Union Multi-Care Medical Center, Inc 1160 Varnum Street Northeast, Washington, District of Columbia 20017

"My fiance had one of the worst experiences she's ever had at a hospital. She had a panic attack at work today and her boss decided that it would be a good idea to try and get her some kind of help. He brought her to Union Medical Center under the advice of the insurance company that a psychiatrist was on staff to help her. While her triage and initial experience with the nurses and techs was outstanding, the experience with the ER doctor and admissions staff was outrageously despicable. While being admitted into the healthcare system, the admissions officer who interviewed her asked for her phone number. When she replied that she didn't have one (her phone had recently broken and had yet to be repaired), he rudely asked her, "Really? How do you not have a phone number?". Long story short, she was belittled for not having a phone. The ER doctor, initially calm, soon took a nasty turn. The doctor consistently prodded her about alcohol drinking, which my fiance (27 years old) hardly ever consumes alcohol. She never liked it. Addiction runs in her family and she has taken the duty upon herself to never take a chance with that. She had to repeat that she does not drink more than five times. The doctor asked her, "What do you mean 'no'? Are you sure you don't drink?". At that point, she felt insulted. I don't blame her. When the ER doctor then asked my fiance to remove her clothes (as she sat on a bed in the HALLWAY), sensitive about past traumas from her childhood, she politely refused, admitting she was not comfortable doing so. She then asked why she should have to remove her clothing if she was only there for a mental health condition and not a medical health condition. The doctor told her it was because they wanted to be sure she didn't have any weapons on her in case she attacked the staff. Once again, very insulting and completely out of line. She was also told by this same doctor that her belongings would have to be locked up. When my fiance inquired as to why, she was told that it was to make sure someone wouldn't steal her things, giving her the sense that she wasn't safe in that situation and exasperating her anxiety attack. The doctor then nearly forced medication upon my fiance in order to calm her down. She refused. She knows that drugs don't help anything. Once finally in a room, she was told the CIS team would be in shortly to speak with her. She was then asked to give blood and urine, to which she complied. She waited for nearly four hours before she became so anxious that she had to leave the hospital. The nurse, techs and charge nurse were wonderful. The maintenance and environmental staff were compassionate and kind. She wasted nearly 4 hours of sick time from work, sitting in the hospital, only to be told that there was NO psychiatrist on staff and that she would only be seen by counselors, who never came. She was then told that all a counselor could do was provide some numbers to psychiatrists within the area. So, basically, she reached out to a place that she thought she could get real help from, only to have her time and the courage it took for her to get some help...WASTED. This was by far the worst experience she has ever had in a hospital setting. She is normally familiar and comfortable in a hospital, having worked as a unit secretary for nearly three years at our local hospital. Due to this occupational experience, she also understands the pressures and strains working in the ER has on any person: mentally, physically, and emotionally. However, her entire sense of trust and comfort was stripped away from her today. I will not repeat the names of these staff members nor my fiance to protect everyone's integrity. I just want the public to know that this does happen. There are terrible members of the healthcare system. Know your rights and fight for them. They cannot force you to do anything except waste time."