Difference between C'ville hospitals? (Jefferson, Fishersville: insurance, transfer, live in)

[mountainrose]

I am getting mixed info on the difference between Martha Jefferson Hospital and UVA. Some say avoid UVA because it's a teaching hospital and MJ is private and overall better. But others say MJ is limited.

Do any of you have experience with either hospitals, and if so, please shed light on the difference between them and which you prefer.
Also, which one has better Emergency Room in regards to wait and competence.
Thanks!

[TN Lily]

If you search this subform, you will find posts about this issue. There are certain specialties where UVA is clearly the better option. But for more routine care, we preferred Martha Jefferson when we lived in the area. We still use one physician who practices at MJ and returned there in the past few weeks for a procedure for my husband.

My husband is not a medical professional, but his job took to both facilities on a regular basis. The nursing care at MJ is overall better in our opinion. It was my understanding that MJ's ER did not take patients who had no insurance; they stabilized the patients and when possible they were then transferred to UVA. Perhaps this is no longer the case.

I used physicians based at UVA and quit using one practice over their awful telephone system.

Both are good hospitals, but MJ is a more patient friendly facility based on my experience.

Good luck.

[TN Lily]

Mountainrose, your question re the ER --- why do you ask this? I am curious. Are you looking to work in an ER? Normally, one avoids the ER by having an appointment with a health care provider and only uses the ER as a matter of last resort or for a true emergency.

[mountainrose]

Thanks TN Lily for your thorough answer.
I asked about the ER Experience because I have had horrible experiences before in hospitals when I've had emergencies over the weekend when doctors office closed and they say better go to the ER. Had a Brown Recluse spider bite with high temperature and nausea and the ER experience was horrible - five hour wait, dirty rooms, and incompetent staff. A woman sitting next to me in the waiting room had a bad case of MRSA plus had oozing open sores, and they didn't have her separated and she was holding an infant and touching magazines and doors.

In another state, my husband had a gallbladder stone attack in excruciating pain and they made him wait four hours to see an ER doctor even though he kept passing out from the pain. While waiting there, a gamg member came in with gun shot wounds in his arm (not fatal ) and the police talked to him briefly and just let him and his gangsta buddies sit there with the rest of us and they were really being disruptive and scary.
We've been since told by doctors to come in an ambulance and they will see you right away. I just always thought this was
Irresponsible to do if not a heart attack or something life threatening.

I've heard enough ER horror stories from friends that I am trying to decide which hospital would be best to go to if we have an emergency.

[TN Lily]

I have gone to Martha Jefferson (at the prior location) with an emergency in the early hours of the morning and was treated promptly and was pleased with how I was treated. The gang member in the ER with his buddies is much more likely to happen at UVA Hospital than Martha Jefferson.

Depending on where you live in the C-ville area, there is also Augusta Medical Center in Fishersville. It's been a long-time since I had a family member use the ER there, but the care she received was outstanding.