San Francisco General Hospital
1001 Potrero Avenue
(between 22nd St & 23rd St)
San Francisco, CA 94110 (415) 206-5166
- By Appointment Only: No
30 reviews
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
"I've broken 40-50 bones, at least. Honest. Yeah, I have that glass bone disease. On Saturday while awaiting a table at Cheesecake…" read more »
50 Reviews for San Francisco General Hospital
After reading a few reviews I want to say, this is a ratings place based on what was and not what should be or reasons why. I agree that the hospital could use better funding and a few more doctors, but it doesn't. that's the reason for the one star. i went in for neck pains and it took almost 8 hrs for the doctor to tell me "to give it a few days and come back" wtf?!?!? At first I though this was the way it was. over the weekend i went to Sacramento general and got all the right answers within 3 hours. why is this? no idea but general gets nothing from me anymore.
People thought this was:
Funny (1)
Yes, there is a line to get into Emergency and Urgent Care. Yes, you will have to wait, but come on -- doctors and nurses do the best. We all know that there is not enough medical specialists working there.
In January small kitchen accident happened to me (my shirt picked up on fire during cooking), my stomach and hand got 2nd degree burn, I went to the hospital and after being checked in I got good care and nurses were awesome, doctors were patient.
Also SFGH provide sliding scale program which is nice for people who can't afford to make full payment.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
This place is why SF is the bestest city on earth. They take care of everyone, from uninsured artists and college students to weathly trauma victims to that crazy guy that sits on the end of your block and smells like pee. That their commitment to UNIVERSAL health care, one that isn't shared by the majority of this country. Not only that but every doc there is affiliated with UCSF, one of the most prestigious medical centers in the US. Yes SFGH has its issues (it is as real as it gets) but it serves people no one else will see on a sliding scale. Including you.
To those who whine about long ER waits I say this - Get over yourself! Being 15-35 and having a fever/body aches/cough is NOT a life threatening emergency! Having a bleeding wound is not (necessarily) a life threating emergency, trust me the bleeding will likely stop on its own and you'll get stitches in a few hours.
You should be prepared to wait (HOURS) behind the 50-90 year olds who can't breathe, are actively having a heart attack or the gunshot victims who roll through. If you don't like the smell or over worked staff consider the alternative - no care. Thats what most uninsured people have outside of this fine city.
Better yet, support bonds, taxes and other initiatives to increase funding to SFGH - like the snazzy new building that has been proposed to make the hospital earthquake safe and update the facilities.
SFGH rocks my world.
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Cool (1)
A large portion of the patients at SFGH are there for emergency trauma care. A friend of mine was hit by a car while crossing the street last December, so she spent a week here recovering. The several times that I was at SFGH, the emergency room was overflowing with automobile & bike accident victims and with victims of violent attacks (e.g. gang fights).
My friend received prompt initial care from the doctors there, but spent about 12 hours in the ER while waiting for an inpatient room to become available upstairs. While waiting, we saw several pretty bad cases. The most memorable to me was a 17 year old kid who had been literally stabbed in the back by one guy while in a fistfight with another. He was already plotting his revenge against his attacker.
Another memory from SFGH that stands out were several patients smoking and begging for money just outside the front door to the hospital. That was depressing. I've never seen that at a hospital.
The upside is that the 3 doctors attending my friend during her week long stay were first rate. I could tell that these 3 surgeons were experts in their field, their professionalism and the reconstructive facial work they performed were both top notch. I'm not sure if people without health insurance would have access to these doctors though. They might, I just don't know.
------------------------------------------
The Cafeteria @ SFGH: This is one of only two options for a hot meal in the hospital. I ate at this cafeteria several times when a friend spent a week in the hospital. They pretty much just serve low-grade, but very cheap, cafeteria food. The "cuisine" here is exactly what I used to eat in public school cafeterias growing up, but with more options.
For higher quality food in the hospital, try the soup & sandwich place right across the hall, if it's open. It's usually closed.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
Poor Brittany Spears but let's not forget this stuff happens everyday to people who are not white trash millionaires and we never hear about it. Perhaps with all this attention in the media you are wondering what all these fancy codes they are throwing around mean so here is a quick lesson. Brittany is currently on a 5150 which means she was placed on an involuntary hold for 72 hrs, which means she can't leave the hospital for 3 days unless a doctor says so.
Now say Fred the crazy homeless guy is walking around with no pants on and riding the cable cars. So the police pick him up and they 5150 him cause he is not dangerous just mentally ill. Fred goes to the locked ward at San Francisco General Hospital on a 72 hour hold. Now at the end of that 72 hours a little interview is done with Fred to see how he is feeling about wearing pants again. The interview is going well....Fred is answering all important questions concerning obscuring his testicles from public view. Then right at the end of the interview Fred says what he is really looking forward to is getting back to his shopping cart and cardboard box so he can do his favorite thing and consume his own feces. UH-OH FRED!
Fred is now on a 5250 - a two week involuntary hold. Now think about losing all of your freedom for two weeks and being in a locked psychiatric unit with other crazy people - sounds pretty scary doesn't it? But what they don't tell you is - at SFGH on Thursday afternoons its Mental Health Karaoke group day!!!!!!!!
This is by far the most popular group as compared to regular music group, art group, stretching group, etc......I watched a lady with the phrase "2 plus 2 = Jesus" written in lipstick on her forehead sing "Somebody to Love" by Jefferson Airplane and the following went down......
Lady - When the truth is found ....to be lies......and the joy within you...
crazy Asian man - DIES! DIES! DIES! DIES!
(CUE catatonic black guy with tambourine) now we've got some sweet sweet tambourine going on.......
Lady - Don't you want somebody to love.....Don't you want somebody to .....
crazy old hippie dude - LOVE!
By the end of the song the whole place was rocking and then the depressed girl with self-inflicted cuts on her arms brings it down a notch and starts in with...........Hey Jude......Don't make it Bad. Take a sad song and make it better.......
Karaoke makes sad people feel better and the staff at SFGH make people feel safe and help them get better.......When they finally lock me up and throw away the key I'm gonna put on my flimsiest gown, forget to tie the back of it and with my skinny white man ass hanging out I'm gonna start real slow.............
Turn Around......
Every now and then I get a little bit nervous......
you know the rest.
People thought this was:
Useful (29)
Funny (53)
Cool (37)
I've never been to SF General as a patient, but I work around a lot of juvenile delinquent types. One kid had half his head off in a massive car accident and S.F. General put him back together with no cognitive damage. I've seen this more than once, almost monthly. They don't gauge their care by payment ability or social status. Most of these kids, without a doubt, would be sooo dead in another county without the quick care of S.F. General. I've seen enough people who suffered major head injuries and other injuries coming out as if nothing that bad happened to them. I feel it's unique only to S.F. General. An institution that is a saint. They awe me. I'm proud of them and glad they're around.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
THE only Trauma 1 hospital in the Bay Area...
Crack heads, car crashes, and common colds...
what can i say, it's a COUNTY HOSPITAL,
and
It's As Real As It Gets!
People thought this was:
Funny (1)
Probably the worst ER experience of my Life. But maybe it's because i was so badly hurt.
They left me in a room for 5 hours with out any way to contact anyone. Mind you my face was split open. Now I have some wicked awesome scars thanks to their retardedness. They should have stitched me up much sooner. I have gravel stuck in my face. I did get a real nice morphine drip though. They also lost the straps to my dress, and the bow that was in my hair and my bike lights. Oh and my bike. Well the cops might have left it at the scene, it's still a mystery.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (2)
Cool (1)
First of all, let me say I'm definately blessed to be here! So onto the review. I was in a major car wreck only a week and a half ago. The fact that I'm typing on the computer is a testament to my good health and blessings. So after I hit the bullet ridden camero that was abandoned on the 101 in the slow lane, the paramedics took me to SFGH ER. Props to the paramedics who made it a funny ride. THey strapped me into the guerney with spike high heels, shiny clutch purse and all. They were pretty cute to, through my just hit with air bags, wrecked my car, eyes.
I asked them why, when they rolled me in, there was a SF Sheriff station. They said "Alot of stuff goes down in here". Great, I thought. This is gonna be a fun experience. They put me in the aisle between an old man sleeping with his ass hanging out, making intermittant farting and snoring noises, and a homeless dude screaming for pain meds. (This dude kept screaming for someone to give him his fake leg so he could use the bathroom. No one helped him- and he ended up deficating on himself. Now thats F$% up!)
The admission guy asked me if I was insured. Yes, through Kaiser. He proceeded to CALL KAISER to see if I was insured. What was the point of that!? IMO it was to limit the services they would provide me. I met with a doc that checked me out, but didn't give me a Cat scan or any x-rays. So- a week and a half later, I have all my bodily functions so I'm pretty sure my spine is not gravely injured. But come on! An x-ray or Cat scan is a totally appropriate test for someone who just hit an abandoned car in the middle of the freeway!
I truely feel they didn't test further because they knew Kasier wouldn't pay them for those tests. My rant has more to do with the state of health care today than with SFGH, but still- SFGH has the charge of providing quality health care.
I was totally in shock, and I think my fight or flight response was in full gear, so they shipped me out at 3 in the morning- high heels and all- and I took a cab home.
So-did I get quality care? Not really. Is it cause SFGH is an inadequete medical institution? Not really. It's cause of the sorry ass state health care is in, and how medical care is based on the type of insurance you have and not your actual condition.
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
This hospital has more facilities open 24/7, 365 days per year, than any other medical facility in San Francisco that I am aware of. They have helped several people I know that had no insurance. There may be better specialists and facilities available at other locations, but you have to respect a place does not turn away anyone, is open all the time, and is just there, whether you need it or not -- 5 stars for that dedication and clarity of purpose, it overshadows any flaws of SFGH.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
I have three experiences with this hospital. All vary in star rating.:
-One morning, not so long a go (May,) I thought I was having a heart attack. I decided to go to the hospital. They were very nice to me at SFGHMC and informed me that I was actually having an ANXIETY attack. They gave me drugs and sent me home and didn't even charge me for the visit. Nor did I have to wait. That was a five star experiance: informed medical staff informs patient she is not dying, gives her happy pills and doesn't charge.
-In 2004 I was in a play. In the play I didn't wear shoes. One night a thoughtless dude stepped on the instep of my foot backstage and basically crushed my poor little footie. It hurt and I couldn't walk after the shock wore off - my boyfriend at the time insisted we go to the ER - because I don't have insurance we went to General. I had to wait forever, the doctors manhandled my poor, injured foot and didn't even give me painkillers to dull the pain. The doctors were very cute and nice, though... so this was a three-star experiance. Really a two star experiance; but, their general cuteness and niceness earned them an extra star.
-Today. Um. Okay - so a combination of dehydration, high fever and lingering illness caused me to pass out twice on Thursday. In the shower. I also slept about eighteen hours per day on Thursday and Friday; and have had a racking cough ever since. I have been hanging pretty close to home all weekend... yeah, I went out for a bit on Saturday night; but, in a remarkable display of good sense I actually only had one drink and then ate food and THEN went to bed at about 11:30 pm. I slept until noon yesterday. I am sick.
So, this morning at 4am I wake up unable to breath. And, sweating like a mo-fo. And, shaking. Did I mention unable to breath?
I am sick. Very sick. Very, very, very sick. Sick enough to think I might be dying.
I call Yellow Cab (who comes faster at 4am than they do at 4pm, go figure) and have them take me to General. The waiting room is packed. When I was signing in at triage the individual I was talking to asked me why I was coming into the ER (you mean that my pale, sweaty, shaking self doesn't give you a clue? I'M SICK LADY.) I quietly - in between hacking up a lung every third word - gave her my symptoms and she said: "You have the flu, you'd be better off going home and just sleeping."
Um. Okay - I *might* have the flu; but, I also have a *fever of 103.2 and I know (from my Mom scaring the shit out of me about it for years and years) that high fevers like that in adults are deadly... so, um, yeah I'd like to see a doctor, thanks!
I tell her this and she ROLLS HER EYES AT ME.
I sat down, angry - pulled out my book and pretended to read - couldn't focus on that due to feeling like I was on fire with anger and fever... pulled out my iPod and tried to listen to that... couldn't concentrate on Joey Ramone singing about chicken vindeloo because I was too angry and nauseous. Pulled out my earpods, huffed and puffed in discomfort and anger for a few minutes; and, then called Yellow Cab and came home.
One star experiance. Totes one star. Actually, now that I think about it: NEGATIVE one star... because I spent about $40 on cabs roundtrip and didn't even get seen by a doctor or made to feel better in any way-shape-or-form.
Meh.
Average it out and I'd say General gets three stars.
Sadly there is not much of a choice for the broke and uninsured in this city beyond them.
*Note: high fevers make you hallucinate scarier shit than any drug I've ever tried. 'Scuse me now I have to go take a bath in ice water. Ugh.
People thought this was:
Useful (7)
Funny (4)
Cool (3)
Okay I went to the Urgent Care and had a really shitty experience. Being poor with no health insurance sucks!
But coming to the Hospital was amazing. My doctor was wonderful. I had really HIGH sugar levels and the staff and doctor made sure that everything was done to me to keep me safe.
I didn't expect, nor did I believe, I would get such great . . . -sorry to use a restaurant term- service!
I'm currently looking of a job that has health insurance. Once this happens, I'm going to make sure to get Blue Cross because SF General does take Blue Cross.
People thought this was:
Cool (2)
I read 50 plus reviews of SFGH and felt I needed to add mine to the mix. I've been a nurse at SFGH in the OR for 14 years. Before that, I worked in the ER at Highland in Oakland.
It's true that the bathroom in the lobby should have a biohazard sticker on the door. It's really nasty, but maybe if the people who use the bathroom took better aim, the whole place wouldn't smell like a diaper pail that sat out in the sun all day. The housekeepers clean the bathroom every day. People, please take some responsibility here. And please remember to flush after you do your business.
And yes, it is true that the food in the cafeteria isn't great. But you can fill your belly for around three bucks...breakfast for a buck fifty. That means a lot to folks with limited incomes. I guess they could make better food if they tripled the prices, but that probably would not be in the best interest of the people who need a cheap but nutritious meal.
This is the place to go if you need life-saving care. That means you are having a life-threatening emergency, not a toothache, as unpleasant as that may be, or a headache, or the flu. If it's not a real emergency, you probably will have to wait to be seen by a triage nurse who will eventually get you seen by a doctor. In time, even someone who has a cold or an ingroin toenail will get medical attention...bring a book.
This is the coolest place to work. Almost everyone who works there does so because they feel strongly about helping the medically underserved. It totally rocks to help soneone feel better, whether that's with a narcotic, a urinal or just a kind word.
Please remember, we are not a rich facility and so the outward appearance will always be a bit shabby. But the care is good, and we're here for everyone, regardless of their ability to pay. Sorry if I sound like a commercial for SFGH.
People thought this was:
Cool (2)
This is a place where people without medical insurance go.
If you have an emergency and want to be checked out by a Doctor, you're in for a nerve wreck.
The emergency room has a waiting room that is always crowded and badly ventilated. Half of the people there look like bums and smell.
The average wait time is about two hours and you cannot make an appointment, so you just hav eto come early. When you are called you will be seen by a nurse ,not a doctor.
Now, if you got directed to a specialist for a specific problem it is better. Tehre won't be any more lines and the Doctors should be qualified. I receive cancer treatment from General Hospital and the Oncology department is great and professional.
I can't say how dissapointed I was when I stumbled into this ER after a drunken bar fight with my brother. We were chillin at Thee Parkside (potrero hill) when my bro hit me "accidently" over the head with his cocktail and needless to say I was livid! I threw him over a table and he kicked my feet out from under me and I hit my head on the floor. Lots of blood and gin.. As his apology to me he took me to the ER at General and left me to fend for myself. The intake nurse looked like she had been up for 48 hrs and was ready to flop over herself. I almost forgot about my bleeding head to worry about her for a minute. This place is a homeless encampment and just because I didn't look homeless and was asking to be hurried trough( the bars close at 2) I didn't get helped for over 7hours. Lets just say enough time to be completely sober and beginning to get hungover. They would have left me for dead if it were up to them. I thank god I had my trusty golden flask on my hip to help me through this horrible experience.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
Copied from my blog. I am new to town and poor, so I went to the 4th floor drop-in clinic for poor people.
-----------------------
I rarely have good health care experiences, so i avoid them unless it's important, this was one of the worst.
My hearing half went in my left ear. I know why, it happened in the spring- just impacted stuff, maybe the fault of using earplugs to sleep. Fix it with a plain little irrigation. It's not a big deal but it's so annoying I wanted it done immediately. (Would you be happy about being half deaf?)
No insurance = I thought "hmm the hospital is the closest place with drop-in service" so I went there.
After 3 hrs. I thought "this is absolutely ridiculous but I'm way up in line so might as well not leave."
I got kinda ill from having no food that day so I got some snacks, but just felt worse, and figured out it was because I had no coffee either. I bugged the desk people for an aspirin and they refused.
Another hour went by and I was just about falling over from a splitting headache and they still couldn't help. They stuck me in a room and said someone would be right there.
Another hour went by and someone finally showed up, by then I was immobile with pain, on the verge of puking. The person prescribed eardrops and wouldn't do an irrigation, told me to come back after using the drops. WTF? I got one right away last time I went looking for one, it did the job, and it's a 1-minute procedure using water and the simplest squirty tool. 5 hrs. wait for nothing, and I left with 2 problems instead of 1.
Better now, I limped home and ate some advil.
Arrgh, San Fran general is the worst. To be fair, they must have bumped me way down in priority (just for an ear thing) and the person who saw me was friendly. Filthy bathroom and waiting room, though... homeless people left trash all over. They should have places to rate health care like they do for restaurants. Be a good service for working class people instead of boho's with disposable income (I may have to send a quickie letter to the editor.) It's not like Canada where you can expect quality anywhere you go. I will check out some of the numerous neighborhood clinics. And they say San Fran has one of the best safety nets of anywhere... at least there's a city plan to pay for everyone.
Ooh nifty. there is a place for ratings- thanks Yelp.
UPDATE At the drug store, I looked for something that might help my messed up ears. Yes, they sell a home ear-igation kit. For $8 I solved the problem that quack doctor wouldn't fix. From the experience, it sure did need a treatment, not any old q-tips. Ears are fixed now and it's like I was walking around with bad eyesight and got new glasses. I know what old people feel like and it sucks. Don't treat your ears bad, put some earplugs in if you go to a rock show. And don't go to SF Gen for routine things (though, I hear they're wonderful if you get your balls shot off or something drastic.)
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Great trauma center. I came in breathing through my chin and I left with a general sense of well being, 12 hours and 3 gunshot victims later. I wouldn't go back for anything else, but trauma-wise, I highly recommend SFGH. If you are an EMT reading this in the ambulance, go to SFGH. Your patient will thank you. Insurance and billing (English, please?) is hard. Everything else (healing!) is awesome!
Don't go back if you're conscious and have insurance.
Followup: removing two stars because I just had to deal with the financial services people here. I was sent to collections because my payment plan was rounded up to the next dollar by "the system." Because I sent in the agreed amount each month, which was 21 cents less than "the system" thought I was supposed to pay, I was sent to collections! So now SFGH gets 10% or whatever meager portion they sold my debt for, and I get to deal with credit collections.. lose-lose-lose for everyone involved: the hospital, the no-income patients I was subsidizing, and me.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
I would give this evil place a 0 rating if it were possible; alas, my I must give it star. Even one star gives me pain. I just want people to know they must never go to the Adult Urgent Care center here *ever*.
I had a cold for a week, with a massive cold sore outbreak, and I was coughing up green phlegm. I couldn't sleep at night, I had bad headaches, I couldn't breathe from congestion. I was in hell, and I didn't know where to get medical attention in this new city.
In short, I spent 6.5 hours sitting next to crackheads who were beaten by strangers and leather-pant-clad drunken dykes. I was miserable. My reward for my superhuman patience was a 6.5 minute analysis by a nurse, who told me to take Robitussin, and nothing was wrong with me at all.
This was a dramatic, egregious farce. I was livid, but in too much pain to do anything. But hey, I didn't pay anything up front! Welcome to public shit medicine in the USA.
I later went to a real doctor recommended by a friend. It turns out I had really bad bronchitis, and I needed an antibiotic, as well as a nasal steroid so I could breathe.
I was so mistreated by these vermin at San Francisco General Hospital, that I wish nobody the horrible pain I suffered. Do NOT go to the Urgent Care facility there.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
I;m a huge klutz. I fall, spill food, break things, and injure myself on a daily basis. My grace level falls somewhere between "drunken sailor" and "baby learning to walk".
So, imagine my amusement when while putting together my new bed I drop the middle support beam which weighs about 25 pounds right on the tip of my right hand ring finger.
Immediately blood starts pooling on the palm side under the skin, my entire finger is black and blue, and i can actually see stars it hurts so bad. It;s broken....I know it.
http://img.photobucket...
I get a little concerned about the pooling of blood under the skin so I call my health insurance advice nurse and spend about 45 minutes on hold going through the menu and being rerouted. The Advice Nurse tells me to immediately come in! I can;t believe this. Really? For a broken finger TIP you want me to come to the ER?
So I end up calling over to SF General and asking a nurse there after she laughs at my story (which is exactly what I needed not the stone cold OMG YOU ARE GOING TO DIE tone I got from my Health Insurance) she tells me "Honestly all we're going to do is lance the blood bubble in two hours if it doesn;t go down, give you an ice pack, make you take IB profun, and splint it. Save yourself some trouble and go to Walgreens in the morning and do it yourself. If you are really worried or if it gets cold and numb come in IMMEDIATELY. Don;t wait. It just sounds like a classic broken finger"
Two hours later the blood pool (OF DEATH) had gone down and I was laying in my new bed all cozy instead of some crappy emergency room.
(oh and i can;t type some things since i only have 9 fingers currently so I apologize for the typos!)
People thought this was:
Funny (4)
Cool (2)
i WISH i could give negative stars, but yelp seems to be the optimistic around here.
i am STILL irate about how general hospital has treated my wife and i. in the past 3 months, we went thru finding out we're pregnant, to dealing with the miscarriage that just happened.
throughout this whole time, general made me feel as tho i should be punished for being a father that wanted to be with his wife through the whole pregnancy. i was never allowed in the rooms with her regardless of her requesting it time and time again. even when she had an allergic reaction the the sedative they gave her, they would NOT let me come in to try to console her.
the ONLY reason i was given, which was given to me sharply and without any eye contact, was that "males are not allowed in the rooms".
my wife and i have decided that even tho we can't really afford it, we're going to have to try to find some sort of medical plan so that we NEVER have to deal with general ever again.
i've had to deal with general way too many times where i felt like i was just another cow in the herd. i realize that they have to deal with the scum of the earth every day, all day. but not everyone who doesn't have a whole lot of money is a drug addict hood who's there only to try to score some vicodin. some people are there because they actually NEED a hospital, and maybe, just MAYBE, you treating them like a human being would be helpful.
so really, NEG 4 stars for General Hospital. it would be -5, but i really liked the chai tea i bought out front at the stand.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
I'm amazed the staff here stays so composed while dealing with the volume of people and different characters they have on a daily basis.
Within two weeks the vision in my right eye went from bad to worse, worser...then worsest. Yes the lines were long... yes I had to endure the waits for numerous times. Yes, the financial aid department made me feel icky and raked me through the coals, more than once.
Two months and a new lens implant later my vision was restored nearly as well as before (pre-existing problem) and what I can see is a lot sharper and brighter w/colors being totally vibrant.
I've watched the staff working cheerfully through lunch... running off on some very serious emergencies at no notice, and living on food most cube-diners would turn down. Once seen by the staff, interns and doctors... suddenly I was the most important patient in the world and genuine concern, care and medical competence was at hand.
There are no medals good enough for these sleep deprived, overworked and probably underpaid people who staff this hospital.
All this and a sliding scale for $0.00, no joke.
People thought this was:
Useful (8)
Funny (3)
Cool (9)
Went to the clubs with my buddies on New Year Eve/Day back in 2003, went out with my buddy for him to go out to smoke, left his water bottle just behind the curtain since we weren't allow to bring out bottles..... Went back in, grab his bottle, got thirsty, drank the water....30 minutes later according to friends, I drop in the middle of the dance floor and ended up here. They told me I got a lot of GHB in my system and though not enough to kill me, was enough to knock me out for 6 hours. I was able to go home that night and they explained what I was going to experiencing for the next few days. I told them what happened and say there was a rash of those happening in the last couple of months that year. Needless to say I learned to never leave your water bottle from your sight or have someone you trust hold it for you. But the staff at SF General did take care of me and I am here now.
People thought this was:
Useful (10)
Cool (5)
I accompanied my bf to the urgent care clinic here and it was a complete nightmare. As everyone here seems to point out, SFGH is the place everyone who doesn't have a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out of ends up. And it shows. We waited for SIX HOURS to be seen (you take a number, a nurse sees you eventually, you get registered and then 500 hours later, a doctor or RN tends to you). Six hours. But at least the RN he saw was competent, friendly and took care of the problem.
I've had two friends who had to stay at SF General during the past year. My visits to them were nothing short of shocking. One friends is currently dying in 5A, and he told me staying there is "torture." The nurses and people "caring" for him are rude and rough when they change his bedding. Where is the compassion?
They did let me stay after hours one night, which was nice, but at 9:15 at night, his "room-mate" had the television on loud, a nurse had a flat-panel computer seven feet away and talking with another staff member about the computer system and its problems out loud, without any consideration that my friend is desperately trying to get some sleep.
This place is something out of a nightmare. I appreciate the fact that it serves low-income folks, but how they serve them matters.....
Update: Well, the I stopped by last night. The obnovious roommate is gone, replaced by an old man. Guess what, he's tied to his hospital bed! What a nightmare. I tried to ask the orderly stationed there about the condition of my friend, but he barely spoke English, so I had to find his nurse on my own.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
I am not a regular patient, so my only experience has come from shadowing my uncle who is a doctor there. I got to go behind the scenes and find out the answer to the question we all ask when we are sitting in a paper robe in a sterile room.
What the hell is the doctor doing?
Turns out, at least at SFGH, they are actually doing many things while you are sitting there reading the Dr.Seuss books. The one thing that really struck me about the staff is that nobody treats any of the patients as inferior or talk to them in a condescending way. Each patient I saw my uncle visit was treated with respect and patience.
Even though he is a lung doctor, he was polite with the extreme smoker that came into his office. If I was him, I would have probably lost my patience and yelled "STOP SMOKING!", which is why I'm going to be a wildlife biologist and not a doctor. Instead he explained "I can't prescribe anything for your emphysema until you begin to stop smoking. Would you be willing to work with our staff to quit smoking?"
I could go on and on with what happened after, but that would be redundant.
In short, don't let the words "General Hospital" scare you away from coming.
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Cool (1)
I was bombing down this hill right by leadership high school on my skateboard when I got the speed wobbles and hit a crack and stepped off my skate. It seemed to be no big deal...until I woke up in the ambulance. That was no good. Luckily, they ambulance driver took me to SF Gen. They have the best trauma ward in all of CA, and probably in the US. All the nurses there, Yseniya, Angela, Rebecca, Armando, Leo, Carlota, Dimitry, Cristina, were all super nice and accommodating. Angela even gave me a tasteful sponge bath! It was great! Everyone in the trauma ward was super nice even waking me up every hour to make sure I wasn't in a coma. From now on, I'll be doing most of my activities with a helmet, so I don't get brain damaged, but I owe my well-being to them.
in my distant past, i ended up in s.f. hospital from an apparent self-inflicted injury from broking a drinking glass.
i don't understand the circumstances. everyone including me is satisied with me surviving this episode.
Since there are a lot of reviews of SFGH from a patient perspective, I'd like to offer a (slightly biased) review from a resident physicians perspective.
As a radiology resident (the guy in the dark room interpreting the x-rays, cat scans, and MRIs -- yes, we're doctors too), I have the opportunity to work with many physicians including ER docs, trauma surgeons, neurologists, etc. Everyone has always been congenial and professional with their sole goal to provide the best patient care possible.
As a county hospital, SFGH operates on a very limited budget compared with private hospitals. The physicians here actually get paid *significantly* less than if they went elsewhere. Are they less qualified? Hardly the case, as most are graduates from top medical schools and train at UCSF, which is a Top 10 hospital. A lot of the docs here are world-renowned experts in their field! HIV/AIDS was first described here... etc.
So feel confident when you come to SFGH. You may have to wait a few hours in the ED with your migraine headache, but that's because the docs are taking care of someone who is about to die after getting shot a few times (which happens too often unfortunately). The guy next to you might not be the most well groomed, but that's because SFGH cares for everyone regardless of their ability to pay. But, you will get the BEST medical care available!
Minus 1 star though for the cafeteria person who keeps on asking me if I work there! You know I do! :) Nah, you deserve a star too!
People thought this was:
Useful (8)
Funny (2)
Cool (10)
I was brought here for trauma on a Friday night, at about 7pm; ultimately I was admitted and spent 11 days in the ortho ward. I was told (and have found out since) that for trauma SF Gen is the place to go from a quality standpoint - a view that many of the nurses on staff endorsed. ("If I got shot, I'd want them to take me here," one said.)
My ER experience was good, from what I remember - everyone was prompt and professional and I really didn't notice that I wasn't admitted until 2am or so. Though I was very heavily medicated at the time. I do remember hearing a doctor ask another patient if he "was hearing the voices now" and another doctor ask another patient if he got hurt "before or after shooting up." Such is life in the trauma ward of a general hospital - it is what it is and my care did not suffer for it.
I was surprised, pleasantly, by the quality of care that I got here after admission. I did not know that SF Gen shares faculty with UCSF and was pleased to find out that they did. I was well taken care of by my ortho surgical team - I had two surgeries while I was there - and felt the same way about all but one of the nurses that helped me while I was there.
I shared a room, which was fine because my roommate was fine. But it could have been bad - I heard many screaming matches between patients and staff, nearly all of which were medication related (as in, patients wanting more of it, and nurses & doctors explaining why there was no more to be had). Word to the wise: they will discharge you if you're too much trouble - I heard it happen more than once to cranky neighbors. ("Mr. X, we feel that if you're able to wheel yourself out to smoke, you'll be more than capable at home, so it's time for you to leave.")
The food is terrible, despite the efforts of the very nice people who make the menu happen, and several times they "forgot" to serve my meal. So do be aware of that and be sure to bring your friends food if you're going for a visit. Jamba juices are like currency there.
My ongoing care has been more of a mixed bag, with Ortho continuing to shine and ENT crapping the bed on a few occasions. But all in all they exceeded my expectations, and sent me home fixed and happy. Which is what you want from a hospital, anyway.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
if you are dieing go to another hospital this place totally sucks and they have a cop station in the building so after you get treated you can get thrown in the tank or get thrown in while waiting for a friends update
People thought this was:
Funny (2)
Ahh the General, my home away from home. On my way into work I've been helped, panhandled, given a smile from a guy who has nothing to smile about, and propositioned. And I love everyday of it. This is a place where no matter what your SES you get served with some damned fine care.
The doctors are competent and the ones who stick around are there because they want to give something back to the community. They take in the huddled masses so at the very least you may have a pretty entertaining time while you're there. Just like anywhere there are some bad apples, but overall I can't get enough. (step down from the soap box).
This place sucks! I waited for at least three hours and went away with no diagnostic or any prescriptions.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
I was in the SOMA when I walked into a corner store asking for some papertowels and napkins to stop the waterfall of thick burgandy liquid squirting oh-so gracefully from my hand.
I was drunk when I ate total shit on my bike, got a nice deep gash into the web of my right hand between my thumb and finger. Thought I broke the damn thing, it was hella numb. Fortunety I just bruised it and tore a nice amount of muscle, but no tendons (which is a good thing or else I woulda been in fucked-ville). I didnt feel like taking a cab to a hospital so I grew some balls and rode the bike to General. I got five stiches from the cute student to-be doctor at the E room. Everyone was super pleasant including the security guys. Got prescription for Vicodin and went home to work the next day.
No vic's for me, man up!
I have worked as a forensic nurse for the city and county
of San Francisco for the past twenty years, doing both adult
and child sexual assault cases. That puts me frequently at
SFGH, and I've spent many long hours in the emergency
room. What a wild and chaotic place that can be! I guess
each of us in the field of health care has his/her on niche
and I have a tremendous respect for the doctors, nurses,
medical assistants, emergency responders, and allied
personnel that work in the ER at General - and throughout
the hospital, really. There are certainly nicer facilities that
pay better so I figure staff that work at SFGH are there
because they must really care about the patients they see.
It is sometimes a thankless task.
God forbid, I'm ever in a car accident or suffer a gunshot
wound but, if so, I hope the paramedics arrive quickly and
get me to the ER at SFGH in record time. I know I'll get the
best care possible there....that doesn't mean that, after I
recover sufficiently, I might not want to be in more posh
surroundings elsewhere!
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Cool (1)
I had to visit the SF General Hospital emergency room on Sunday because a friend was taken there after an accident. The hospital complex and ER, in particular, wasn't nearly as bad as I feared. In fact, the grounds are nicely landscaped and fairly tranquil.
The staff, including the Sheriff's deputies, were very nice. There were plenty of undesirables hanging about also, but most kept to their scratching and moaning.
The highlight of my trip to SFGH was being told of the "expensive paintings" in the lobby by a SFFD paramedic. Sure enough, I went to the lobby and discovered two somewhat fam