Best Hospital in Raleigh/Cary (Rex: vs., safe, health)

[NebraskaToNC]

Does anyone know which hospital in the traingle has better reputation? Duke Vs. WakeMed Vs. UNC? I have been hearing from people that WakeMed is a no..no...i have my doctors who are affliated with wakemed...and now i am a bit concerned. I like my doc so far but i am told the hosptial care sucks...i probably also need to find out if i can go to duke when have to even if my doc is affliated with wake med....i do not know how all these fall...does anyone out there has a better understanding of all these? Would apprecaite your input.

[LRoyal10900]

I'd go to WakeMed, and I'd go to UNC...but my family knows under no circumstances will we go to Duke, or any Duke affiliated facility. I've heard WAAAYYYY too many horror stories about Duke, and I can honestly say, I've never heard anything bad from UNC or WakeMed.

[raleighkc]

Why not Rex Hospital in Raleigh? I've gone to both WakeMeds in Raleigh and Cary and to Rex for emergency care and Rex was by far the best.

[ljd1010]

Originally Posted by LRoyal10900

I'd go to WakeMed, and I'd go to UNC...but my family knows under no circumstances will we go to Duke, or any Duke affiliated facility. I've heard WAAAYYYY too many horror stories about Duke, and I can honestly say, I've never heard anything bad from UNC or WakeMed.

Yeah, that's why Duke is consistently ranked as one of the 10 best medical facilities in the US. Duke recruits some of the top physicians from all over the country. That's why Ted Kennedy chose to have his brain surgery at Duke.

[SIZE=3]Duke Ranks Tenth Among Best U.S. Hospitals - DukeHealth.org[/SIZE]

I've been employed in the healthcare system for over 35 years now. You will hear both good and bad reports about almost all facilities on any given day. I'm not knocking any of the other places mentioned. My neighbor spews venom about Wake Med...I also take that with a grain of salt.

[Francois]

Honestly, none of them is "bad", and you will find people with great experiences from every given hospital, as well as people with horror stories from every given one. Duke does have a stellar reputation, especially for particular areas (such as cancer, and I can vouch for this since my mother had cancer surgery there and beat the "odds" by two years), but UNC is no slouch (and they, in fact, have just opened a brand new cancer center). As with most places, it will come down to what doctor you get, but you're going to be safe with UNC or Duke, and Rex has a great reputation in Raleigh, as well. DukeMed in Raleigh (formerly Raleigh Community Hospital) I have heard mixed reviews about, but again, it's one incident here, one there. WakeMed is the public hospital, where one would generally expect lesser care, but I can speak very highly for their rehab wing, as a friend of mine was there for a few weeks and I was more impressed with them than with Rex.

Since most of us don't "claim" a hospital like we claim a doctor, I would go for where the better known doctors are, if you're expecting to need a hospital stay, and research it by that route.

[frankpc]

Originally Posted by Francois

Since most of us don't "claim" a hospital like we claim a doctor, I would go for where the better known doctors are, if you're expecting to need a hospital stay, and research it by that route.

I'd concur with this .. if you have a doctor you trust then then they should guide you to the best facility for your needs. When Ted Kennedy came to Duke for his cancer treatment you can bet it was because of the doc that practices there.

Frank

[GarnerMama]

I think it depends on what your needs are. They're all good hospitals. You'll hear horror stories from every hospital on Earth. It's the nature of the business.

[CHTransplant]

I've heard that they have a number of deaths every year at ________ Hospital. Really, would you want to be treated at a place like that?

[CK in NC]

I'd go to WakeMed, and I'd go to UNC...but my family knows under no circumstances will we go to Duke, or any Duke affiliated facility. I've heard WAAAYYYY too many horror stories about Duke, and I can honestly say, I've never heard anything bad from UNC or WakeMed.

I've experienced a horror story (and about lost my son) at WakeMed. I'll never go there for anything. I have also had experience at UNC, Duke, Raleigh Community (now Duke Health Raleigh), and Rex... loved them all.

[lovebrentwood]

My very own doctor told me to avoid Raleigh Community (now Duke Health Raleigh), and I went once, anyway, when I had a kidney stone. It's only two miles away.

While in the ER, I remember actually crawling from behind a curtain to the center of the room and BEGGING for a painkiller. They immediately stuck with me with a needle and THEN asked, "Are you allergic to anything?" (I am allergic to a LOT of things.)

Later, when I spoke to a woman I knew who wrote The Kidney Stone Handbook, she was furious and wanted to call the hospital herself and chew them out for their poor treatment; she said they didn't take the steps they should have.

Another time I went there with chest pains, and half the lights were out in the waiting room/admittance area -- why, I don't have a clue. I went there only because I heard it was the only hospital that would NOT admit you if you went in with chest pains.

Now, I won't go there for any reason.

The people who work there were there when it was Raleigh Community. No difference.

I love Rex.

Wake Med was great for my grandson when he had a broken leg, especially their children-only ER.

My neighbor loves Duke Hospital in treating her one remaining lung.

So people will have differing experiences. But you won't find me at Raleigh Community/Duke Health Raleigh.