Ive been receiving excellent care at Columbia University-NY Presbyterian Hospital. The doctors are smart, terrific, the nurses and ancillary staff are equally wonderful. No complaints with any of the medical and support staff. But the hospital sucks. Their inability to support their own staff and their seeming total unconcern with patient care is astounding. As an MDS patient I spend lots of time in their adult Irving Cancer Center infusion area. It’s bedlam. There is no rhyme nor reason to the way they operate. There is no functioning appointment system, you come and wait for hours. Literally not enough infusion chairs for care. I’ve had to sit in the lobby because the waiting room was packed, it’s like being on a rush hour subway car. And there’s no sense of a holistic approach for cancer patients: no nutritionists, social workers, psychologists or psychiatrists, exercise specialists, etc. Despite my renowned doctors, my children are suggesting I consider moving my care to Memorial Sloan Kettering. I have no idea what it’s like over there and don’t want to risk losing my great caregivers if MSK is not appreciably better. Anyone have a similar experience? Getting care at Memorial, what’s that like?
.
