedars. Threw on a hoodie and walked over. The waiting room was flooded with sick people coughing, people doubled over, etc.
I walked up to the window...
Me: Hi, I know I'm not dying here, but I think I'm having an allergic reaction to an antibiotic. * took off my hoodie and showed her my arms *
Nurse: * Speechless. I think I scared her * Honey, you need to go in right now.
They pretty much injected me with a potent antihistamine. Any rate, the sense of urgency of this place was outstanding. The physicians and nurses were both world class. The only thing that annoyed me was there was this Asian trio that kept visiting my room (they were med students/residents) inspecting me as if I were their next science project... but they tried to keep me entertained.
After several hours, was released. But my rash... lasted a few days. Thought I would never be able to wear a t-shirt, tank top or skirt again for the rest of my life. But I'm normal now, obviously from my photos... Like I'd mentioned, it was a humbling experience to be sort of disfigured for a few days. -
Review from Hannah M.
8/16/2010 3 Check-ins Here
My boss's wife has had 2 back surgery's here. The first was almost outpatient and went without a hitch. The second, not so much. She was there for 8 days and I don't think they are as good as St. Johns.
After back surgery it's very hard to get up and you need assistance for EVERYTHING. After pressing the call button 3 times and waiting 20 minutes just to go pee, it's very hard to hold it. Every time I was there it took them 20 minutes to come. Luckily she had a lot of family to help her. I can imagine how sad and depressed a person could get with this sort of attention. (Or lack there of.) One night the people on staff were very mean to her. After having to remove her blankets they would not give her another one. They said they were out and all she could have was a sheet. It's heartbreaking. I think they believe all old people are senile and won't remember what happened. Let's just say we are writing a very pointed letter to whoever manages these night people.
I would like to go into more detail and explain other things but they are personal and not appropriate. Let's just say... this is the best hospital if you are in the area but if you can get your surgeon over to the west side, go to St. Johns. -
Review from Melissa A.
Sherman Oaks, CA
6/4/2007
This is a review for the ER.
I've had very positive experiences the two times I've been there. The first time was for a broken toe. I got Fast Tracked, which made all of the difference in terms of how long it took in and out the door. On that visit, the doctor was very nice, helpful and explained everything well.
Same thing with the second time I was there which was for chest pains. I wasn't fast tracked for that, understandibly since chest pain is more complicated than a broken toe.
The chest pain experience was positive. I dealt with many more nurses, doctors and technicians on that visit and I was there about 4 hours longer than for the broken toe.
Very positive experience except for the PARKING.
So I'm having minor chest pains and driving myself to the ER. I'm a bit panicked. I pull into the ER valet, he rudely tells me it's full and to go across the street to the other tower. Which is full also. The mean guy there says go to the open lot over there (points to other lot), I pull over there and that guy says that lot closes at 10:30 and I can't park there. You can imagine how my stress level is at this point, I'm already freaked about the chest pain. Eventually I get to a place I can park.
So bottom line. Nurses, doctors and people in the hospital, nice, helpful, sweet. Parking attendants, assholes. -
Review from Monica P.
12/9/2008
So my sidekick needed to have repairs done and I had to go with him to Cedars. I did my very best to fill the role of the supportive friend. I was the calming reassuring presence in the room and said a hopeful positive 'see you later' as he was wheeled off into surgery.
Then I was left there in the hallway with his wallet full of cash and an empty stomach. Time to hit the cafeteria!!
I know that hospital food has this stigma of being very bland and lacking culinary quality but the cafeteria at Cedars has got it going on! Over the course of two days I spent a lot of time here sampling almost everything. Show up for breakfast and serve yourself a cup of Seattle's Best coffee, get a toasty warm bagel or order some eggs and bacon that is made to order at the grill. You can even request egg substitute or egg whites.
Show up at lunch time and get in line at their salad bar where you can fill up on your veggies or simply take a pre-made salad like a chicken cesar from the refrigerated case that is also stocked with sandwiches. If you have a death-wish you can order a bacon-cheeseburger fro the grill or a slice of fresh baked pizza.
Yes, this is LA...so you can get sushi or a kosher meal here too.
Sit down in the dining area where the hospital staff seems to have segregated themselves according the color of their hospital scrubs and lab coats. On a side note, the doctors here are kind of cute.
The best part, all of the food is dirt cheap! They only accept cash though, so if you only carry your debit card there's an ATM card just around the corner near the vending machines.
Oh...yeah, my sidekick is all patched up and good as new now. -
Review from Jackie K.
Los Angeles, CA
10/25/2011
Don't visit any of their doctors. I went to see a doctor in their Foot and Ankle Center and it was treated like a normal doctor's office visit. However whe I was billed it was billed as an outpatient hospital visit because Cedars decided this was a hospital like facility. therefore insurance applies the visit to a deductible and you end up having to fork out of pocket. And when you question them they only will say thats just the way it is. Its too bad because some of their doctors are good but Cedars totally ruins the experience.
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Review from garbanzo b.
Newport Beach, CA
10/17/2007
I rotated at Cedars during medical school.
Not very impressed, yes, the meals are awesome, and the facilities amazing, but I think the knowledge base, and the amount of procedures is below what Harbor-UCLA offers at the county hospital level.
It's more a place to star gaze, than to train per se.
What did I expect...a hospital located next to the Beverly Center? :) -
Review from Tiffany F.
Beverly Hills, CA
8/22/2008
I have to admit too that this ER sucks balls. A year ago I tore an artery and my (EX) boyfriend rushed me to the ER. I walked in alone hardly able to breath, talk or walk for that matter ( my EX boyfriend was parking the car).
It was obvious how much in pain I was... I walked up to the front and sputtered out something that sounded like I tore an artery... (the reason why I knew I tore an artery is because I had just got a breast augmentation the day before and the next day I was a dumb ass and lifted up my arm to do something when I wasn't supposed to and all of a sudden my right arm went numb and I couldn't move it, then the pain came... then I couldn't breath etc. I called my doc and he told me to rush to ER and he would meet me there)... anywho...
They handed me a damn piece of paper to fill out. I barely took it with my left hand (I couldn't even f*cking lift my arm) and wobbled over to a chair just to pass out. I sat there in trembling pain while other soon-to-be-patients sat there looking at me in awe.
Finally my doctor walked in and demanded a room and he gets me one right away. He rips open my bandages and low and behold I am gushing blood everywhere. Thank god he came to my rescue.
Otherwise the damn nurses in the ER would just let me bleed to death in the ER.
I was admitted for 3 days in the same ward as the breast cancer patients. Thank god I would ok, it turned into a blood clot and I didn't need an O.R.
Next time if I ever go back to Cedars I am taking an ambulance.Listed in: My Neighborhood
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Review from Deborah K.
Los Angeles, CA
4/27/2007
I have a lot of health problems. I have a chronic medical condition that I have more trouble managing than most. On top of that I have a litany of drug allergies that make my getting even the most innocuous infection the kind of drama you'd find confounding Gregory House.
And I LOVE Cedars Sinai. I mean, I don't love the prices. The prices are actually what's gonna kill me.
But here's what I love:
I love that when I went in for sugery during a time when my blood sugars were tenuous and tempermental at best the nurses and anaesthesiologist took the time to read my instructions in front of me, ask me reasonable and legitimate questions about controlling my blood sugars during surgery, used my own meter to check my number so I would have a record of my ups and downs, and for the first time EVER in a medical setting did not just load me up with a tube of dextrose and tell me not to worry about it, but actually stuck to the plan on administering no more than 5cc at a time, and only under specific circumstances. And they left the dextrose tube by my bed later to prove it, because they knew I was worried.
Trust me. This is a HUGE deal. I wasn't worried about the surgery. I was worried about going into shock while I was unconscious because of poorly managed blood sugars, and they put my fears to rest AND it wasn't just empty platitutdes. They did their job, and did it well.
The ER has certain times of day when it is actually pretty empty. I'm not gonna tell you when those times are, because I don't want to find you all there when I need to go in. But the two times I had to go in the last two weeks I was well-managed, properly diagnosed, and not subjected to anything more than I absolutely needed, and trust me, an invalid like me would know the difference. Even though my ER deductible is flat, I appreciated that. Ok, the second time I went the doctor kinda punched me hard in the kidney, but I think that was part of the exam.
Decent and kind nurses during hospital stays when I was plain ol' inpatient. Clear and obvious respect and handling of my other perpetual medical conditions. These are things I have DREADED dealing with at countless other hospitals, but at Cedars I really can focus on just getting better because I know that the staff is actually aware of what the hell is going on with me apart from JUST what's landed me in a bed that day.
Yes. They're expensive. And I have crappy insurance with an absurdly high deductible. But they also have a patient assistance program, and are pretty flexible with payments. I don't love that I have several thousand dollars in medical bills this year from having had a particularly rough few months. But it is not grudgingly that I pay the excellent profesionals for their standard of care. They deserve it.Listed in: Stayin' Alive...Stayin' Alive
