Showing from 1 to 12 of 12 comment(s) received.
Twice this week, my 79-year-old mother has been brought to this Hospital by paramedics. She has been waiting on a stretcher for 8 hours to see a doctor for her 7 cracked and broken bones in her back after a fall. Imagine lying down on broken, cracked, and chipped bones for 8 hours... At least provide her with Tylenol or something. But do we have to wait to see the Doctor??? Do they even have one?
Any fellow from Quebec looking to head over to our emergency room, thinking it's quicker than our own ERs, don't be misguided. I arrived with my partner at 10 am, and now it's 9 pm. She's had a catheter in her arm since we got here, and we still haven't had a doctor check on us. Contemplating just walking out, but the idea of starting from scratch at a Quebec ER is keeping us put. If only we were closer to a hospital, I could have gone home to get my medications.
Oh my goodness, I must say, what an absolute relief it has been to find such a fantastic hospital after struggling with a troublesome back issue for a good couple of years. I had visited multiple hospitals and seen numerous doctors, all to no avail – nobody seemed to even spare a moment to give me the time of day, let alone an examination. So last night, I made the journey from Montreal to this particular hospital, and let me tell you, it was the best decision I've made in a long while!
Upon walking through those doors, I was met with the most compassionate, caring, and patient staff one could ever hope for. Doctor Brassard, who attended to me, was an absolute gem right from the get-go. In all my 45 years on this Earth, I have never encountered such a wonderful hospital experience. I am truly beyond grateful for the attention and care I received.
I must also mention the nurse I had the pleasure of encountering – I believe her last name was "Pira or Piri". If only I could recall it fully! If there were a way to award this hospital a hundred stars, you can bet I'd do so in a heartbeat. Finally, I have a clear course of action and feel taken seriously about my health concerns. I genuinely wish I could embrace each and every member of the staff at this exceptional hospital. I cannot recommend them highly enough. A massive thank you for everything you have done for me.
I simply cannot sing the praises of HGH and their incredible doctors, support team, and volunteers enough. It truly is disheartening when patients fail to attend or notify us of their cancellation. If a doctor can make the effort to be present for appointments, why can't patients extend the same courtesy? Today, I arrived a good 45 minutes ahead of my scheduled procedure. Following registration, I was promptly seen to and had my procedure completed in under 30 minutes. It turned out that there were two no-shows before me.
I was sat in the waiting room for a good eight hours. I politely asked one of the nurses how long the wait might be, and was informed it should be quite quick. This conversation took place about an hour and a half into my wait. However, after another six hours passed, I inquired again and was told it would be soon. Shortly after, a different nurse came by to inform me that if we weren't called in the next few minutes, we wouldn't be seen until after midnight. Realizing there would be further tests ahead, I made the decision that my weekend was too valuable to continue waiting and left. To sum it up, a round trip of 1.5 hours driving, 8 hours of waiting without being attended to (and being given false information), $5 for parking, only to leave due to extreme thirst and hunger with no progress on my health issue. This was both my first and last experience at Hawkesbury General Hospital.
My experience is related to the emergency department. From what I gathered from other comments, this seems to be a common occurrence. You end up waiting for hours on end, practically needing to be at death's door to get attention. Many of the staff members come off as brusque and lacking in empathy. I acknowledge that the healthcare industry is tough, but it shouldn't be reflected in how patients are treated. The security personnel was openly airing grievances about the hospital, then proceeded to hang out in the small room within the waiting area with the door wide open, likely playing loud music on his phone. When I tried to ask about how much longer I needed to wait without receiving any treatment or updates, they were dismissive and impolite. Regrettably, this marks my third negative encounter at this facility. If it were possible, I would rate it even lower.
Yesterday, my girlfriend and I visited the hospital due to her severe lower abdominal pain. She was experiencing a feeling of warmth despite her body being cold to the touch, along with intense nausea. We waited for a staggering 9 hours before being seen. During this time, she underwent blood and urine tests, and thankfully her symptoms started to improve. Finally, after the lengthy wait, we were able to consult with Doctor Vanessa. Disappointingly, she seemed to treat the situation lightly and unprofessionally, providing no referral or attempt to determine the underlying issue. Instead, she simply advised us to call an ambulance if the same symptoms recurred. It felt like a wasted 9-hour wait for such minimal advice. Our consultation with her lasted no more than 5 minutes. My disappointment with the hospital in my hometown is profound.
While waiting in the initial waiting room, a young mother arrived with her baby, who was bleeding from the head. Shockingly, the administration refused to provide her with an appointment. Once she left with her baby, we could hear the administrators laughing loudly. It was a distressing and inhumane sight. It seems that the hospital staff lack empathy and compassion. While not everyone there may be lacking in these qualities, it is clear that improvements are needed in the staff. In all honesty, it appears that almost anyone could do a better job than the current team on duty.
Sunday, 6th April 2025
Dear Sir or Madam, Messieurs Dames,
My good man and I felt compelled to express our deepest gratitude for the exceptional care and professionalism we received at the Emergency department yesterday, Saturday, 5th April 2025. The service and compassion shown by all, including Dr. Eric Leopold Laviolette, MD, were truly remarkable. We are at a loss for words to adequately convey our appreciation.
A heartfelt thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Ian and Lise Dussault Peck
Hudson QC J0P 1H0
Quite dreadful, the waiting times at this hospital are simply abysmal. With only 2 doctors on duty during the day and a solitary one at night, one would expect a more robust staffing arrangement for a facility of this size. If you opt to seek care here, be ready for a likely wait of 12-24 hours. The situation may not be aided by the fact that all our Quebecois neighbors seem to be flocking to Ontario for medical attention, depleting the resources available.
Absolutely smashing experience at this hospital! The staff were ever so friendly and considerate. I popped into the ER with a spot of head trauma and was in and out in under 2.5 hours, when just the day before I had languished in another hospital for a whopping 7+ hours. The service here is absolutely top-notch. A solid 10/10 to all the chaps on the team who work tirelessly to ensure their patients are in the pink of health and jolly good spirits :) Cheers!
Oh my, what a dreadful experience. I've been here for 11 hours already and haven't been called to see a doctor yet. The staff seems more focused on counting how many patients leave rather than attending to those of us still waiting. The waiting room was so full that some people had to stand for hours on end. It's truly disheartening to witness so many patients giving up and leaving without receiving any care. The atmosphere here is far from professional, with laughter echoing through the emergency doors while over 30 patients patiently wait. The hospital's reputation is quite pitiful, and I would strongly advise against coming here unless you enjoy spending half a day in discomfort without ever seeing a doctor, wasting money on parking, only to have to seek care elsewhere. This facility should be closely evaluated for its subpar healthcare services and potentially even shut down.
5* for the staff, 5* IF you have an appointment, but if you need to go to the ER, 0*. It's quite disheartening to see how this once outstanding local hospital has now taken a turn towards resemblance with the Quebec hospitals. Presently, the average wait time to consult a doctor is 8-10+ hours. I had to visit the emergency room upon my doctor's recommendation and sadly, after waiting for 8 hours, I left without being attended by anyone other than the triage nurse. Observing the license plates in the parking lot, there are more from outside the province than local ones. It appears they prioritize making profits from non-local patients over catering to their own community. It's truly lamentable to witness the decline of what was once a remarkable institution.
