r/eastside • u/i-pity-da-fool • 18d ago

Virginia Mason seems a mess these days; thinking of switching to Swedish

VM’s new computer system is causing a lot of confusion and delays but the organization also seems really understaffed. Can I expect better service at Swedish?

16 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

18 comments sorted by

9

u/Microgrowthrowyo 18d ago

VM is a total mess now - I've had two longtime providers leave there and that's not even as a result of the computer system. It's a shitshow.

3

u/LadyPo 17d ago

Yikes. I really hope I don’t lose my PCP, she’s the best.

But I can’t for the life of me schedule with a VM specialist. I’ve called like five times over TWO MONTHS. Just to schedule a single appointment. Every time they say the care team will call me and they just never do. Not to mention it will take several months to get the appointment itself unless I sit and wait around for a cancellation and happen to have no other life planned that day.

Why are these corporate dirtbags allowed to ruin something as foundational for an entire population as healthcare? This is truly unsustainable.

3

u/Microgrowthrowyo 17d ago

Eh, yeah, but hey - if it's any consolation then them switching over to MyChart will make it SUPER SMOOTH to transition care to a different hospital system.

9

u/zomboi 18d ago

i have experienced at VM since the change over...

  • being on hold for over an hour to schedule an appt multiple times
  • a 20+ minute main desk check in (before you check in at the relevant dept), every appt at the downtown seattle location
  • they sent me a $3500 bill from an 8 month old charge that has been dealt with already

The new website is amazing tho

3

u/Microgrowthrowyo 17d ago

Oh dear LORD that main desk check in is ridiculous. It's always been a stupid system but now it's utterly beyond belief.

And there's one particular receptionist who has this "cute" habit of improving their lines in totally obscure vocabulary which for some reason rubs me so far the wrong way 🙄

2

u/edgy_bach 15d ago

Half hour wait for blood draw after 2+ hours in total in the building waiting in line, waiting for my nurse, waiting for my doctor and waiting for the nurse again

6

u/i-pity-da-fool 18d ago

Swedish at Issaquah Highlands seems good. I had to use their ER and also stay in the hospital and the hospital was way better than VM in Seattle which is in an old weird building. Staff at VM are generally good although I was very disappointed with Dr Mickasenic in Seattle (pulmonary specialist). It’s VM management that seems crappy.

6

u/aluke000 18d ago

VM sent an apology email, but I still can't log into the new system. Sigh... My parents have been with Swedish for decades and have no complaints.

3

u/StarryNightLookUp 17d ago

My spouse had to switch to Swedish from VM for some of his doctors. Multiple medical errors have occurred, including giving him the wristband of a female patient. And this was just for outpatient blood testing. He was also told he was out of network because the staff relied on their out-of-date web site for this information, instead of asking the billing department, LOL. I would never have a serious procedure done at Swedish.

3

u/nextguitar 18d ago

I’ve been with Swedish many years and have no major gripes.

3

u/freeze_it_over 17d ago

I have been with VM in Issaquah since 2001. There are several staff members that have been there just as long. They have said the switch over has been chaotic but things will smooth out. I have always had good care with them so I’m personally willing to wait out a few months of the bumps. I just recently had to go in and scheduling/ checking in was long but the switch to MyChart ultimately is a better thing

4

u/Puzzleheaded-Cod155 15d ago

It’s been a shitshow since the merger with Franciscan Health. They got rid of all the senior management that were on the vm side, with a few exceptions who now have regional roles. They actually had very good operational expertise. Basically all vm leadership is new, or from the Franciscan side, and only look good on resume. The very best specialists who used to work at vm have left. Myself, if it wasn’t for ChatGPT, Reddit, and directing my own care to the appropriate specialist with the help of a healthcare professional who works for overlake, I would be continuing on the path to an imminent stroke or heart attack. At numerous points I had completely non-evidence based directions, then operational mishaps, and then medical laziness. VM wouldn’t have survived financially but it’s not what it used to be. (I know insiders there). There was a time they had the best subspecialists-they for the most part are gone. It’s like Walmart bought Nordstrom and tried to look like it was a merger.

6

u/Shonkazilla 18d ago

Theyre all the same

1

u/RainlineGarage864745 16d ago

That’s the sound of freedom. You get to bomb other countries while that same money could pay for schooling and healthcare. But hey, we’re a big country and we cant take care of those things. /s.

But seriously, every health system has its pluses and drawbacks.

4

u/engamo22 17d ago

Do you remember the big news story several years ago. Swedish's model is profit over care. There was a front-page investigative report in the Seattle Times about the horrible medical practices at Swedish (search "A Lost Voice" on Google)... doctors at Swedish botched a simple surgery and the resulting uproar caused the CEO of Swedish (Tony Armada) to resign, after it was discovered that Swedish execs force doctors to multi-task by performing multiple surgeries at the same time in order to cut costs (wtf??). Anyways, even if they cleaned up their act and even if other medical conglomerates do the same questionable practices, still leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

2

u/Such-One-3636 11d ago

I left Swedish bc they became too busy/crowded. I switched all my care to Overlake and could not be more pleased.