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Sequoia Hospital
Category: Health and Medical Hospitals Hospitals [Edit]
170 Alameda De Las PulgasRedwood City, CA 94062
(650) 369-5811
- By Appointment Only:
- No
52 reviews for Sequoia Hospital
52 reviews in English
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Review from Brad L.
Palo Alto, CA
1/16/2012
My experience is with the nuclear medicine dept.
The two tech's who staff this department are outstanding. I was very apprehensive, the bone scan last for 1h:40m and is somewhat claustrophobic. They did a very thorough job explaining each and every step. And to my amazement, the tech stayed with me the entire time. He and I exchanged stories and small talk; and before I knew it, the scan was over. I could not have done it without them.
As with all businesses, it comes down to the people. And these two gentlemen are true professionals. -
Review from V b.
San Carlos, CA
12/29/2011
Went to the ER for an severe food allergy and I was seen quickly.. Nurses and doctors are all excellent .. Was in and out within 2 hours
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Review from Keiko S.
7/22/2011
This is my 5-star review for the Sequoia's BIRTH CENTER.
Without getting into too many details, I simply want to say that I am definitely giving birth here again if I should get pregnant with our second child. I refuse to go anywhere else. My first labor/delivery experience at Sequoia turned out much better than what I had imagined during pregnancy. (And my wild imaginations can be scary.)
First, the staff. They're phenomenal. Every nurse that walked into our private room had a reassuring smile and made us feel comfortable and confident that she/he had the situation under control. I am particularly thankful that one of them encouraged me to start pumping right away since our son had to be in the NICU for a while. That made a whole world of difference. Also, we can't thank them enough for allowing us to stay in a "guest" room for extra nights, free of charge, while our son was being treated. It was unthinkable for me to commute from home or hotel every few hours to nurse the baby.
(Btw, the Level II NICU is operated by Lucile Packard, another outstanding group!!!)
Second, the facility. You get a private room with your own bathroom (SO important!), a small cot for your partner, a TV, DVD, etc. The hospital is kept clean and safe, but I guess that's expected of any hospital. The cafeteria food wasn't bad as we'd expected, and on the final night you and your husband get to enjoy a celebration dinner that comes with a bottle of champaigne.
Again, this is a review for the BIRTH CENTER only. Also, if anyone reading this is considering giving birth here, I'd strongly suggest you take the hospital tour. -
Review from Kawaryhatti E.
Indianapolis, IN
1/26/2012
hello my name is kawaryhatti edwards, i would like to take this time to say thank you very much to all of the staff . my brother demetrius edwards was a patient there alot due to complications from diabetes. during his final days the staff was very caring and courteuos to our family and especially my brother. i know it has been four years since the passing of my loved one. but i just wanted you guys to know that the edwards family is forrver grateful for everything you did. so from all the way here in indianapolis indiana. we say thanks and god bless you all
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Review from Manisha T.
Palo Alto, CA
3/22/2011
This is yet another birth center review!
I gave birth to my baby boy on March 15th at Sequoia's birth center. By the time I arrived at the hospital, I was in tears from my contractions and could barely walk to checkin. A nurse from a totally different part of the hospital volunteered to walk with me to Labor and Delivery when I refused a wheelchair.
Once at L&D, I was promptly monitored to see how far i'd progressed in labor and coached through a few contractions by two lovely nurses. I had my epidural less than an hour after admittance and was talking and laughing with the nurses as we watched my contractions doubling up on each other on the monitor screen.
The anesthesiologist was awesome too. To be bared like that, back & butt all out and not feel awkward or embarrassed speaks to the bedside manner of the staff. Really awesome.
My room was HUGE!!! I mean, it really was a birth SUITE. TV w/ DVD and VHS player, private bathroom, rocking chair, desk, available sleeping accommodations for visitor(s) and full use of a refrigerator are just some of the features.
My doctor was amazing, but if you want to hear about her, look up "Dr. Shefali Gandhi-List" on yelp. :)
The nurses, lactation consultants, lab techs and even the cleaning people were so kind and amiable that the constant poking and prodding during the day and night were surprisingly enjoyable, lol. Never have I been so comfortable getting vaccinated or being administered medication.
This hospital encourages rooming in: having the baby in the room with the mommy for the duration of her stay. A nursery is available when mommy wants/ needs a break and it's totally safe because the parents and baby are equipped with matching wristbands that play a lullaby unique to that baby and his parents.
The food is decent for hospital fair. Bland, of course, but patients are given salt, pepper, sugar and dressing for each meal to season it to their tastes. As for the food itself, there was decent variety in menu choices from fish to chicken to salad and soup.
The celebration dinner was awesome! My husband had filet mignon with sauteed mushrooms and I had chicken cordon bleu. There was an option for wine or sparkling cider, some yummy sides and CHEESECAKE!!! Nom nom nom! :)
When it was time for discharge, we did not feel harried or rushed and were given a wealth of information on our way out.
I could go on and on forever but I'll spare you...I can't speak for the rest of the hospital but the L&D is top notch! Hope I'm here for baby #2 so I can deliver there again. -
Review from Pamela K.
San Mateo, CA
3/11/2011
I'm trying to figure out how to rate this place. This is more of a heads up than anything. A little context for my review: I know the place inside and out. Worked there. Been a patient there. Have had loved ones cared for there. Continue relationships today with colleagues/friends and physicians. This is an association that has endured for over 30 years.
After leaving the profession I continued to use only this hospital because of the high quality staff and state of the art thinking. You could be talking about gardeners and housekeepers, or you could be talking about heart surgeons. Either way, and everything in the middle, the gold standard. Even after moving into the Mills/Peninsula district, you guessed it--still only used Sequoia because they were beyond compare. But I've had a recent experiences that are really different (and not in a good way) so I'm noting for the record.
The hospital is undergoing a massive renovation. Next year patients will be in an all new area having moved from the 60+ year old main building which couldn't be adequately earthquake retrofitted even with gobs of money. Patients are still in the old building while the new building is under construction.
My observation is that while it remains clean, the old building is sorely in need of sprucing. It makes sense to spend the minimum, but it doesn't make sense to have uncomfortable spaces for patients and visitors with the promise that in another year it will be better. The construction has ambled on for over 24 months already, during which time the old building has been in steady decline. Limited sprucing is different than no sprucing.
There's a sea change when it comes to staff attitude. I don't doubt their competence, but there doesn't seem to be a standard in call bell answer time, or attention to patients, that would be a measurement of such by lay folks. Too much depends on which nurse you have. A patient in need of pain control isn't going to feel well cared for if left to wait 15-20 minutes for someone to answer their call. Then there's another wait for medication delivery.
Overall, staff doesn't appear as sharp in terms of responsiveness (or physical appearance) unless you're in ICU. Even the step-down units seem somewhat lackadaisical. Nursing assistants appear overworked and resentful and unfortunately for patients, they can be the greatest touch point at the bedside. Volunteers are scarce. In 6 hours of sitting in the surgical waiting room, no volunteer was present at the desk, or popped by. The ever-present Bunn coffee warmer was there, but no pot. We who waited could have made coffee for ourselves if there had been supplies and a pot. I noted a marked decrease in basic kindness and empathy by most levels except, physical therapy and housekeeping staffs. They were cheerful, attentive, courteous, warm and efficient. The therapists possessed great patience and equally abundant good humor.
For certain, a place I've always trusted, and eagerly shared my enthusiasm for and pride in, feels different. I no longer have the same degree of confidence that sick elderly or children, unable to speak for themselves, will be adequately monitored and kept comfortable. I'm hoping it's temporary but am concerned that bit by bit over the last years Sequoia's spirit and culture of excellence has eroded as they've been absorbed into the larger Catholic Healthcare West. For me, my last exposure was challenging and it felt like losing a dear, old friend.
For what it's worth, that's how I see it. As I said when I started--heads up. Here's hoping your experience is better than mine and that my observations have only temporary relevance. My fingers are crossed. -
Review from Bailey K.
San Mateo, CA
10/16/2011
First off please read Pamela K's review - it is very well stated and accurate. The staff is unprofessional, childish, argumentative and unskilled. There is a tension in the air created by the employees with huge attitude problems. The service is severely lacking and at a time when you are sick and need peace and rest you will not get it here. The security, food servers, nurses and assistants are down right horrible and I cannot believe that anyone running a hospital would consider their behavior remotely acceptable. Managements failure to address the foul staff is their acceptance of the behavior - it is shameful the language and tone used with workers and patients. This hospital needs a total make over in appearance and staff before anyone should patronize this establishment.
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Review from Melissa T.
San Jose, CA
1/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
I had major surgery here earlier this month. For privacy reasons, I won't get into the specifics of my surgery -- but I will review the treatment received.
The admitting department was busy and short-handed, but decent. The holding area where you wait for your surgery feels like one of those army hospitals you see on tv. A bunch of beds very close together, gated off by curtains. You wait a long time for someone to see you and then all of a sudden your surgeon's on the floor so several nurses ask you questions at the same time to get you ready. One of my nurses in that department was quite good, but the rest were more average. The IV attempt took about 4 tries, but at least they numbed me for most of them. I also give big props to my anesthesiologist (Dr. Yummy, as the nurses call him) who was not only a pleasant face but very kind and reassuring as my nerves took over my body, pre-op.
My surgeon was absolutely awesome. So was the whole OR team. If my stay only involved the actual surgery, I'd give this place 5 stars. It's primarily their excellence that allows any stars to remain at all for the overall stay.
In the recovery room (where I spent over 3 hours..), I was in and out of consciousness but the nurse assigned to me was quite lackadaisical in her attendance of me. I seriously overheard her say (as someone noted my IV was falling out) that "the girls upstairs can re-do it, I'm just holding it in til she gets her fluids in so we can move her." Nice! So upstairs I went, with no IV...
Even though I'd requested a private room multiple times both over the phone, in admitting, in recovery, etc., since I had a family member staying with me, I was put in a shared room on a very noisy floor. The person I shared my room with was in what sounded like a considerable amount of discomfort and never slept. Instead she kept her TV on 24/7. That was nothing compared to the dementia patient across the hall who (literally) BARKED and screamed all.day.and.night. without pause, with his door kept wide open. I did not get any rest during my stay. It was just too loud.
I *really* needed my IV hooked up ASAP, by the time I got to the room. I was supposed to be getting anti-nausea, pain meds, antibiotics and a few other cocktails continuously. It took *FOUR* hours of asking every nurse who walked by before this was done. It took no less than a dozen tries and finally an anesthesiologist to be paged before someone successfully got an IV in my arm. And none of them numbed me, so you can guess how that felt. I should also add that a few of the nurses attempting this feat left used needles and needle garbage both on and around my bed, after leaving the room to find someone else. Thankfully I had a family member who was kind enough to clean up their dangerous mess. I should also add that I was not given the proper pain med for over 24 hours.
I was also disappointed in whoever was in charge of the diet restrictions going out to the people who brought meals. Every single time, I received things that I could not eat and had to send it back or just go without.
The nurses assigned to my floor overnight were OK. Well a couple shifts were. Some would respond to my pages for assistance within 10 mins or so, while others would take close to 45 mins. This isn't acceptable when you're tethered to machines and need help to get to a restroom, but I was grateful for the few good nurses who did respond quickly.
The morning I was to leave, I had to give some labwork. The tech who came up to take it was the hands-down WORST lab tech I've ever met in my life. Before you write me off as a needle-phobic wimp, I should mention I'm anemic and have a few other nutrient deficiencies and as such have to give a massive amount of blood on a regular basis. It's no big deal to me as long as you know what you're doing. He most certainly did not. He kneeled unsteadily beside my bed and proceeded to shred my left wrist. It felt like a razor slicing my artery, I kid you not. It hurt to the point of me welling up and bawling like a baby, which I not-so-quietly did as he continued to mutilate me. He did not stop and he did not even get the blood. It took about 3 weeks before I could bend that wrist properly again. Not cool.
The discharge nurse was the kicker. She wanted my bed and was eager to get me out of there, from about 6am, on, despite the fact that I was clearly not ready. I had to complete several tasks per my surgeon before I'd be ready to go. She'd come in the room every 20 mins to try to hustle me out, told me completely false instructions she claimed were from my surgeon (that I later found out were false) to satisfy my need to speak to him. She also grilled ME, as to why some paperwork had been left incomplete by the admitting team. WTF?
Total bill for this glorious stay: $60,000 not including the surgeon's fee. For the price paid, I'd say they could have done much better. -
Review from Karen r.
San Mateo, CA
5/4/2011
This review is for the birth center.
I was looking at the other reviews before writing mine, and trying to figure out if I'm really in a position to evaluate Sequoia based on delivering my son there. I mean, I've only had one kid, it was at Sequoia, so (unlike restaurants, dentists or carwashes), I have nothing to compare it to. :)
That said, I have talked to many other moms about their experiences, so here are my thoughts:
If you're trying to figure out where to deliver your child, this is a good place to pick. I'm told that Stanford Hospital does not guarantee private rooms. This is a big deal. REPEAT: this is a BIG deal! Trust me, you want a private room. I've heard way too many horror stories about my friends experiencing a complete lack of privacy while trying to recover from childbirth / figure out nursing / deal with newborn infant, etc.
Private room: very important! I think you're pretty much guaranteed a private room at Sequoia. Your spouse/partner can sleep there with you, which is key.
Nurses are hit or miss. We had some GREAT ones and some not-so great ones.
Re: food, I can't understand why everyone keeps saying how great the food is. I mean, it's not gourmet. It's standard cafeteria food. Don't expect French Laundry, OK? :) -
Review from Christine K.
San Jose, CA
11/23/2010 1 Check-in Here
1 star for the shuttle person who transported me back and forth from the parking garage to the hospital. As soon as I would park, he would come pick me up. Its not really a shuttle, more like an enclosed golf cart, but when it was pouring out, I appreciated the dryness and not having to walk up to the hospital.
1 star for the hospital not smelling wretched! This place and the new Kaiser Santa Clara are the only hospitals that don't leave me feeling like I want to vomit as soon as I step inside.
1 star for huge labor and delivery rooms! They are private rooms with restrooms and have enough space to accommodate an entire family of visitors.
1 star for nice and helpful nursing staff. One nurse wasn't so friendly, but the rest were great.
1 star for high security: if a baby is unaccounted for, the doors lock and they do a count. Also, each parent has a tracker that matches up with their baby. When in close proximity, the tracker plays a melody to indicate it is the correct parent.
Minus 1 star because the place is so old and the cafeteria is so small! They are undergoing a renovation right now, so hopefully that will help.
For inquiring minds, no, I did not have a baby. I was just there all weekend with someone who did. -
Review from L C.
Redwood City, CA
7/17/2011
Here is my 2 cents.
I know sometimes we post only negative post but my daughter is studying to be a nurse and has been doing clinical at many hospitals and I think this is worth posting.
Emergency care excellent great docs and nurses in the ER. The med tech are a bit cranky in ER
2nd floor outpatient surgery not that great.
The nurses who check you in and out have so much paperwork to review with you before surgery it is very impersonal. I was surprised how dirty the bathrooms and floors were in the surgery wait area. The Operating Room was cluttered and messy and the OR nurse was sorting instruments on a gurney really Sequoia.
The Recovery Nurses were not friendly in the recovery room, their goal is to get you out of the recovery room, as soon as possible and not to make sure you are comfortable. I saw some very attentive nurses the one I had could care less if my pain exceeded the 10 or if i could sit up. Perhaps it was cultural she seemed to be a bit more attentive to another Asian patient. Thank the lord the anesthesiologist was still around because he came to check on me and he gave me more pain meds it took three hours to get relief in the recovery room. The look he gave the nurse was not good. My out patient surgery experience was so different at Kaiser RWC. Sequoia Hospital three hours in 10++ extreme unnecessary pain...
Once I was back in the 2nd floor outpatient surgery area it took two hours to figure out a way to get me in the wheel chair to check-out. Really folks I have good insurance, there must be a way to make sure a patient doesn't leave the hospital if they cant sit up roll over to get in a chair. They nurses hands are tied but not the hospitals. They need to have a recovery area in which patients can get food and stabilize any pain before kicking them out the door. Extended care...areas
Before kicking me out the discharge instructions were prints out by the docs in my package. No followup instructions??? with a nurse no numbers to call if i have problems??? patients who go home after a major surgery should have a followup nurse check in on the patient that night and the next day.
I am not sure I liked the surgery experience at Sequoia. it is too bad because your ER is excellent. -
Review from Victoria L.
South San Francisco, CA
11/11/2010
I can't give a hospital 5 stars ;), but it's pretty darn good!
I had scheduled surgery there recently. I started off in the Short Stay Unit on the 2nd floor. The area itself is dated and cramped, but considering I was only there 2 hours, I can deal. The nursing staff there was AMAZING. Everyone was so kind and I felt very cared for. I have crappy veins and they got an IV in one the first try - first time ever for me!
Once I got into surgery, I felt very comfortable. My primary nurse explained everything to me and was very kind and gentle. The OR itself was again a bit dated...but I was sleeping peacefully within minutes, so I never noticed! LOL
I woke up in the recovery room and was checked on often. I was then transferred to my room, where I stayed for one night.
The room itself was small and again outdated. However, it had everything I needed and was clean and as cheery as a hospital room could be. The daytime nursing staff was REALLY friendly and caring and made sure I was happy and painfree. They left me alone to nap, but checked on me often and responded to my every need as sooon as I asked.
I had a delicious dinner and a yummy breakfast. I have to say I was impressed by the food. The have a menu you can choose from. I also was offered snacks throughout the stay.
I had a decent nights sleep and was discharged the next morning. -
Review from Nikki S.
Redwood City, CA
11/14/2008
Sequoia is an absolutely wonderful hospital. I changed ob-gyns so that I could give birth here, and I'm incredibly pleased with my decision.
I got off to a rocky start with the nurses--while I was waiting for my non stress test I could hear them sniping at each other, and I remarked to my mom that I was glad I wasn't giving birth that day, because they sounded cranky. When my baby's heartrate plummeted five of them rushed into the room and started working on me without talking to me or to each other. Not fun. But when the heartrate went back to normal and they calmed down and assigned me my nurse, things got considerably better. My nurse was friendly and up front with me about the need to induce, and I felt like she had my best interests in mind.
Sequioa puts all laboring mothers in single birthing suites, and I was comfortable throughout my 8 hour labor. They gave me the option of a birthing ball (which I thought would be comfy, but was not) and a bar over the bed, (again, not comfy), and they were really supportive of my interest in going without pain medications.
Once my baby was out they gave her to me right away and let me hold her for quite awhile (i didn't really have a good sense of time at that point, but i know they left her with me until after they stitched me and cleaned up the bed). They didn't put in the eye drops until they took her, so we could gaze at each other, and they were big proponents of kangaroo care (which means skin-to-skin contact) and of just leaving us be. It was exactly what I wanted. The baby stayed in the room with my husband and I for our entire stay in the hospital, and the nurses took good care of both of us.
I felt like the staff at Sequoia really believes that the best thing for the baby and the mom is to let them do their thing and not interfere, which was just how I envisioned my birth. In the end, even though I had to be induced, which scared me silly, I had a great experience at Sequoia. -
Review from Karen J.
East Palo Alto, CA
12/28/2006
BIRTH CENTER (for delivering your baby)
My husband and I are very excited to be delivering at Sequoia this spring. We've taken the hospital tour and have had very positive interactions with the Sequoia staff and nurses. We are especially impressed with their Birth Center. Each mom checks in to her own private room where she delivers and recovers (no transferring btwn rooms and interrupting that bonding time with the new baby). The dad has a bed in the room too, so he can sleep over, and the baby stays in the room with his/her parents. There is state of the art medical equipment but at the same time the staff very supportive of natural childbirth (it isn't uncommon here...if that is something you are interested in). The MDs that practice here are great too. Each room also comes with a TV, DVD and VHS. But the biggest perk is no roommate! Afterall, who wants to share a room with a stranger after just giving birth? Not me!
MARCH 2007 UPDATE: I delivered a beautiful daughter at Sequoia this month. The staff at Sequoia was wonderful. I couldn't have had a better birth experience. I highly recommend. -
Review from Dennis H.
Redwood City, CA
1/24/2009
This review applies only to the Labor and Delivery section. The review probably should be four and a half stars, but without the option of a half star, I decided to go five.
When the wife said that she wanted to give birth at Sequoia Hospital, I agreed gladly because it was so close to our home and her obstetrician. We did the hospital visit where they gave a tour of the Labor/Delivery wing, and it is impressive. They have eleven or so marvelous private rooms, with a DVD player, basic cable TV, a small bed for the partner, and enough closet space for your stay. There were four or so other rooms in another hallway that were smaller. Two of the smaller rooms had a common bathroom, and our tour guide assured us that they are seldom used, and when they are used, they are rarely booked together.
Our pregnancy was smooth, but the delivery was less than easy. The doctor suspected we had a big baby because of my big head, and she suggested we try to induce the day after the due date so we could a avoid caesarean section. No problem, we checked in, and in a theme common for the rest of the stay, the nurses were simply outstanding. To be sure, they had varying levels of experience and we liked some of them more than others, but they followed the verification procedures for drugs and pain to the letter, and were extremely helpful as my wife's pain moved from mild to extreme. I cannot say enough good things about them, the care was first rate from all of them. I would highly recommend this hospital for this reason alone, even if it were located in a cave and the call button was banging a rock on the wall.
Long story short, our delivery was complicated and after trying all possible measures, the c-section had to be done. You hear about them every day, but when it's your family, it's a very scary experience because no matter how you look at it, it's a major surgery. They had the OR ready, and they were fully supported. The surgery went smoothly, and I felt confident they were ready if it didn't. Before I know it, I'm looking at our baby girl, sneaking a peak at my wife's open abdomen (big mistake), and walking our daughter to the Lucille Packard Nursery for the post delivery tests.
At this point, there is a change in service; I suspect because there is separate management. The post delivery tests were done professionally by one of the technicians, and it was a lot of fun to see my daughter have a bath for the first time. What I didn't expect was that after the tests were done, and another tech asked if it were okay if they used a pacifier and formula. I said no because we were breastfeeding and was worried about nipple confusion, and started to leave to see how my wife was doing after major surgery. She told me to take the baby with me, but I told them that the nurse said she needed some time with my wife to stabilize her. She remarked that even if it pisses off the nurses, just tell them you want the baby to meet the mother. I left without the baby, asking them to be patient (after all, this is a nursery).
As I entered the recovery room, I asked the nurse when my wife could meet our daughter. She said in about ten minutes, and then the nursery woman followed me with the baby and started putting the baby on my wife's nipple. She remarked 'the baby is starving and you need to feed her...' as she was injecting formula into the side of the baby's mouth while it was suckling and my wife is shaking from the spinal block. I must report that the entire nursery staff was not this way, but I was unlucky enough to find 'that one' on my first try.
After the c-section, we were moved to a post-delivery room, which happened to be the room with the shared bathroom...and the other room was booked too. We squeaked (rather loudly) and got moved out of it after one evening. We made friends with the nurses again by bringing them some cheeses to go with our whine. In general, the post delivery rooms are a bit smaller, but they have most of the amenities of the labor rooms.
The nursery was the one less than perfect part of our stay, although overall it was a positive experience. In several cases, when we took the baby to the nursery, they returned her in 5 minutes saying that it needed to be fed. After we allowed formula, they allowed the baby to stay there longer. Some of the technicians were more capable than others, and the communication between the nursing staff and the nursery needs to be improved. However, it is nice for them to take the baby for a few hours, and they do monitor the baby well.
The food is surprisingly good for a cafeteria, they make a pretty good omelette in the morning. They also have wireless in several places.
Bring your own pillows, shower toiletries, and toilet paper. The toilet paper is of the John Wayne variety (rough and tough, don't take s**t off nobody).
These minor points aside, we highly recommend Sequoia for Labor and Delivery. -
Review from Velcro F.
Redwood City, CA
9/8/2009
I was born here. Still pissed about my circumcision.
I came here years later for ongoing insomnia problems, everyone was unsympathetic, unkowledged and not helpful.
But the cafateria is fantastic! -
Review from Jennifer T.
Redwood City, CA
1/23/2008
Unfortunately I woke up in excrutiating pain last week and had to drive myself to this ER here, because it is the closest. I have also heard really good things from all my friends who have had babies here. They call it Hotel Sequoia.
Anyhow the ER was empty at 4am, the nurse was really nice, attentive. I got pain relief, blood analysis, cat scan in an hour, it was great. Really clean, friendly quiet. etc... if you are in the area and need an ER go here! -
Review from Charles S.
Belmont, CA
6/13/2008
I have had nothing but outstanding experiences with Sequoia Hospital. My wife delivered both our wonderful baby girls there without incident. The nursing staff is competent, thorough, and attentive.
We have also made good use of the ER. For the first couple years of our children's lives we made the trek down to the Stanford ER thinking that since Packard is a world-renonwned children's hospital, we owed it to get our kids the very best care we could. Well, Stanford means long lines, a teaching hospital and all that goes with it, and an extra 20 minutes over getting to Sequoia. So for the last year and a half we've been taking the kids there for ER needs and have been very pleased. The doctors (a lot of them are Stanford refugees) are top notch and the ER nurses have been on the ball.
I have also had occassion to use the ER several times and have been admitted for a few things. I found the care to be excellent. I had my tonsils yanked out there a few years ago and it wasn't fun, but the hospital experience was as good as it possibly could have been.
Bottom line, IMHO, unless you have some cutting edge serious problem, you're better off utilizing Sequoia than Stanford/Packard.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND. -
Review from M G.
Palo Alto, CA
12/9/2010
I came into the Sequoia ER last night in excruciating pain. Like Charlie Brown going for Lucy's football, I stupidly first went to PAMF because it's so close to my place only to leave in tears, head home and have a friend insist on taking me to a real hospital. God, PAMF, I can't say enough how incompetent your Urgent Care really is but back to Sequoia.
As soon as I walked in the ER, I was whisked off to a room to describe my issues to a nurse, put in an exam room to change, covered with a warm blanket and given some water. I was already pretty certain from what I'd read on the Interwebs that I had a kidney stone. The doctor came in to see me shortly thereafter and an IV line with pain and anti-nausea meds was started while they evaluated my blood and urine samples. Oh, sweet relief! I can't tell you how welcome that Dilaudid was. Honestly, if anyone ever says to you "Would you like a kidney stone or a kick to the bare crotch from a cowboy boot?"- take the kick from the boot, trust me.
The longest wait was my Xray which very bizarrely, got sent to Australia to be read. I have no idea why they do that and so sat around enjoying my warm blankey and staring into space like a drugged out loon for another good hour and a half before I got another dose of sweet, sweet meds. "Sure enough", the dr. pronounced, "kidney stone". I took my pee filter and script for Oxycodone and my friend and I were on our way. Oh, but not before I projectile vomited all over my hospital room. Three times. The nurse who I was sure was going to vomit too, just said sweetly, "That's okay. Get it allllllllll out."
Well, The stone popped out this morning, a pathetic little red pebble. I was sure a 100-lb. boulder was going to squeeze out of my peehole given the pain level but nope, that was it. Most of the people at Sequoia we encountered last night were super nice- probably about 10 of them in all including the doctor. A few didn't seem to like their jobs very much which isn't what you really want to deal with when you are in agony. Luckily, I had a friend who is a pretty fierce advocate. Seriously, she should start a service where she accompanies people to the hospital and acts on their behalf. She once guarded a parking spot for me too. As I pulled around the corner, I saw her telling a woman who told her it was "illegal" to save parking spots to "go ahead and call the f'ing police then" to have her arrested for the high crime of "parking spot saving." Maybe she could also offer that service. Hopefully, I will have more cause to use that than hospital advocate in the future! -
Review from Liza B.
Washington, DC
3/23/2010
Unfortunately I've been to a few hospitals with my grandpa in the past few months and Sequoia has been the best experience out of all.
The hospital is clearly not as busy as others (e.g. UCSF) and therefore you can get your shizzle done. Also, they most likely will give you a private room if you need to be checked in. The doctors are upfront and tell you their honest truth without trying to play mind games.
In addition, if you need to get your blood drawn or need an X-ray come here. I have never had a quicker X-ray experience. You come in, fill out your paperwork, and get your x-ray done.
Only tip I have is if you're getting your blood drawn do not come on a Saturday morning - it is beyond crowded and you'll wait for an hour or more so come at another time. -
Review from terry h.
San Jose, CA
8/15/2008
Quick review here about Sequoia. Every experience I have ever had with them has been awesome. They have such professional and kind staff and employees. I owe my life to them. I couldn't write enough good things about Sequoia, they have even taken care of a friend of mine to the point where he eventually died but even through that, they were a Godsend. Literally.
Love you Sequoia. -
Review from Stefanie S.
Redwood City, CA
4/9/2008
BIRTH CENTER REVIEW:
We had our baby this past February and delivered at Sequoia Hospital. This was my first birth so I don't really have another experience or hospital to compare too, but I have to say that this was the BEST experience EVER. The nurses were fantastic, they knew what they were doing and were there for me whenever I needed it (which was not that often since they did such a good job from the beginning). The rooms are very private and you never leave. Your baby doesn't ever leave your side either. The facilities are very clean and the food is even 'ok'!
If you are planning on having a baby in the future, I highly recommend this facility over any other in the area. I have heard stories about them all and nothing compares to Sequoia Hospital.
Good luck!! -
Review from Connie W.
12/3/2010
I delivered our baby girl at Sequoia Hospital in September of 2010. I cannot say enough about the amazing nurses who took care of us around the clock. I ended up having a last minute c-section so we stayed at the hospital for four days after the baby was delivered. Despite being in pain and on a lot of pain medication, it was such a positive experience, thanks to the staff. Every staff member, whether it was a doctor, nurse, custodian, food delivery, etc. was so professional and kind. Facilities are very clean and the food is mighty tasty! I would definitely recommend this hospital to anyone who is going to delivery a baby.
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Review from Mrs. B.
Redwood City, CA
10/26/2008
I was at Sequoia a couple of months ago for severe pancreatitis (long story, the result of a weird metabolic condition I have.) Anyway, I went to the ER on a Monday morning and was seen to quickly and with compassion. I ended up being admitted and had to stay for 10 days. The nurses and nurses' aides were are very nice and attentive. I had no regular doctor in the area at the time because I had just recently moved, so I was seen by completely new doctors and specialists who were very competant and took good care of me.
I give it 5 stars in comparison to other hospitals. Being in a hospital in and of itself warrants 0 stars because you're sick and that's never a fun experience. ;o) -
Review from Greg B.
San Diego, CA
1/12/2009
Sequoia is the pinnacle of hospitals. Just going into a hospital is bad enough, but the staff is very kind, efficient, and powerful. Yes, powerful. While on duty, they take charge of anything that comes in and are on top of everything. My most recent and final experience here(since my family moved away) there was action in the ER, the ICU, and then finally a regular room right after that.
My mom was in the ICU for about a week. My family and I had been very fortunate to never have any serious illnesses or extensive trips to the hospital, so when I got the news that she was in the ICU, I didn't know exactly what that meant(seriously). Needless to say, when I first entered the area I was scared out of my mind and nearly blacked out. One of the nurses there sat me down, gave me a cool towel and some orange juice. I believe her name was Colleen.
Anyway, my mom fully recovered and my family can't thank the staff of this hospital enough. We met a lot of doctors and nurses during that week and all were highly professional and on top of things.
Thank you, Sequoia. Oh yeah, and I was born here, so you know it's gotta be good! -
Review from Eduardo R.
Foster City, CA
1/19/2010
Me and my wife just got back home from 5 days as guests at Sequoia's.
My wife just gave birth to out 1st son and since the moment we checked in, during the 24-hour induction attempt, the C-section, the post-partum, the recuperation and until the last moments there we knew we were being taken care of by a competent, caring, professional and extremely nice staff. All nurses were extremely caring and helpful and patient with this pair of unexperienced parents. They really made our life there so much easier.
We even got a special congrats dinner on our last night, including champagne and a non-hospital menu (and it was delicious). -
Review from a b.
Half Moon Bay, CA
4/1/2009
LOVE their Maternity and Family programs.
I chose my OB around this hospital, and I don't regret my decision at all.
The staff was friendly and helpful at all times. And SO pro breastfeeding and rooming in that all their advice seemed so first nature. It's a calming place for a new mother. I had at least a dozen different nurses, and loved each and every one of them, and received so much wonderful advice and care.
I can't say enough about the Sequoia Health & Wellness Center @
749 Brewster Ave., Redwood City, CA
The Lactation Center and all of its staff are so supportive and wonderful. The Family room for nursing and weighing your baby is a tremendous comfort. -
Review from Kevin M.
Burlingame, CA
9/7/2011
Their billing department is a disgrace. They routinely refuse to send an itemized and detailed billing statement to you, even when you ask either in writing or by calling their billing department over and over.Then, they send you to collections...what a rip off. I guess there are things on the breakdown of charges they don't want us to see..sounds like fraud to me. This has happened to me and to my other family members over and over. I have nothing bad to say about the care I received at their hospital. However, they are not doing what is required by law and what is posted on their Patients Bill of Rights plague -that patients are entitled to a clear and consise explanation of the charges. They do not do that and are very defiant about it. Now, I have complained to the Department of Insurance, the consumer watchdog group that monitors hospitals in our area and I have contacted the S.F. Chronicle.
Maybe this will wake up their Customer Service department that when one of their patients wants to know why you are billing them $6,500+ and asks five times for a detailed explanation of the charges that make up that $6,500+- you are required to provide it to them. -
Review from Eva O.
Redwood City, CA
3/17/2010
I had the worst pain in my life due to Gall Blader Stones, last week...came in through the ER, got admitted, had surgery + 1 day spent at the hospital for recovery. The nurses in the ER were great...the lab tech who did my ultrasound was very nice!
My surgeon Dr.Michael Oholleran totally rocks and is a super star!! He spent 2 hours doing my surgery and still managed to only make 4 small incisions...how did he do it???? The anesthesiologist was equally amazing and really kept me calm even though I was staring to get nervous. Dr. Michael Oholleran checked in on me the next day, and he explained everything.
The nurses in the surgical recovery area were also great
Also the next morning a volunteer came to see if I would like to have any books, newspapers, or magazines delivered to my room...I was kinda out of it...but appreciated the gesture.
The food menu looked really good, but I was only allowed ice chips and broth.
I stayed at Sequioa Hospital for just 2 days and really have nothing to complain about...that says a lot! -
Review from Sarah D.
San Mateo, CA
11/25/2008
I have a different view of the hospital. My experience was not good--a few of the nurses were friendly--but my husband and I thought our main nurse was unprofessional. I was five months pregnant and having what I thought were contractions, which really scared me. It was my third pregnancy and I am well read and well educated. Both my husband and I felt she was condecending and did not take our complaint seriously. This is really important when you visit a hospital--that nurses and doctors listen and take what you say into consideration.
I won't ever go there again. -
Review from M G.
San Mateo, CA
12/14/2010
We had our baby at this hospital in December. In summary, do not deliver your baby here until the construction is done. We had jackhammers and cranes 20 feet from our window for most of our stay, even on Saturday. It is deafening and we could not even hear our TV during the day. Don't get me started on spending 30 mins to get the baby asleep to have him wake up 2 mins later from construction banging.
There are some good notes. All the nurses and doctors were great, and taught us a lot. Every day we would learn something new.
But I cannot give more than a 3 star regardless, as the constant noise did ruin our baby experience and stay at this hospital. -
Review from Basia M.
Mountain View, CA
5/28/2010
This review is for the Birth Center. Great place to have a baby - I can't imagine a better experience. A clean private room, pretty good food and all the other hospital perks, but the staff was simply amazing. All the nurses were wonderful - friendly, caring, helpful, attentive - I really felt like I was in great hands. A special thanks to nurse Laurie (Lawson?) who was incredibly helpful, held my hand and coached me through the whole thing. I really felt like I couldn't have done it without her, she was juzt amazing. Everyone else was great too - we received a lot of help, support, breastfeeding advice. I knew I could always call them and they would be right over to help me with a smile. If I ever have another baby, I'll definitely go back to Sequoia.
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Review from Ryan T.
Redwood City, CA
6/19/2010
Sequoia's maternity ward is top-notch. My wife has delivered two children there and we've always had our own clean, modern room with a bed for dad, TV, VHS and DVD player, bathroom, window with a nice view, etc. The food is very good, and the nurses are fabulous! They take care of baby, mom, AND dad. Parking is free and they have free FAST wifi.
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Review from Jennifer G.
San Carlos, CA
8/28/2010
I had to go to the emergency room last night for a dog bite. They took me right away to triage. Also, the registration was super fast. Finally, I only had to wait about 10 minutes before I was seen. The physician's assistant as well as the doctor were kind and attentive. They made me feel calm in a scary situation. I really appreciated it.
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Review from Jane W.
Oakland, CA
6/22/2009
This review is about labor and delivery department. I chose this hospital because of many good reviews on yelp. But I found whether you have a good experience or not will largely depend on which nurse you meet. My nurse during my delivery has more than 10 years experience but I am very disappointed. I told her that my hands and feet felt very cold but my body felt hot. I probably got a fever. She said that was normal. She did not even measure my temprature until I asked. That was 3 hours after I lied on the labor and delivery bed! And I ended up with high fever without being given any medication. They lowered the airconditioner temprature and I started to shiver for hours!
They gave me epidural when I asked. When I delivered, I tried my best to push but they told me I was not making any efforts. They would take my epidural away if I did not push. Lack of compassion! I explained many times I tried my best but I did not have much strength because of my stomach pain. I did not eat for more than 24 hours! They said "no, you don't have stomach pain. that is contraction." I said " trust me, i know what contraction is. " But they never believe. me. They took epidural away and I still could not push my baby out. I sufferred great pain with little epidural for one hour!
It is ridiculous that when the doctor came, she said I probably should have a c-section because the baby's face is up. That means the pain I suffered was pointless at all!
I do not know if they have the right to take epidural away as long as they want to. But the memory was horrible! The pain was too much and I was very sad they did not trust my words and just do whatever they wanted.
I had contraction lasting two days before my delivery. The contraction pain was nothing compared with my pain during delivery. At that time, I thought it would be better to die than staying in their hands like that. The feeling really hurts. -
Review from Sarah J.
Redwood City, CA
12/16/2007
BEST PLACE on the peninsula to have a baby! My doctor and the nurses are phenomenal. Everyone was so nice and supportive and helpful. The lactation team is excellent. The rooms are private, which is very important. The whole experience was very special...
UPDATE: By the way, I also highly recommend my ob/gyn, Dr. Shefali Gandhi-List (see my yelp review on her)... she's fantastic -
Review from Katie T.
Menlo Park, CA
7/14/2009
Great place to have a baby!
Let me explain... With my first, I delivered at Princeton Hospital, in Princeton, NJ. It is rated one of the top 10 places in the US to deliver. Need I say more? A little... when I found out I was pregs with #2, I asked my SO, "Should I just move back there for 9 months so I can deliver there again?" No joke, we thought seriously about it.
I wanted to replicate perfection, if I could. So I asked around to anyone who had kids, where they delivered. Some people said the city (which they told me to avoid). Some mentioned Stanford, and no one said anything horrible, but no one mentioned anything special either... and they also said that you'd have to be comfortable with sharing a room and having students coming in and out of your room checking your vitals like ever 5 mins... Um... that to me sounded horrible!
Then when people mentioned Sequoia... their faces seemed to light up! So I would light up. Then I found an OBGYN who would deliver there, and when she asked which place I would rather deliver... Stanford or Sequoia, and I told her Sequoia, even she admitted this was the best choice!
I had my own room, my own bathroom, and my first bed was acting out, so they got me a new one. Their staff was great and I was left alone quite a bit up until things got intense.
I knew I wanted epidural, since I had this with my #1, and it had made things go so easily. However... this is the reason why I didn't give a full 5 stars... the anesthesiologist was not what I had in mind. The dude I had in Princeton was all about perfection and would accept nothing less from himself and from the nurses assisting him... and this gal... ugh! She was totally casual and telling me that if she doesn't get it right the first time, she'll just start over. I was not comfortable hearing that. And then she would tell me that I should be feeling a certain sensation that I wasn't actually feeling... and she was just so not confident. Also, she was a talker. She liked to hang out that talk, talk, talk... when I should have really been resting... sup with that? The tip of the ice berg for me was when she started pumping me up with narcotics in addition to the epidural without asking me or telling me... I believe this was the reason why I was fainting just after delivery... nurses rushing in from every direction...
So other than the anesthesiologist, everything was cake! -
Review from Cindy D.
San Mateo, CA
7/29/2009
SAME DAY SURGERY CENTER REVIEW:
Full disclosure- I was not the one having the surgery, my SO was - but I was there for all of it except the surgery itself so I feel pretty qualified. We had to be there at 5:15 AM so they could get him prepped. Everyone there, even at that ungodly hour of the morning, was efficient, friendly and compassionate. My SO is not the easiest patient to deal with and they were just great with him. They explained everything they were doing as they were doing it, and fully explained to me where I should wait, when I should come back to the unit, etc. They even asked me for my cell phone number in case there was some miscommunication and I hadn't understood where I was supposed to be. Once he was through recovery and back on the unit he was fully conscious and they were again efficient, understanding with regard to his discomfort etc. There wasn't five minutes that would go by without someone coming in to check on him, asking him about his pain level etc. I was very impressed with the quality of care as was he and he doesn't like hospitals. They went over his discharge instructions twice to make sure we both understood what needed to be done and a few days later called up to see how he was doing, how he was feeling etc. His own doctor didn't do that! Top notch place. -
Review from Noelle T.
Santa Clara, CA
7/15/2008
This was by far the best experience at a hospital that I have ever had...
I read the reviews about Sequoia Hospital in http://www.checkbook.org.
The Doctors at a nearby famous hospital come over to Sequoia Hosp. for their surgeries and hospitalizations. Read the reviews and you will know why this is the case.
Did I mention that Sequoia has a lower infection and death rate than other hospitals?
The staff were so caring and considerate. After my surgery the nurses called the day after to check up on me.
Take my advice....only choose Doctors who have hospital privileges at Sequoia.
P.S. El Camino Hosp. is also highly rated. according to http://checkbook.org. -
Review from Sparkely K.
Silicon Valley, CA
7/20/2007
AWESOME hospital! I had surgery there a few years ago and it was a very pleasant experience (go figure!). While being wheeled down to the OR my Orderly was introducing me to the staff; we were laughing and having fun. He really put me at ease. In the OR the music was turned on, the team was great, and in Recovery they took exceptional care of me. How many hospitals can make surgery fun???? Probably very few. All in all it was a great day...well...until I threw up in the car post-anesthesia....
