Huggins Hospital
 

My husband had a short procedure at Huggins a few days ago. It was our first experience at the hospital. We both rated the hospital staff A+. They were genuinely friendly and helpful, well organized and provided excellent care. In particular, our nurse Glenn and Dr. Molano were terrific. I am a nurse and sometimes hard to please but I was so impressed that i wanted to post this for our readers.

Worst Experience Ever
 

Went to th ER a few years ago, worst experience ever.
Understaffed, incompetent, unable to properly diagnose the issue.

Ended up having to rush down to different hospital for treatment/surgery

Wouldn't go back for a hang nail or band-aid

Huggins Hospital
 

I'm sorry that the previous poster had a bad experience at Huggins. While Huggins can't handle all emergencies, I think the previous poster is over the top with the criticism. I have been in the emergency room 3 times for various problems and different family members and I have found their care to be nothing short of spectacular. From the ER doctors to the nurses down to the food service personnel(I was admitted for 3 days), every person went out of their way to show concern and attend to my needs. I just wanted to put some balance to this posting. :liplick:

Huggins has gotten much better over the years. In the 80's they were known as the home of the butchers. We often said when we were in high school that we wouldn't go there or to Frisbee.

I had the same experience @2 years ago. Maybe they have improved as the OP has stated in her post. I really hope so.

Good Experience....
 

I had to use the emergency room for an accident I had in late June. I found my wait time and treatment was very professional. I expected a long wait...that did not happen. The nursing staff was very caring. I ended up with a broken left leg, of which they treated however referred me to an orthopedic specialist. Given previous comments over the years I was skeptical..but glad I gave them a chance to change my opinion.

My experiences with Huggins Hospital over the past two years have been excellent in all respects. Prior to moving to the area, we too had heard stories of dissatisfaction from the locals, but when you need medical attention quickly you sometimes have to take what's available.

Well, I've now had one trip to the ER, one ER admission to the hospital, and a coarse of physical therapy at Back Bay Rehab. As a former quality systems manager/auditor, I am by nature a critically analytical person, but I could find nothing wanting in any of the services I received through Huggins. Perhaps things have changed for the better?

Unfortunately, we were unable to find a satisfactory primary care physician in the area, so our new PCP is affiliated with Frisbee. :(

It seems paradoxical that you were Very satisfied with Huggins Hospital but yet you couldn't find a doctor affiliated with the hospital to handle your routine care. I'm confused.

Secondcurve, I understand. We researched all of the then-current Huggins affiliated primary care physicians. Some were not taking new patients at the time. For others, something in their professional qualifications or the way they managed their practice got them dropped from our list. Many were eliminated based on criteria that would have no direct bearing on the doctor's ability to provide sound medical care but were nonetheless important for us (e.g., how soon is this doctor likely to retire). We'll probably do a review early next year to see what might have changed.

My experiences at Huggins have almost exclusively involved specialists, but there is much more to assessing a hospital beyond the medical professionals. A number of years ago, our son spent five weeks in rehab at Boston Medical Center. The doctors and therapists were almost all first rate but the hospital was an utter disaster. At the end of the first week, I had five pages of bullet items on errors, lapses, and other inexcusable foolishness. Thus far, we've been very impressed by Huggins.

While we're on this topic, I'd be interested in input from others about advanced medical care facilities. It's my understanding that cases that exceed the scope of care at Huggins are routinely transferred to Catholic Medical Center in Manchester. From Frisbee, advanced cases are generally sent to Portsmouth Hospital or, less frequently, Maine Medical Center.

In the past, I've found both Portsmouth and MMC to be at least "adequate". Has anyone here had much experience with Catholic Medical Center?

If anything serious happens to me at the lake, fly me to Massachusetts General. With my history no other hospital would want to or undertake my care. If necessary take me to the nearest hospital to stabilize and then transfer. MGH saved me x2. I don't know Boston Medical although I did do some work there when it was Boston City. Many changes since.

I've not had a bad experience at Huggins and have nothing but good things to say about the care my family has received in their ER. However, the hospital knows it's limitations and will transfer a patient out when needed. I for one am glad Huggins is here :-)

Higgins
 

Everyone who has walked into or has otherwise been exposed to modern medicine at the hospital level will have a very special story to tell, As a retired microbiologist I have spent many of my formative years working in a number of hospitals and even met my wife at one.
Living here in Center Harbor I wish to recommend Speare in Plymouth. I say that because I have had two trips thru the ER and have spent time on the second floor. This is a wonderful
Hospital, staffed by very qualified and patient- oriented people. The nursing staff in the ER are wonderful, the triage is immediate and spot-on, The second floor staff are also quite simply "excellent" Whoever does the hiring needs to be congratulated!!

To be sure, There will be good and bad reviews on every hospital in the country. Let me know if there is a perfect place. Diagnosing and treating the human body is probably more difficult than an automobile. Yet, when it comes to medicine those involved and the medications are supposed to be perfect.

I am a retired workaholic and continuing aquaholic.
__________________________________________________ _______

If I were to agree with you, then we both would be wrong.

Having family members that have received medical care at CMC and one that works there, all I can say is good things about them. The staff was very attentitive and met all our requirements and answered any question we had. My sister-in-law works there in the ICU and loves the staff she works with. Plus, for where I live, CMC and Concord Hospital are the same distance and we choose CMC when its a situation that requires serious care.

Thanks for the clarification. Your comments now make a lot of sense.

Traumatic experience/Positive outcome
 

My Dad, who went on a blood thinner in June 2016, bumped his head on 8/12 while he was staying at our camp in Alton Bay for the summer. He complained after lunch of a headache, and we arrived on that Friday afternoon at Huggins ER around 3 pm. He checked himself in at admissions and Dr. Dan Steele the ER doc took his history and immediately sent him for a CAT scan. There was intracranial bleeding and Dr. Steele didn't waste time trying to get Dad transferred for neurosurgery to either Portsmouth or Maine Medical in Portland. Portsmouth couldn't take him, and the weather wasn't good for an airlift, so Dr. Steele made arrangements for transfer by ambulance. Dad lost consciousness and to ensure no breathing problems en route to Portland, Dr. Steele had Dad intubated and put on a portable respirator. Thank goodness that Dr. Steele knew the severity of the situation and acted fast! Dad arrived at Maine Medical late that night and after a 2nd CAT scan was immediately scheduled for surgery to start about midnight. By 3 am he was in the ICU and made such a fast recovery that he was sitting up and eating soup at 5 pm Saturday evening! He was transferred to a regular room on Monday (the ICU nurse said she never saw anyone of any age rebound that quickly) especially someone who is 87! Dad was discharged on Wed. and then spent 9 days back at Huggins in their Rehab Unit. I can't say enough good things about the great room, the terrific therapists and nurses during his stay in Rehab. I am so thankful to Dr. Steele and to the therapists who got him back on his feet. The excellent neurosurgeon in Portland said another hour and it would have been too late, so Dr. Steele was spot on in getting him to Maine Medical ASAP. Dad is back in NJ, driving again and except for his barely visible scar, he is his old self again.

Huggins hospital
 

We can't say enough about the great experiences we have had with Huggins Hospital.
The ER staff saved our sons life with quick diagnostic elevation. It was quickly determined via MIR scan that he had internal bleeding. The only solution was to Heli him to the closest and best Medical center. We preferred Mass General because his Mother worked at Mass Gen for 30 years in ICU. They overruled us to say that MASS GEN by Heli was to far away.
He arrived by Heli at Maine Medical Center. The Director of Trauma Care upon landing quickly called for ICU staff to admit into surgery. This was 12:01 Am. He was operated on has recovered. The reason I bring this horrible situation forward is I feel I want to exploit the virtues of Huggins Hospital. If it wasn't for their quick evaluation even when they had many Bike Week accidents consuming the all the Doctors and nursing staff our Son would not have made it without their quick response and evaluation.
I'm sure there are all kinds of situations to criticize any hospital. Even after 30 years at MASS GENERAL in the ICU there were some situations.
But for determining quick professional diagnostic to life situations and making the right call we stand behind Huggins Hospital.
For those who want to criticize any institution make sure you have the correct facts and within current management and situations. Those that state your experience is years ago have no value.

Huggins Hospital
 

Ok Next time I would suggest you go to somewhere they treat hang nail or just needing a band-aid. CVS has those solutions.

Huggins Hospital
 

I think chasedawg nailed it perfectly. Sadly, many people criticise without knowing all the facts. There is always another side to a story, and without knowing the other side it is unfair to use a broad brush and paint a negative picture.

I am not an apologist for Huggins Hospital (and I am not associated with them in any manner), but you must understand that in the face of public criticism, Huggins, and any hospital, is somewhat restrained from making public comment in any detail due to privacy laws and medical ethics. In essence, they have both hands tied behind their back when faced with criticism. I happen to appreciate the privacy laws. (In another setting, would you want your local bank teller discussing your bank business in the general public? I didn't think so.)

Huggins has new management, many new people, and, for my money, is doing exactly what their level of classification expects them to do.

Wolfeboro is very fortunate to have Huggins Hospital in the community.

Always remember in life there are three sides to every story: my side, your side and the truth.

Huggins Hospital
 

Thanks, dickiej, you make my point exactly.

Geeeeez...someone says they had a good experience at Huggins and they get many thank you's. Then someonde has a different experience and they get beat-up.

We all have different experiences regardless of where we go or what we do in life.

It's also interesting that most seem to expect the same level of treatment no matter what "hospital" they end up at. People need to realize that like most things in life, there is a hierarchy. Huggins is not going to be the same critical care/emergency room experience as you will have at Mass General (or Frisbee for that matter).

What I care about is whether Huggins can take care of me when I need to be stabilized before being transferred to a more highly prepared, highly trained facility. On this grading, they pass very well (and I say this with at least 3 family members who work in critical care in Boston hospitals).

Yes, Huggins is not Mass General, and never will be. But if you need them, are you glad they are here?

I had two consecutive bad experiences in the Same (Newport) Rhode Island hospital, same doctor, four months apart, then a bad experience in a Maryland hospital...five months later. ..ALL the Same Issue. Fix an "Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm."

Three MAJOR operations to correct the problem...Lets OPEN my belly....Again. When will the "professionals" get it right..?:eek:

Mass General saved my life. The Forth opening (11 hours) was the charm at Mass General. I am still here stiring the pot on the Winni Forum ..:D .18 years later. No further problems. :D NB

OH Wait: Did I say Mass General is the place to go.. YES I Did.

This concern about Huggins Hospital is in today's "Letter to The Editor" page of the Granite State News:

Is your real name Jim? ;)

In my previous post I stated that Massachusetts General saved my life X 2.

Also saved my wife in 2005 when following my spinal fusion (New England Baptist) with great neurosurgeon, my wife had severe pain. No problem breathing etc. If we had gone home she would have been a goner. I took her to MGH on Sunday around noon time. The ER staff did great workup and she was admitted around 1 am the following morning with all the top docs in to see her. She had eleven pulmonary emboli and they saved her.

Holy crap, is that guy really that worked up about the volume of the TVs? Most of us have much better things to worry about, such as quality of care.

Yes he is very worked up. My guess is that he either works there or lives nearby.




.

I hate that, too, but in a lot of waiting rooms, there is a remote, or you can ask to have it turned down. I haven't tried that at Huggins, but if I were trapped for any period of time, I surely would.

Mac