SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital - Madison

"I've never been a patient at St Mary's in Madison. I was very pleased with my care. Staff from valet at the door, admission to everything before and after surgery to discharge was very good. One particular nurse, April, was extremely professional and caring to a high standard. I've worked in a different hospital in a different town and so I am familiar with protocol and such. St Mary's beat everything I've previously had experience with. The only thing I didn't like was the person who was taking me out via wheelchair to the waiting car decided to stop and cut off the wristband on me. Before I could tell her it was ok, I'd do it myself she cut it off and put in trash. I was a bit groggy so didn't ask for my band instead of let it be in the trash. She was not a nurse or aide. Seemed like housekeeping. Poor English. This could lead to a breach of personal information. I am as diligent as I can be about my security of private information. I don't know if the wristband can be used for data mining or not. Seems like it could be possible if someone was tech savvy. Other than Nurse April, and the surgeon, I don't remember any names. Other than the wristband being cut off by someone who shouldn't have that on her mind and she didn't ask me for permission she just stopped at a desk that was unmanned and got some scissors and next thing I know it's gone. It was after dark, late and freezing cold that night. I was anxious to get home and sleep. I was going to call about this incident but never have. I'm reporting it in this review instead. Thank you for the opportunity to express my review."

"I spent 4 days in the IMC and cardiac unit at St.Marys. When I arrived I was greeted by a team of doctors and nurses who were all caring and compassionate. I felt well cared for during my stay and have nothing but positive things to say."

"My wife and I had our child in May at St. Mary’s hospital. A few months later we receive a bill for the hospital stay. I saw on my insurance portal that they had not billed my insurance company. I call the St. Mary's billing dept and asked them to bill my insurance company. Once the insurance company processes the claim, I figured, I can pay whatever my cost share may be as determined by my insurance company. I receive the same bill a month later, I called St. Mary’s again and requested that they bill the insurance company. I was assured they billed the insurance company, however, I could still not see the bill on my insurance company portal. I figured there may be a lag in how my insurance company processes the claim and thought nothing of it. We have had our prior two children at St. Marys with the same insurance company so I didn’t make much of it. After receiving multiple bills and making multiple requests to have the St. Mary’s billing department bill my insurance company, I was dismayed at receiving a collections notice in the mail in late November. I finally called my insurance company to inquire about the claim from St. Mary’s, my insurance company stated that they had not received any claims for that date for my child. I asked my insurance company to contact St. Mary’s to determine the issue with the claim. It turns out St. Mary's sent the bill to the wrong insurance company. My insurance company was finally able to have St. Mary’s bill the claim and pay. I called St Mary’s billing and customer service dept to request rescinding the collections as it was the billing dept that failed to bill the claim appropriately. I received no help from St. Mary’s and was told that it was sent to collections because they sent me the bill multiple times and I did not pay. An institution that renders and bills for medical services should be aware of how claim billing works. I should not have to go through unnecessary and agonizing prepossesses to have to explain to St. Mary’s how to correctly bill my insurance company. The level of indifference and unprofessional attitude demonstrated by St. Mary’s is frustrating. The claim is now paid by my insurance company and I still have to deal with the collections agency, with St. Mary’s nowhere to be found taking responsibility for not possessing the basic aptitude to bill a medical claim."

"Excellent care from wonderful professional staff. I was diagnosed with a rare spinal condition. Neurosurgeon Dr. Elena Gutierrez and her team performed a perfect triple laminectomy with arachnoid web release. My post surgical care at St. Mary’s was provided by caring staff and made my stay a comfortable and pleasant experience. I am so very grateful to my St. Mary’s Hospital team."

"I presented with bilateral pneumonia and a bit of a complicated health history. Dr. Davenport and Dr. Gelboth were my physicians. I felt lucky to have them each working my case. The respiratory health team was a pleasure as were all but one of the nurses that I had taking care of me. They were easy to talk with and laugh with while they did their job well monitoring me. The least, important, but still important is the food. They had a good menu and the food was tasty. Thank you, Pamela Bell"